• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.2547-2554
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• 2014

Background: To evaluate the perception of cancer patients toward treatment services and influencing factors and to inquire about the use of complementary alternative medicine (CAM). Materials and Methods: Information was obtained through pre-tested structured questionnaires completed by cancer patients during treatment at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Results: Of 242 patients, 137 (64.6%) accepted to enter this study. Most were Saudi (n=93, 68%), female (n=80, 58%), educated at university (n=71, 52%), married (n=97, 72%) and with breast cancer (n=36, 26%). One-hundred (73%) patients were satisfied with the services provided; 61% were Saudi. Ninety-four (68%) respondents were satisfied with the explanation of their cancer. Twenty-eight (21.6%) patients received CAM, of them 54.0% received herbal followed by rakia (21.0%), nutritional supplements/vitamins (7.0%) and Zamam water (18.0%), with significant differences among them (p =0.004). Seven (5%) patients believed this therapy could be used alone; 34 (25%) patients believed it could be used with other treatments, regardless of whether they themselves used this therapy. Fifty-three (53%) satisfied patients felt they received enough support; 31 (58%) patients received support from family and friends; 22 (41.6%) patients received support from the health-care team. Patients who received information about their disease from their physicians and those who felt they had enough support were more satisfied. The patients who took alternative treatment were older age, mostly female and highly educated but values did not reach significance. Conclusions: We stress enhancing the educational and supportive aspects of cancer-patient services to improve their treatment satisfaction and emphasize the need for increasing the educational and awareness programs offered to these patients.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.84 no.2
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• pp.105-114
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• 2021

Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been used frequently, and its use continues to increase in lung cancer patients, despite insufficient scientific of its efficacy. To investigate this situation, we analyzed the current awareness and use of CAM in Korean lung-cancer patients. Methods: This prospective survey-based study was performed at seven medical centers in South Korea between August and October 2019. The survey assessed general patient characteristics and the awareness and use of CAM. We analyzed differences in the clinical parameters of patients aware and not aware of CAM and of CAM non-users and users. Results: Of the 434 patients included in this study, 68.8% responded that they were aware of CAM and 30.9% said they had experienced it. In univariate analysis, the patients aware of CAM were younger with poor performance status, had advanced-stage lung cancer, received more systemic therapy, and received concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT). By multiple logistic regression, younger age, poor performance status, advanced stage, and prior CCRT were identified as independent risk factors for CAM awareness. There were no significant differences in the general characteristics and cancer-associated clinical parameters of CAM non-users and users. Conclusion: Specific clinical parameters were associated with patients' awareness of CAM, although there were no significantly different characteristics between CAM users and non-users.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.84-95
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• 2017

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neuropsychiatric disorder that begins in early childhood and can persist throughout adulthood. ADHD causes difficulties in various area of life, such as academic achievement, peer relationships, family functioning, employment and marriage. Although ADHD is known to respond well to medication, such treatment is more effective when combined with psychosocial (non-pharmacologic) therapy in terms of alleviating the core symptoms and improving appropriate functions. Psychosocial treatment interventions are divided into psychoeducation, behavioral parent training, school intervention, cognitive behavior therapy, social skill training, parent-child interaction therapy, play therapy, other treatments (coaching, complementary and alternative medicine), neurofeedback and Cogmed. Adult ADHD cognitive behavioral therapy is described separately. These practice parameters summarize the evidence for psychosocial treatment. Based on this evidence, specific recommendations are provided for psychosocial interventions.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.71-77
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• 2010

Objectives: We investigated whether oriental medical therapy influences the results of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer. Methods: 19 women with infertility were treated by oriental treatment from August 1999 to June 2000 in the department of obstetrics and gynecology of an oriental medical center. The women were planning in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer after oriental medicine treatment. The data from the women was analyzed, we obtained the following results. Results: The average age of infertile women was $35.42{\pm}4.86$; infertility caused by male factor or tubal factor were the most frequent. The average number of previous failed IVF treatments was $2.21{\pm}1.81$. The number of aspirated oocytes was $9.00{\pm}6.09$ in IVF cycle before oriental therapy, increasing to $9.80{\pm}5.41$ after therapy, but it was not statistically significant. In IVF before oriental therapy, the average number of embryos transfer was $3.20{\pm}1.90$, and it significantly increased to $4.40{\pm}1.45$ after treatment. The quality points of embryos were $10.00{\pm}6.02$ before treatment, but statistically significantly improved to $14.07{\pm}4.98$ after. The characteristics of women being pregnant and non-successful women were compared with age, period of taking herbal medicine and the number of failed IVF treatments, but there was no significant difference. Conclusion: Oriental treatment before IVF could be expected to have good results in treatment of infertility.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.159-168
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of auricular acupressure on menstrual pain, difficulties in daily life, negative feelings and autonomic nervous responses among college students. Methods: A Randomized Controlled Trial design was used. The treatment group A (n=12) receivedauricular acupressure therapy on the first or second day of their menstrual period. Treatment group B (n=18) regularly received an auricular acupressure therapy once a week for a month. The control group (n=19) received no auricular acupressure therapy. An independent t-test was used to examine pre-post test differences in the group. The ANOVA and Scheffe test were used to examine pre-post test differences among the group. Results: Subjects in treatment group A showed significantly less menstrual pain, difficulties in daily life, and negative feelings than the control group did. The participants in treatment group B also showed significantly less difficulties in daily life and negative feelings than the control group. Conclusion: The findings support that auricular acupressure therapy on menstrual periods is effective in controlling menstrual pain, difficulties in daily life, and negative feelings. As the method is simple, it would be useful for female students to learn to use this method to alleviate the symptoms related to menstruation through self care.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.469-478
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of meditation therapy on stress relief and quality of life. The experimental group included 85 Sojucheon meditation members in Gwangju and Jeonnam, and the control group was a survey of 48 members including general office workers and beauty school students. One-way ANOVA was performed for the statistics of differences in study variables between the two groups. The results of the analysis showed a significant difference in stress, and the F test also showed a significant difference in quality of life. Therefore, most of the meditation practitioners have been found that meditation therapy has a positive effect on stress relief and quality of life. These results suggest that Sojucheon meditation therapy is effective in relieving stress and quality of life, and it can be said that it is sufficient to provide a reference of meditation therapy for psychological stability.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.10-22
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• 2023

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of brain education-based exercise and KPEM manual therapy integrated program on the sleep and quality of life of cancer patients. Design: Seventy subjects who were diagnosed with cancer and were undergoing treatment volunteered to participate in this study. All subjects used a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design for either the experimental group or the control group. In the final analysis, there were 25 subjects in the experimental group and 18 subjects in the control group. Methods: For 12 weeks, the experimental group performed brain education-based exercise (20 minutes) and KPEM manual therapy (50 minutes), and the control group performed basic physical therapy and autonomous exercise. For evaluation, the Korean version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI-K) and the quality of life index were measured after intervention using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC-3.0Ver). Effect between groups, time effect over time, and group^*time interaction were analyzed through a pre-test before and after the 12-week intervention period, and repeated measure ANOVA after 12 weeks of the integrated program intervention. All statistical significance levels were set at α=.05. Results: The PSQI in the time effect (p=.001) and the group^*time interaction (p<.001) were statistically significant. In terms of EORTC, QL2 and PF2 were significant in time effect (p=.024; p=.021) and group^*time interaction (p=.007; p=.021), whereas in RF2, significance was only found in group^*time interaction (p=.028). In symptom indicators, time effect was the only significant factor in FA, SL, AP, and CO, respectively (p=.002; p=.028; p=.041; p =.005) and in DY, there were significant differences in the time effect (p=.016) and group^*time interaction (p=.002). Conclusion: The brain education-based exercise and KPEM manual therapy integrated program effectively improves the sleep and quality of life of cancer patients. It is considered that this exercise and therapy can be actively used as a psychological, emotional, and physically complementary physical therapy intervention to improve the quality of life of cancer patients.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.191-203
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• 2024

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated medical service model for a fibromyalgia patient and their caregiver, focusing on reducing pain and improving quality of life. Methods: A single-case study design was employed, involving a fibromyalgia patient and their primary caregiver treated at W University Hospital. The integrated medical service program, based on the Ministry of Health and Welfare's model, included medical consultations and complementary therapies such as psychological counseling, art therapy, music therapy, horticultural therapy, yoga, and meditation. The program was conducted weekly for 8 weeks, with each session lasting up to 100 minutes. Data collection involved both quantitative and qualitative assessments. Quantitative data included demographic surveys, psychological tests, health-related quality of life measures, pain indices, and sleep quality indices. Qualitative data were gathered through feedback evaluations and emotional assessments. Results: The patient showed improvements in mobility, self-care, daily activities, and anxiety/depression, with EQ-VAS scores increasing from 20 to 40 and pain perception decreasing from 67.41 to 42.58. The caregiver reported reduced anxiety/depression and an increase in EQ-VAS scores from 95 to 98. Both patient and caregiver exhibited emotional changes, with decreased depression and increased happiness. However, the patient showed an increase in fear and anger. Conclusions: The integrated medical service model positively impacted the emotional and psychological well-being of the fibromyalgia patient and their caregiver. Despite the limitations of a small sample size and a single-case study design, the findings suggest that an integrated approach can be beneficial. Larger-scale studies are needed to confirm and generalize these results.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.148-159
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• 2007

Purpose: Vasomotor symptoms including hot flash are very common to postmenopausal women. Estrogen therapy was regarded as the best option for relieving menopausal symptoms until 2002, when the Women#s Health Initiative(WHI) reported the side effect of the therapy. Consequently, studies on the complementary and alternative medical herbs and therapy for the management of menopausal symptoms have followed. And so we have reviewed some international clinical studies about the management of postmenopausal symptoms with acupuncture therapy. Methods: "Menopause and acupuncture" was designated as a key word in the search site. Pub Med, and nine papers dealing with hot flash among the relevant RCTs were selected, and then, the effect of acupuncture on hot flash and the way the researches had been done was examined. Results : The intensity of hot flash reduced significantly and the frequency of hot flash was inclined to reduce, but not significantly, compared to the controlled group. Conclusion: Each clinical test has its limitations in point of the number of the required samples. However, it still shows the possibility that acupuncture itself will be effective enough to reduce the intensity of hot flash to a certain degree. It is believed that extensive clinical tests on the effect of acupuncture on hot flash will need to be done hereafter. And when the tests are carried out, it is required to exclude placebo effect, do blind test, and carefully select and control the methods.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7421-7426
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• 2013

Background: Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-related death. FOLFOX is the most common regimen used in the first-line chemotherapy in advanced colorectal cancer, but only half of the patients respond to this regimen and we have almost no clue in predicting resistance in such first-line application. Methods: To explore the potential molecular biomarkers predicting the resistance of FOLFOX regimen as the first-line treatment in advanced colorectal cancer, we screened microRNAs in serum samples from drug-responsive and drug-resistant patients by microarrays. Then differential microRNA expression was further validated in an independent population by reverse transcription and quantitative real-time PCR. Results: 62 microRNAs expressing differentially with fold-change >2 were screened out by microarray analysis. Among them, 5 (miR-221, miR-222, miR-122, miR-19a, miR-144) were chosen for further validation in an independent population (N=72). Our results indicated serum miR-19a to be significantly up-regulated in resistance-phase serum (p=0.009). The ROC curve analysis showed that the sensitivity of serum miR-19a to discriminate the resistant patients from the response ones was 66.7%, and the specificity was 63.9% when the AUC was 0.679. We additionally observed serum miR-19a had a complementary value for cancer embryonic antigen (CEA). Stratified analysis further revealed that serum miR-19a predicted both intrinsic and acquired drug resistance. Conclusions: Our findings confirmed aberrant expression of serum miR-19a in FOLFOX chemotherapy resistance patients, suggesting serum miR-19a could be a potential molecular biomarker for predicting and monitoring resistance to first-line FOLFOX chemotherapy regimens in advanced colorectal cancer patients.