• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.205-216
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• 2024

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of Mindfulness & Loving Beingness (M&L) psychotherapy combined with traditional Korean medicine in treating acute sleep disorders in patients hospitalized following traffic accidents. Methods: We applied traditional Korean medicine treatments in conjunction with various mindfulness meditation techniques from M&L therapy, including Resource Mindfulness and Nourishment Brief Therapy. This study was conducted on three patients who reported acute sleep disorder symptoms on the first day of hospitalization following a traffic accident. The effectiveness of these interventions was assessed using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5-K), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), EuroQol 5-Dimension (EQ-5D), Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC). Results: ISI and PCL-5-K scores showed significant improvements after treatment, indicating reduced sleep disturbances and stress symptoms. Additionally, EQ-5D and PGIC scores were enhanced, reflecting an overall improvement in quality of life. Conclusions: This study suggests that integrating M&L therapy with traditional Korean medicine could significantly improve symptoms in patients with acute sleep disorders following traffic accidents.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.333-340
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• 2015

This study is designed to analyze the effect of skincare using cosmetic containing ginseng extract, on improving quality of life (QOL) of healthy women, with blind testing. QOL is a concept that represents how one's disease or health condition can physically, psychologically, and socially influence his or her daily life. The study was conducted to assess the effect of a ginseng cosmetic preparation on quality of life (QOL) using the Skindex-16 score, stratified by blind versus non-blinded option. 45 healthy women aged between 30 and 49 years with no skin disease were recruited for this study. Volunteers were divided into two groups. Group A (n = 22) received anti-aging cream with ginseng extract in the original packaging, which included the brand name and logo. Group B (n = 23) received the same cream in a plain white jar without any package decoration or logo. Both groups used the cream for 8 weeks. For the skin-related QOL assessment, Skindex-16 was used at baseline, forth, and eighth week. All volunteers except two dropouts in Group A completed the dermatology-specific QOL measure, Skindex-16, at baseline, after 4 weeks, and after 8 weeks of treatment with the provided samples. As a result, the mean score of 43 participants at baseline was $22.70{\pm}4.82$. There was a significant difference between the baseline score and the score after 8 weeks in both groups: The scores changed from $23.30{\pm}5.14$ to $20.20{\pm}4.83$ in Group A, from $22.17{\pm}4.58$ to $20.52{\pm}3.60$ in Group B. The "Symptom" subscale of Skindex-16 improved after 4 weeks and the "Emotion" subscale improved after 8 weeks in Group A. The "Function" subscale did not show improvement in either groups. Both groups showed no interaction effect between follow up time and groups in Skindex-16 and subscale. This research opens up the possibility of skincare using ginseng cream having a positive effect on QOL in healthy women. Moreover, one can predict that skincare ritual itself may have greater impact on the improvement of QOL, compared to the product packaging.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 1984

This study was conducted to identify the problems in the medical aid program by reviewing the medical care utilization pattern of the beneficiaries. The data were abstracted from the monthly bills and vouchers for medical care of the whole benefi챠aries(17,527) in Gyeongsan Gun submitted by the physicians to county government for the period of 1 calendar year from October 1981 to September 1982. The number of medical aid beneficiary accounted for 12.7% of the total county population, a higher proportion than the national average-9.5%. Monthly primary care utilization rate per 100 beneficiaries was 9.3 persons with 14.0 visits and 42.9 medication days. for the 2nd and 3rd care, there were 1.7 admissions and 9.3 OPD visits per 100 beneficiaries per year. The beneficiaries of the first class medical aid program had a higher utilization rate of both the primary and secondary/tertiary care facilities. Females utilized more the primary care facilities than males while males utilized more the secondary/tertiary care facilities than females. A significantly lower utilization rate was observed in January than in the other months and this was seemed due to the renewal process of the medical aid certificate. Among 1,931 patients utilized the 2nd/3rd care facilities 84.4% was out-patients and the lowest ratios were in the minor specialties including ENT, ophthalmology, dermatology and urology. The average hospital days per in-patient were 21.2 days and OPD days per out patient were 4.7 days. The average hospital days for a psychiatry in-patient was 74.4 days which was the longest average hospital days among all the specialties. Average medical care cost per beneficiary in a year was W9,821:W24,240 for the 1st class and W7,464 for the 2nd class. The medical care cost for the primary care per patient was W3.901 and W840 per day compared with W49,875 per patient and W5,822 per day for the secondary/tertiary care. From the findings of this study following recommendations were made to improve the medical care program: 1) The renewal process of the medical care certificate should be expedited. 2) Minor specialty clinics should be designated as the primary medical care facility for the medical aid program to reduce the expenses by absorbing more patients referred to the secondary/tertiary care facilities directly. 3) The medical care cost for the primary care facility should be escalated to reduce the differential between the primary and secondary/tertiary care facilities.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.67-74
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• 2016

Objectives : The Knee degenerative osteoarthritis patients are not satisfied with the conventional therapies of KDOA, which results in the use of alternative therapies. The miniscalpel acupuncture is effective in treating chronic soft tissue, releasing contractures. However, there is little scientific evidence supporting the use of miniscalpel acupuncture in knee degenerative osteoarthritis. This study was designed to obtain basic data for a further large-scale trial as well as provide information about the feasibility of miniscalpel acupuncture in knee degenerative osteoarthritis patients. Methods : We describe the protocol for a randomized controlled pilot clinical trial of 5 weeks duration. Twenty patients will be recruited and randomly allocated to two treatment groups: miniscalpel acupuncture treatment(experimental group); and acupuncture and electro-acupuncture treatment(control group). Miniscalpel acupuncture will be performed once with a 1-week interval for 3 weeks. Electro-acupuncture will be administered twice per week for a period of 3 weeks. The primary outcomes will be measured by visual analogue scale and range of motion. The secondary outcomes will be short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index. Both primary and secondary outcomes will be measured at baseline and at 1, 2, 3 and 5 weeks(i.e. 2 weeks after treatment completion). Conclusions : This pilot study will provide a basic foundation for a future large-scale trial as well as information about the feasibility of miniscalpel acupuncture in knee degenerative osteoarthritis.