• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.178-185
• /
• 2022

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of chewing difficulty on osteoarthritis in Korean adults. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for two years from 2019 to 2020. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS (21.0) program using composite samples, and the mean crossover analysis and logistic return analysis were performed. An analysis of the effects of chewing difficulty on osteoarthritis in korean adults showed that those with chewing difficulty had a 2.02 fold higher risk of osteoarthritis (95%CI=1.56~2.42) and a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). The association between the chewing difficulty on osteoarthritis could be confirmed, and measures improve of the oral health and preventing osteoarthritis should be prepared.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
• /
• v.46 no.5
• /
• pp.328-334
• /
• 2020

Objectives: This study aimed to validate the effectiveness of a recently proposed difficulty index for removal of impacted mandibular third molars based on extraction time and suggest a modified difficulty index including the presence of pathologic conditions associated with third molars. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 65 male patients younger than 25 years with third molars. Extraction time was calculated from start of the incision to the last suture. The difficulty scores for third molars were based on spatial relationship (1-5 points), depth (1-4 points), and ramus relationship (1-3 points) using cone-beam computed tomography. The difficulty index was defined as follows: I (3-4 points), II (5-7 points), III (8-10 points), and IV (11-12 points). The modified difficulty score was calculated by adding one point to the difficulty score if the third molar was associated with a pathologic condition. Two modified difficulty indices, based on the presence of pathologic conditions, were as follows: the half-level up difficulty index (HDI) and the one-level up difficulty index (ODI) from the recently proposed difficulty index. Results: The correlations between extraction time and difficulty index and or modified difficulty indices were significant (P<0.001). The correlation coefficient between extraction time and difficulty index was 0.584. The correlation coefficients between extraction time and HDI and ODI were 0.728 and 0.764, respectively. Conclusion: Extraction time of impacted third molars exhibited a moderate correlation with difficulty index and was strongly correlated with the modified indices. Considering the clinical implications, the difficulty index of surgical extraction should take into consideration the pathologic conditions associated with third molars.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.40-44
• /
• 2013

Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the differences according to depressive symptom-related difficulty status. Methods 2828 participants were a divided into depressive symptom-related difficulty group (difficult group, n = 774), and a non-depressive symptom-related difficulty group (not difficult group, n = 2054). The psychological character of the participants were assessed using the Korean version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and Conner-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Statistical analyses were done using t-test, chi-square, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results Compared with the no difficulty group, the difficulty group reported significantly higher score in all items of PHQ-9. The score of "feeling tired" was the highest and the score of "suicidal ideation" is the lowest in both groups. ANCOVA analysis that is adjusted with the total score of PHQ-9 showed the differences in SWLS, GHQ-12, and CD-RISC scores between the difficulty group and the no difficulty group. Conclusions The findings suggest that there are different characters on PHQ-9, SWLS, GHQ-12, and CD-RISC according to depressive symptom-related difficulty. Therefore, it is required not only to evaluate depressive symptoms in patients with depression, but also the depressive symptom-related difficulty to understand these differences.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.172-180
• /
• 2014

The first purpose of this study is to distinguish difficult chapters in 'Speed of objects' chapter and find the factors which give difficulty to the teachers and students. Also, it attempts to compare the students' assessment scores with the degree of difficulty in teaching and also with the degree of difficulty in learning. This report is expected to help science teachers develop their PCK(Pedagogical Content Knowledge) for teaching the chapter professionally. 15 teachers who had taught the 'Speed of Objects' chapter and their 386 students took part in the survey to acquire information about the difficulties in teaching and learning. 386 students also received a test to examine their understandings of the chapter. The results of this study are as follow; First, the degree of teachers' and students' difficulty is only affected by the contents, and the degree of onerousness felt by teachers is higher than that of students. Second, The topics caused higher difficulty to teachers were 'Understanding the meaning of motion(2nd lesson)', 'Understanding the meaning and unit of speed(5th lesson)', 'Changing unit of speed(6th lesson)', 'Drawing a distance-time graph(7th lesson)', and 'Understanding the relative motion(10th). The topics that led higher difficulty to students were the contents of 5th, 6th, and 7th lessons. Third, the 'Speed of Objects' chapter can be divided into 4 types of difficulty according to the degree of teaching and learning; 'Strong difficulty', 'Learning difficulty', 'Weak difficulty', and 'Teaching difficulty'. Last, students showed low achievement to the tasks that were related with 'Strong difficulty' and 'Teaching difficulty'.

• Women's Health Nursing
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.328-336
• /
• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to identify factors influencing the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of older adult women with sarcopenia. Methods: The study was secondary data analysis using data from the 2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The final sample consisted of 142 women aged 60 years and older with sarcopenia and were selected from 8,110 women. The participants was analyzed using complex descriptive statistics, independent t-test, and regression. Results: In terms of HRQoL, three general characteristics were found to be influential, with an explanatory power of 56.0%: difficulty climbing stairs, difficulty working, and perceived health status. Having no or mild difficulty when climbing stairs (B=.20, p=.001; B=.21, p<.001) and no or mild difficulty when working (B=.25, p=. 002; B=.208, p=.013) had a significant effect on HRQoL compared to severe difficulty. Having good or ordinary perceived health status had a significant effect on the HRQoL (B=.11, p<.001; B=.09, p<.001). Conclusion: Based on study findings that the HRQoL of older adult women with sarcopenia were influenced by difficulty climbing stairs and working, as well as good perceived health status, healthcare providers should assist elderly women to maintain physical activities in their daily lives.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
• /
• v.23 no.1 s.73
• /
• pp.173-185
• /
• 2005

This study investigated differences in children's facial, behavioral, and verbal expressions of pride and shame by their age, and type and level of task difficulty when they succeeded or failed on tasks. The subjects were 55 4-year-old children from 2 day-care centers and 37 7-year-old children from 1 elementary school. Each child participated in pride and shame assessment sessions. Data were analyzed by means, standard deviations, repeated measures ANOVA, and paired t-test. When they succeeded on tasks, 4-year-olds showed more pride in behavioral expression than 7-year-olds. More pride in facial, behavioral, and verbal expressions were shown when subjects succeeded on difficulty than on easy tasks. Interaction effect for behavioral expression of pride was found between age and type of task difficulty. In verbal expression of pride, interaction effect was found between age, and type and level of task difficulty. When they failed on tasks, 7-year-olds showed more shame in behavioral and verbal expressions than 4-year-olds. More shame in facial, behavioral, and verbal expressions were shown when subjects failed on easy than on difficulty tasks. Interaction effect for facial expression of shame was found between age, and type and level of task difficulty.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
• /
• v.24 no.7
• /
• pp.933-941
• /
• 2021

When people enjoy something, they want to be repeated and focus on actions that are rewarded. The same applies to games. The purpose of this study is to ensure that the game continues to enjoy itself over and over again. Based on the artificial reward of the game, two reward methods of the game are studied. It finds Converged Difficulty Reward elements of action game through Confirmatory factor analysis in AMOS.

• The Journal of Health Technology Assessment
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.100-105
• /
• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this research is to investigate regional variations of mastication difficulty rates in the elderly over 65 in 229 primary autonomous districts in Korea and explore relevant characteristics. For the research data, local community health survey conducted in 2015 and data from Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Ministry of Health & Welfare, National Health Insurance Service and Statistics Korea were used. Methods: Frequency analysis was conducted for general characteristics and mastication difficulty rates of each region, and distribution of mastication difficulty rates was displayed for each town, city and province by mapping them. Extremal quotient (EQ), coefficient of variation (CV) values were calculated for regional variations, and logistic regression analysis was performed to reveal the relationship between each independent variable and mastication difficulty rates. Results: The average of standardized mastication difficulty rate was 46.78%, and regional variations were significant with EQ 3.46, CV 0.18. Characteristic factors that have significant effects on mastication difficulty rate included sex ratio, elderly population and the number of dentists per 10000 people. Conclusion: As a result, there were variations among mastication difficulty rates in 229 primary local governments across the country, and the distribution of health care resources by the characteristics of the local environment by region affected mastication difficulty rates. Accordingly, it is required to provide political supports to overcome regional inequality of oral health levels and develop cooperative system between local governments and local dentists.

• Journal of The Korean Dental Society of Anesthesiology
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.91-97
• /
• 2009

Background: Nasotracheal intubation for general anesthesia is preferred for oral and maxillofacial procedures because it provides improved access to the operative site. Fiberopic nasotracheal intubation is a useful technique when airway management seems difficult. But, intaoral bleeding is considered as the important factor that makes fiberopic nasotracheal intubation difficult. The purpose of our study was to elucidate the effect of laryngeal view and bleeding on intubation difficulty during fiberopic intubation. Methods: We studied 461 patients undergoing nasotracheal intubation with permission. Laryngeal view grades were examined with laryngoscope and were recorded. Then, intubation time and the amounts of bleeding were measured during fibroptic nasotracheal intubation under general anesthesia. Results: There was no significant difference between laryngeal view grade and intubation difficulty (P > 0.05). But severity of bleeding increased intubation difficulty (P < 0.05). Conclusions: In this study, the significant amounts of bleeding had an effect on intubation difficulty.

• Human Ecology Research
• /
• v.59 no.3
• /
• pp.387-400
• /
• 2021

This study examined the structural relationship between children's academic stress, grit, executive function difficulty, and media device addiction. Data on 1,132 children and their mothers from the 11^th (2018)Panel Study on Korean Children were used for the study. Data were collected by Academic Stress Scale, Grit Scale-Children, Child-Adolescent Self-reported Executive Function Difficulty Screening Questionnaire, and K-Internet Addiction Scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 23.0 program with Pearson correlation, structural equation model and bootstrapping. The main results were as follows. 1) Children's academic stress had a negative influence on their grit. 2) Children's grit had a negative influence on their executive function difficulty and media device addiction. 3) Children's executive function difficulty had a positive influence on their media device addiction. 4) The relationship between children's academic stress and media device addiction was mediated by their grit and executive function difficulty. This study is significant in the sense that it found protective factors and risk factors for children's addiction to media devices. We suggest that children's grit be improved, and their academic stress and executive function difficulty be reduced to prevent and mediate children's media device addiction.