• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.52
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• pp.143-170
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• 2003

This study investigated the effectiveness of the assessment of psychosocial treatment outcome in symptomatology and social functioning as rated by the depressed client's significant other in explaining the client's symptomatology and social adjustment at 6 and 12 month follow-up period after the 16-week psychosocial treatment was terminated. The data were drawn from the National Institute of Mental Health Treatment of Depression Collaborative Research Program of the U.S. Significant others of depressed clients have rarely participated in the assessment of treatment outcome, although they are major participants of the clients' daily life and have meaningful opportunities to observe the clients' functioning in different social situations. Thus, this study aimed to examine the explanatory power of the significant others' outcome assessment in depressive symptomatology and social functioning for the long-term outcome in symptomatology and social adjustment. The outcome measures used by the significant others were actual performance, expected performance, gap between actual and expected performance, and symptomatology drawn from the Katz Adjustment Scale-Relatives Form. Three major findings were: (1) in general, the posttreatment assessment by the significant other demonstrated stronger explanatory power of the follow-up status than the assessment rated at pretreatment in all of the four outcome domains; (2) the significant other's assessment of actual and expected performance at both pre- and posttreatment demonstrated significant explanatory power of the follow-up status in symptomatology and social/leisure and work adjustment; and (3) the significant other's assessment of social functioning at pretreatment improved the explanatory power over and above the explanation by symptomatology in the follow-up status of social/leisure and work adjustment; however, at posttreatment, symptomatology improved the explanation over and above social functioning more frequently in predicting both symptomatology and social/leisure and work adjustment. These findings suggest the effectiveness of the measures of symptomatology and actual and expected performance as assessed by significant others. The results imply that mental health professionals and researchers need to involve the depressed client's significant other in the treatment and make good use of their contribution in treatment planning and further intervention in the follow-up period to prevent relapse.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.391-400
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• 2005

Objective : This study examined the socioeconomic differentials for the health and health related behaviors among South Korean middle school students. Methods : A nationwide cross-sectional interview survey of 3,449 middle school second-grade students and their parents was conducted using a stratified multi-stage cluster sampling method. The response rate was 93.3%. The socioeconomic position indicators were based on self-reported information from the students and their parents: parental education, father's occupational class, monthly family income, out-of-pocket expenditure for education, housing ownership, educational expectations, educational performance and the perceived economic hardships. The outcome variables that were measured were also based on the self-reported information from the students. The health measures included self-rated health conditions, psychological or mental problems, the feelings of loneliness at school, the overall satisfaction of life and the perceived level of stress. The health related behaviors included were smoking, alcohol drinking, sexual intercourse, violence, bullying and verbal and physical abuse by parents. Results : Socioeconomic differences for the health and health related behaviors were found among the eighth grade boys and girls of South Korea. However, the pattern varied with gender, the socioeconomic position indicators and the outcome measures. The prevalence rates of the overall dissatisfaction with life for both genders differed according to most of the eight socioeconomic position indicators. All the health measures were significantly different according to the perceived economic hardship. However, the socioeconomic differences in the self-rated health conditions and the psychosocial or mental problems were not clear. The students having higher socioeconomic position tended to be a perpetrator of bullying while those students with lower socioeconomic position were more likely to be a victim. Conclusions : The perceived economic hardships predicted the health status among the eighth graders of South Korea. The overall satisfaction of life was associated with the socioeconomic position indicators. Further research efforts are needed to explore the mechanisms on how and why the socioeconomic position affects the health and health related behaviors in this age group.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.105-110
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• 2017

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of frozen mixed double-embryo transfer (MDET; the simultaneous transfer of day 3 and day 5 embryos) in comparison with frozen blastocyst double-embryo transfer (BDET; transfer of two day 5 blastocysts) in patients with repeated implantation failure (RIF). Methods: A total of 104 women with RIF who underwent frozen MDET (n = 48) or BDET (n = 56) with excellent-quality embryos were included in this retrospective analysis. All frozen embryo transfers were performed in natural cycles. The main outcome measures were the implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate, multiple pregnancy rate, and miscarriage rate. These measures were compared between the patients who underwent MDET or BDET using the chi-square test or the Fisher exact test, as appropriate. Results: The implantation and clinical pregnancy rates were significantly higher in patients who underwent MDET than in those who underwent BDET (60.4% vs. 39.3%, p=0.03 and 52.1% vs. 30.4%, p=0.05, respectively). A significantly lower miscarriage rate was observed in the MDET group (6.9% vs. 10.7%, p=0.05). In addition, the multiple pregnancy rate was slightly, but not significantly, higher in the MDET group (27.1% vs. 25.0%). Conclusion: MDET was found to be significantly superior to double blastocyst transfer. It could be regarded as an appropriate approach to improve in vitro fertilization success rates in RIF patients.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.465-474
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effect of hand massage in patients who underwent transradial percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a nonequivalent control group and non-synchronized design. The study included 30 patients in the experimental group and 30 in the control group. Hand massage was performed 2 times for 5 minutes each in the experimental group and the control group only received usual nursing interventions. Pain, level of discomfort, and vital signs were defined as key outcome measures, and the data were analyzed using the chi-square test, an independent t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, repeated-measures analysis of variance, and Friedman test. Results: Significant differences were observed between the 2 groups in the pain score (F=7.91, p=.003), discomfort score (F=18.15, p<.001), pulse (F=12.92, p<.001), and respiration rate (${\times}^2=19.35$, p<.001). Conclusion: Hand massage can be a helpful nursing intervention for transradial percutaneous coronary intervention by reducing pain and discomfort to a considerable degree.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.90-101
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• 2007

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of abdominal meridian massage either with the use of aroma oils or without using the oils for the relief of constipation in institutionalized children with cerebral palsy. Method: Using a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design, 40 children were randomly assigned to experimental (n=21) and control (n=19) groups. The experimental group received abdominal meridian massage with mixture of aroma oils, and the control group received abdominal meridian massage only. Prior to the intervention, baseline data were collected, and then abdominal meridian massage with or without aroma oils were given to both groups every morning for 15 minutes a day, six days a week, for 2 weeks. Outcome measures were number of bowel movements, amount of stool (gm), and frequency of laxatives, suppositories or enema. Using SPSS/Win 12.0 program, data were analyzed by $X^2$ test, t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Children in the experimental group defecated a larger volume of stool, and used fewer laxatives than those in the control group. The treatment effects lasted for 1 week after treatment. Conclusion: Abdominal meridian massage with aroma oils appears to be an effective adjunct maneuver in relieving constipation among institutionalized children with cerebral palsy.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.505-512
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• 2010

Objectives: Because of the changing life style of Koreans, we have witnessed an increase of patients with back pain. The development of medical knowledge and technology has resulted in more numerous and better treatment methods. However, the outcomes of diverse treatments have been examined by using a few medicine-oriented measures like pain. This study aims at identifying the factors that influence the outcomes of back pain treatments by using two outcome measures (e.g., quality of life and pain). Methods: We used the questionnaire survey method for data collection. The questionnaires contained 5 categories (treatment methods, clinical conditions, exercise, quality of life and, socio-demographic characteristics). We interviewed 188 back pain patients. We used the regression analysis method to predict the quality of life or pain. Results: Surgery showed a statistically significant effect on the quality of life as well as pain. The illness period, age and exercise were turned out to be significant factors for both of the dependent variables. The social class and surgery methods showed a statistically significant effect solely on the quality of life. Conclusions: In choosing the surgical methods, doctors need to provide detailed explanations on the quality of life outcomes for each of the surgical methods to the patients.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.9-16
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• 2013

Objectives: The purpose of this manuscript was to review Intersectoral Collaboration policies for Tobacco Control. Methods: The author selected the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and adopted guidelines, and reviewed intersectoral and multisectoral collaboration policy recommendations. Results: There are 11 chapters and 38 articles in the Convention. In the Demand reduction policies included price and non price measures. The author selected a few non price measures for cross sectoral collaboration examples. They are protection from exposure to tobacco emission, education and communication, banning advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products, and offering treatment to tobacco use cessation. Inter sectoral and multi sectoral approaches could increase effectiveness, and better outcome of the tobacco control policy for implementation of many different articles of FCTC. Conclusions: It is important to give a specific role in structures of different government sectors and infrastructure for intersectoral collaboration. In addition, the role of civil society is very important for implementation of tobacco control policy effectively, and governments have to support the civil society for anti-smoking activities and campaigns.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.71-76
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine changes in autonomic nerve responses after low-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). Methods: Research subjects were 24 students who attend University. Subjects were divided into two groups: 1 = a low intensity group; 2 = a high intensity group. Electrodes were attached to the forearm of the dominant arm and electrical stimuli were administered for 15 minutes. Outcome measures were skin conduction velocity, skin temperature, blood flow, and pulse frequency, each of which was measured a total of 4 times. The data were analyzed using a repeated measures ANOVA. Results: In changes in conduction velocity, the main effect of time variation (in black) was statistically significant. The interaction between time and group main effects was not statistically significant; nor was the difference between the groups. Results showed that skin conduction velocity changed without any relation to group. Conclusions: Low frequency TENS selectively increases skin conduction velocity, which may be helpful for activating sudomotor function regardless of intensity.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.57-61
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• 2013

Objective: To determine the correlation among three functional tests: single leg vertical jump (SLVJ), single leg hop for distance (SLHD), and single leg squat (SLSQ). Design: Cross sectional study. Methods: Twenty healthy men (n=10) and women (n=10) with no history of lower extremity dysfucntion participated in this study and performed in university research laboratory. The procedures consisted of a general warm-up, a task-specific warm-up, actual testing, and a cool down. All participants performed the three tests in random order. Each test was performed three times for the dominant and non-dominant lower extremity (LE). SLVJ, SLHD, SLSQ were measured using a standard tape measure. Results: Statistically significant difference was presented between dominant LE and non-dominant LE in each function test (p<0.05). The strongest correlation was between SLVJ and SLSQ, 0.939 and 0.883 for dominant and non-dominant LE, respectively (p<0.05). The weakest correlation was between SLVJ and SLHD, 0.713 for dominant (p<0.05) and between SLSQ and SLHD, 0.739 for non-dominant (p<0.05). Conclusions: There is a strong correlation between SLVJ and SLSQ, suggesting that each test measures similar constructs of function and can be substitutive, while weak correlation between SLSQ and SLHD suggest these two tests do not measure the same functional components and could be paired as outcome measures for the clinical assessment of LE function. It will provide physical therapist with scientific evidence for effective test combination of LE function assessment in clinical practice.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.5-23
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• 2008

Purpose: This study aims to conduct a systematic review of the physical, psychosocial and physiological effects of Tai Chi exercise in elderly. Method: 37 articles from Medline search of foreign journals (1966-2006) were surveyed by the key words 'Tai Chi', 'Tai-chi program' and 'Tai-chi and elderly' limiting the range to age 65 or older, choosing clinical trial and randomized controlled trial research in English articles. Four articles were excluded due to methodological study, pilot study and review. The research was analyzed according to health status of the subjects, styles and forms of Tai Chi exercises, factors for physical, psychosocial and physiological measures. Result: A short forming Yang style was commonly used in chronic diseases and health for elderly. Variable outcome measures were used in Tai Chi studies relating to balance, muscle strength, walking and mobility, flexibility and cardiorespiratory function in physical measure, quality of life, depression, self-efficacy, health status, cognition and impact questionnaire in psychosocial measure, lipids, insulin resistance and hormone in physiological measure. Conclusion: Tai Chi exercise appears to have physical and psychosocial benefits and also appears to be safe for elderly and chronic diseases. It is suggested that future studies analyze statistical part of systematic reviews through meta analysis.