• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2024

Purpose: Advance directives (ADs) are legal documents that outline a person's preferences or decisions regarding end-of-life care ahead of time. In Korea, there is insufficient awareness and knowledge about ADs among patients undergoing hemodialysis. This study explored the relationship between perceptions of a good death, knowledge about ADs, and attitudes toward ADs in this patient population. Methods: This cross-sectional survey enrolled 119 hemodialysis patients from a secondary hospital in 2021. The participants completed a self-administered questionnaire, and the data were analyzed using the t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, Spearman rank correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis. Results: The average score for perceptions of a good death among hemodialysis patients was 2.80 out of 4, with clinical symptoms identified as the most critical factor. The average scores for knowledge about ADs and attitudes toward ADs were 5.69 out of 9 and 2.79 out of 4, respectively. There was a positive correlation between perceptions of a good death and attitudes toward ADs (r=0.34, P<0.001), as well as between knowledge about Ads and attitudes toward ADs (r=0.19, P=0.037). Factors influencing attitudes toward Ads included employment status (β=0.22, P=0.011), education level (β=0.22, P=0.013), and perceptions of a good death (β=0.29, P=0.001), which accounted for 24.8% of the variance in attitudes toward ADs. Conclusion: A positive perception of a good death among patients undergoing hemodialysis was associated with a positive attitude toward ADs. Educational programs are needed to improve individuals' understanding of a good death and encourage the development of end-of-life care plans.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.51-64
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• 2024

Objectives: This study examined the association between ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption and chronic diseases in elderly Koreans. Methods: Data from the 2019-2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. Dietary intake and UPF consumption were assessed using the NOVA food classification based on 24-hour recall data from 3,790 participants (aged 65+ years). Participants were divided into 4 groups based on the quartile of energy intake from UPFs. Regions were classified as urban or rural. Multivariable logistic regression was employed to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) after controlling for potential confounders. Results: Among the participants, 71.3% resided in urban and 28.7% in rural areas. Compared to the urban elderly, rural participants tended to be older, have lower education and income levels, be more likely to live in single-person households, and have a higher smoking rate (P < 0.05). Urban elderly consumed more UPFs daily (146.1 g) compared to rural residents (126.6 g; P < 0.05). "Sugar-sweetened beverages" were the most consumed category in both regions. "Sweetened milk and its products" and "traditional sauces" were prominent in urban areas, while rural elderly consumed more "traditional sauces" and "distilled alcoholic beverages." Rural areas also had a higher carbohydrate-to-calorie ratio than urban areas. Compared to the lowest quartile of UPF intake, the highest quartile was significantly associated with impaired fasting glucose only in rural areas (AOR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.00-2.19; P for trend = 0.0014). No significant associations were observed for diabetes in either urban or rural areas. Conclusions: This study suggests that high intake of UPFs is associated with increased odds of impaired fasting glucose in rural elderly. Further research is needed to elucidate the specific negative health effects of UPFs in different populations, and targeted efforts should promote healthy diets in both urban and rural areas.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.61-70
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the factors influencing nursing students' intentions to report child abuse. Methods: The participants of this study were 151 nursing students who were currently enrolled in nursing departments in Korea and who were at least 18 years of age or older. This study used a descriptive cross-sectional design, and the data were collected from February 16, to March 13, 2023, using an online self-administered survey. The questionnaire included general characteristics, empathy ability, child rights recognition, child abuse perception, and intention to report child abuse. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, an independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffé test, and multiple regression analysis using SPSS Statistics 29.0. Results: The intention to report child abuse showed statistically significant positive correlations with empathy ability (r=.23, p<.001), child rights recognition (r=.34, p<.001), and child abuse perception (r=.63, p<.001). In the multiple regression analysis, the factors significantly related to nursing students' intention to report child abuse were as follows: awareness of mandatory reporting (yes) (β=.16, p=.021) and child abuse perception (β=.56, p<.001). The explanatory power of these factors was 45.0% (F=20.03, p<.001). Conclusion: Considering the findings of this study, it is necessary to develop and implement educational programs for improving the perception of child abuse and thus enhancing nursing students' intention to report child abuse.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.216-222
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• 2024

Objectives: To compare the levels of anxiety on GAD-7 scale among undergraduates of dental, medical and engineering students during COVID-19. The secondary objectives were to correlate the factors influencing level of anxiety and to assess the coping strategies practiced by undergraduates' students of Karachi duri.ng COVID-19 outbreak. Methodology: The cross-sectional based survey was conducted online among the medical, dental and engineering undergraduates' university students of private sector in Karachi through purposive sampling technique during COVID-19 lock down period. The GAD-7 validated tool was used along with the demographic variables, related stress factors and the coping skills practiced during this outbreak. Total 571 questionnaires were found completed in all sections. The data was analyzed on SPSS version 23. P-value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: The mental health of the students was assessed on GADS-7 scale as normal, mild, moderate and severe levels. From the total (n=18-3.2%) were normal, (n=132-23.1%) had mild, (n=343-60.1%) had moderate and (n=78-13.7%) had severe anxiety level on GADS-7. The levels of anxiety on GAD-7 scale were all positively associated with the related stressors at p-value of 0.000. Moreover the results depicted that there was a moderate and positive correlation found (0.456, 0.447, 0.512 and 0.452) for all related stressors and GAD-7 scale. Taking breaks from watching, reading news regarding the outbreak of COVID-19, meditation and engaging in some other activities were the most frequently used coping strategies for all levels of anxiety among three cohorts of undergraduates'. Conclusion: Undergraduates has shown 96.9% drastically increased level of anxiety during the outbreak of COVID 19 pandemic. Taking breaks from watching, reading news regarding the outbreak of COVID-19 was the most frequent behavior practiced by the students.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.95-113
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• 2024

Purpose: This study focused on the societal changes associated with the entry into an ultra-aged society and the increase in single-person households. The core objective of this research is to investigate how social intelligent robots can bring about positive changes in the lives of individuals in single-person households and how such changes influence user satisfaction and the intention to use these robots. Methods: The study employed a cross-sectional analysis using a structural equation model. A survey designed to assess the impact of social intelligent robots' characteristics, such as perceived encouragement, empathy, presence, appearance, and attachment, on user satisfaction and usage intentions was conducted. Data were collected from a total of 335 users and analyzed using the structural equation model. Results: In the characteristics of social intelligent robots for single-person households, it was found that empathy, presence, and attachment significantly influenced satisfaction, while perceived encouragement, empathy, and attachment significantly influenced usage intentions. The research results indicate differences between enhancing user satisfaction and increasing the intention to use social intelligent robots. The findings suggest the essential need for a user-centric approach in the design and development of social intelligent robots. Additionally, it was observed that emotional support plays a crucial role in users' experiences with social intelligent robots. Conclusion: This study verified the impact of social intelligent robots on satisfaction and usage intentions based on users' experiences. It examined the influence of linguistic, visual, and personal characteristics of robots on user experiences, providing insights into how technological and human aspects of social intelligent robots interact to shape user satisfaction and usage intentions. Consequently, the study confirmed that social intelligent robots can bring positive changes to human life, emphasizing the necessity for the advancement of robot technology in a human-centric direction.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.42-50
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the influence of public hospital nurses' psychological capital and nursing work environment on job embeddedness. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted from October 21 to 31, 2022. A total of 200 participants working at a public hospital in Gyeonggi-do were recruited. Data collection was conducted using questionnaires. Data were analyzed using t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and hierarchical regression analysis. Results: The mean scores of psychological capital and nursing work environment were 3.32±0.60 out of 5 and 2.43±0.48 out of 4, respectively. The mean score for Job embeddedness was 3.14±0.72 out of 5. Psychological capital showed a significant positive correlation with nursing work environment and job embeddeness, and nursing work environment also showed a significant positive correlation with job embeddedness. The factors affecting job embeddeness of public hospital nurses were positive psychological capital, nursing work environment, and age. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that in order to increase job embeddedness, it is necessary to develop education and programs that can strengthen positive psychological capital of public hospital nurses. In addition, the nursing work environment must be improved by providing appropriate manpower and resources.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.1.1-1.11
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• 2023

Background: Although it is well known that the usage of visual display terminal (VDT) at the workplace causes computer vision syndrome (CVS), previous studies mainly focused on computer use and the health of white-collar workers. In this study, we explored the relationship between the usage of VDT including various devices, and symptoms related to CVS in a large population including pink-collar workers and blue-collar workers. Methods: 21,304 wage workers over the age of 20 years were analyzed from the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey. To investigate the association between VDT use at work and symptoms related to CVS among wage workers, odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated by multivariate logistic regression models. Results: In the group with the highest VDT usage at work, the OR of headache/eyestrain was 2.16 (95% CI: 1.86-2.52). The OR of suspected CVS patients was significantly increased in the highest group of usage of VDT at work (OR: 1.69; 95% CI, 1.39-2.06). Compare with the reference group, the OR for headache/eyestrain in the highest group of VDT usage was 2.81 (95% CI: 2.13-3.70) in white-collar workers, 1.78 (95% CI: 1.32-2.40) in pink-collar workers, and 1.59 (95% CI: 1.18-2.15) in blue-collar workers. Conclusions: We observed a relationship in which the use of VDT in the workplace increases the risk of headache/eyestrain regardless of occupational classification. Our findings emphasize the importance of paying attention to the health of VDT workers and making plans to improve their working conditions.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.2965-2972
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• 2016

Background: China carries a heavy burden of cervical cancer (CC) and substantial disparities exist across regions within the country. In order to reduce regional disparities in CC, the government of China launched the National Cervical Cancer Screening Program in Rural Areas (NCCSPRA) in 2009. Critical to the success of the program are the health care workers who play a pivotal role in preventing and managing CC by encouraging and motivating women to use screening services and by providing identification and treatment services. This study aimed to assess cervical cancer knowledge among these health care workers at the county level in maternal and child health (MCH) hospitals across different socio-economic regions of China. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted and self-administered questionnaires were sent to all health care workers (a total of 66) providing cervical cancer screening services in 6 county level MCH hospitals in Liaoning, Hubei and Shaanxi provinces, representing eastern, central and western regions of China; 64 (97.0%, 64/66) of the workers responded. ANOVA and Chi-square test were used to compare the knowledge rate and scores in subgroups. Results: The knowledge level of the respondents was generally low. The overall combined knowledge rate was 46.9%. The knowledge rates for risk factors, prevention, clinical symptoms, screening and diagnostic tests and understanding of positive results were 31.3%, 37.5%, 18.1%, 56.3% and 84.4%, respectively. Statistically significant differences in scores or rates of CC knowledge were seen across the different regions. The total and sectional scores in the less developed regions were statistically significantly lower than in the other regions. Conclusions: The majority of the health care workers who provide CC screening service in NCCSPRA at county level MCH hospitals do not have adequately equipped with knowledge about CC. Given the importance of knowledge to the program's success in reducing CC burden in rural women in China, efforts are needed to improve the knowledge of health care workers, especially in less developed regions.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.165-178
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• 2018

Objectives: To determine the current status of the treatment of breast cancer patients by Korean Medicine doctors (KMDs) and to examine the need for clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for the supportive care of these patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study used a self-administered questionnaire. Participants were asked about their experience in treating breast cancer patients; the number of breast cancer patients they currently treat; the main complaints expressed by, diagnoses of, and treatments used for such patients; and their opinions about Korean Medicine (KM) as the basis for providing supportive care for breast cancer. Results: The data for this study were collected from 322 respondents. 84 of whom reported having ever treated patients with breast cancer. Most breast cancer patients who visited the KM clinic were classified as stage I or II, and their major complaints were fatigue, general weakness and musculoskeletal pain. The major diagnostic strategies were syndrome differentiation and pulse diagnosis. The major treatments administered were herbal medicine, acupuncture, and moxibustion. KMDs cited a need for medical information, such as CPGs, as their most important concern with regard to the treatment of breast cancer patients. Conclusions: This survey determined the prevalence of the use of KM for Korean breast cancer patients. Our results underscore the need for clinical practice guidelines for using of KM as the basis of supportive care for breast cancer and for informing clinicians and patients about this approach.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.21 no.2 s.24
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• pp.217-223
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• 1988

A cross-sectional survey was conducted to determine the prevalence rate of scoliosis in elementary, middle and high school boys in May 1988. The study population included 1,393 male students in Pusan ; 463 students of 4th grade in two elementary schools, 543 students of 1st grade in one middle school and 387 students of 1st grade in one high school. The students of elementary school were screened with inspection by two physicians at the same time and the students of middle and high schools were screened with both inspection by the same physicians and 70mm chest X-ray. Positive students in any one of the two screening tests were measured for height and body weight and asked for the shoulder side on which he carries the school bag. The angle of curvature on X-ray film was measured by Cobb's method. The number of positive students in any one of the two screening tests were 15(3.2%) in elementary schools, 174(32.0%) in middle school and 92(23.8%) in high school. However, positive rates in both tests were only 2.2% for the middle school students and 2.6% for the high school students and among these students 1.1% out of total middle school students and 2.3% of high school students had a curvature equal to or greater than $5^{\circ}$ of Cobb's angle on 70mm chest X-ray film. There was a statistically significant association between the direction of spinal curve and the shoulder side on which one carries school bag among positive students in both screening 1.sts (p<0.05) Mean height and body weight of 281 positive students in any one of two screening tests were compared with the Korean standard for the same age. Mean weight of elementary school students was nearly the same as the standard weight but the height was slightly shorter than the standard. However, both mean height and weight of the middle school students were lower than the standard while those of the high school students were higher. The prevalence rate of scoliosis for the 2nd and 3rd grades of high school is presumed to be higher than that of the 1st grade of high school and the rate for girls will be even higher than the rate for boys of the same age. Thus, scoliosis seems to be an important school health problem. To prevent scoliosis, it is recommeded to reduce the weight of school bag, educate the students to keep a right posture and exercise periodically.