• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.447-458
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• 2007

Purpose: This exploratory study was to identify the use of complementary and alternative medicine(CAM) in women with breast cancer and to analyze which factor influence CAM use. Methods: 114 patients with breast cancer were identified and approached. The instrument used to gather data were the common types, main reasons and effects as well as stress, mood states and fatigue. Results: 42.7% of all participants reported the use of CAM. The most common types of CAM used were Phellinus linteus, elm tree, and vitamin C. The main reasons for CAM use were to boost the immune system and to prevent recurrence. Prayer, massage, Shitake mushroom, and Ganoderma lucidum were, identified as being more effective than others. 93.6% of the respondents informed their physicians of their use of CAM. Logistic regression analysis determined that stress, mood states, and duration after diagnosis were factors significantly associated with CAM use. Conclusion: CAM use is increasing among patients with breast cancer. Health care professionals are in the main position to identify what treatments patients are using and implement CAM therapies that can be helpful to relieve patient symptoms related to treatment and psychological distress.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.595-603
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors relating to resilience for adolescents with leukemia and examine the relationship between these factors. Methods: From June to September in 2014, 199 adolescents aged 11 to 21 participated in the study as they visited the out-patient clinic at C university hospital for follow-up care. To verify the predictors and the effects of resilience, uncertainty, symptom distress, perceived social support, spiritual perspective, defensive coping, courageous coping, hope, and self-transcendence were measured. Collected data were analyzed using hierarchical regression analysis with the SAS statistics program. Results: The final regression model showed that courageous coping, hope, and self-transcendence were significant predictors related to resilience in adolescents with leukemia and explained for 63% of the variance in resilience. Conclusion: The findings indicate that adolescent-oriented intervention programs enhancing courageous coping, hope, and self-transcendence should be provide for adolescents with leukemia in order to overcome illness-related stress and support physical, psychological and social adjustment.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.148-157
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning of the experience of receiving radioactive iodine therapy among patients with thyroid cancer. Methods: A qualitative research design was adopted. The participants were ten women diagnosed with thyroid cancer who had received radioactive iodine therapy within one year. Data were collected through in-depth interviews from October of 2015 to April of 2016. Individual interviews were recorded, and transcribed data were analyzed using Colaizzi's method. Results: The six categories of the experience of receiving radioactive iodine therapy were "Finally realizing having cancer," "The lonely fight that feels like prison life," "Narrower scope of life," "Lack of understanding by others," "Enduring a short, yet difficult journey," and "A turning point for a new life." Conclusion: This study provides deep insight into the experience of thyroid cancer patients who had received radioactive iodine therapy. Nurses should concern their distress during radioactive iodine treatment and manage psychological difficulties as well as physical symptoms. Support from family and health care providers may help them to overcome the hard journey.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.353-363
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate pediatric nurses' perceptions regarding in end-of-life care and turnover intention. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed among 111 hospital nurses. Pediatric nurses' perceptions of obstacles and supportive behaviors were measured using the Pediatric Nurses' Perceptions of End of Life Care Questionnaire which was translated into Korean and turnover intention was measured using the Korean Nurse Turnover Intention Scale (K-NTIS). Results: The supportive behavior with the highest perceived magnitude was 'Physicians who are compassionate, but very clear about prognosis.' The obstacle with the highest perceived magnitude was 'Instigating painful treatments when there is no hope of recovery.' Pediatric nurses' perceptions of obstacles in end-of-life care showed statistically significant differences depending on whether nurses received end-of-life care education (t=2.02, p=.046). The perception of obstacles in end-of-life care was positively correlated with turnover intention (intensity r=.28, p=.002) (frequency r=.20, p=.027). Conclusion: These results suggest that pediatric nurses' perception of obstacles and supportive behaviors in end-of-life care need to be assessed when considering turnover intention. Furthermore, psychological counseling should be offered to nurses to prevent burnout and reduce moral distress which is correlated with the turnover rate.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.297-305
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate eating habits and the frequency of trigger-food consumption in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and to examine the associations of these variables with IBS symptom severity. Methods: We included 145 ROME III-positive IBS patients (mean age 31.2 years, 73.8% of female). Subjects completed an eating-habits and food-consumption questionnaire, IBS-Symptom Severity Scale (IBS-SSS) and Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18) for psychological distress. Results: Subjects with unhealthy eating-habits such as irregular meal times, frequently eating out and overeating tended to show higher IBS symptom severity. The severity of IBS symptoms related to the frequency of the consumption of trigger foods. Subjects who ate trigger-foods (i.e., tofu, beans, almonds, and peanuts) less frequently showed higher IBS symptom severity (p=.045, .042, .016, and .019, respectively). However, subjects who ate spicy foods, instant foods, and noodles more frequently experienced more severe IBS symptoms (p=.018, .011, and .023 respectively). Conclusion: This study showed that IBS symptom severity was related to meal intake patterns and frequency of trigger food consumption. These findings could provide a basis for developing an intervention program for IBS patients.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.515-524
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify whether the couple perceived breast cancer as a traumatic event, to evaluate the association among posttraumatic growth, dyadic adjustment, and quality of life and to explore the predictors affecting quality of life of the couple. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative survey design was utilized. Participants were 57 couples recruited from a national cancer center in Korea. Data were analyzed using paired t-test, McNemar test and independent t-test. On the basis of variables found to be significantly associated with quality of life, multiple regression was used to examine the simultaneous influence of multiple predictors. Results: Breast cancers survivors and spouses perceived breast cancer as a traumatic event (43.9% and 24.6%, respectively). The global quality of life was explained by perception as trauma (${\beta}$= -19.79) and posttraumatic growth (${\beta}$=0.46) in survivors, and perception as trauma (${\beta}$= -18.81) and dyadic adjustment (${\beta}$=0.53) in spouses. Conclusion: Results suggest that future research should use qualitative methods to evaluate why contemplating reasons for cancer contributed to posttraumatic growth, examine other potential predictors of quality of life such as dyadic adjustment and intimacy, and identify links between posttraumatic growth and other psychological outcomes such as distress and well-being, using prospective analyses.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.49-60
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• 2010

Purpose: This study investigated the quality of life, mental health and subjective health status of community dwelling cancer patients. Methods: Subjects were 212 out-patients with cancer at Kangwon University Hospital. The study was conducted from July 10 to August 14, 2008. Quality of life as determined by the Euro Quality of life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) was measured using Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(KCDC). Mental health and subjective health status were measured using KCDC. Results: EQ-5D determined degrees of difficulty were 25.5%(mobility), 25.2%(anxiety or depression), 23.6%(pain or discomfort), 20.3%(activities of daily living), and 13.7%(self care). An analysis of the association between several factors and mental health showed that the statistically significant factors were age, gender, medical coverage, and private insurance. An analysis of the association between several factors and subjective health status showed that the statistically significant factor was occupation. Conclusion: Cancer patients suffer from significant psychological distress. Programs that address mental and physical health would be beneficial.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.284-293
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• 2012

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the levels of anxiety, depression, and quality of life (QOL) among kidney or liver transplant candidates and recipients. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive design was utilized. The 160 subjects were recruited and assigned to three different conditions: awaiting transplant group; post-transplantation (TPL) group within less than one year of surgery; and post-TPL group with one year and no more than two years post surgery. The levels of anxiety and depression were measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The level of quality of life was measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 version 2. Results: The anxiety score was significantly higher in the waiting group compared with the 1~2 years post TPL group. The depression score was significantly higher in the waiting group compared with the post TPL groups. The QOL was significantly lower in the waiting group compared with the post TPL groups. Conclusion: Our results show a high prevalence of anxiety and depression and a marked reduction in the QOL in transplant candidates compared to the recipients. This study indicates that the group waiting for transplants may have unmet needs during that time period. Health professionals should be encouraged to attend to the psychological distress of the transplant candidates in order to improve their quality of life.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.141-150
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• 1997

The purpose of this study was the development of the parenting stress scale, necessary to understand the details of the difficulties for a working mother having children from infant to preschooler. Relevant works were reviewed to collect 44 items for the questionnaire from the previous researchs, and additional 34 are combined as a set of measure items. The 78 items were analyzed for the fitness of structure based on the chi-square test and Cramer's V coefficients, and 35 were selected as a final set for the questionnaire. Further factor analysis on the 35 items showed that they could be selected 32 items of the 35 item scale and composed of 3 subscales; namely, the first factor(12 items) as‘typical stress due to the parenting’, the second(12 items) as‘pressures pertaining to the parental role and distress’, and the third(8 items) as’guilty to the parenting by others’. This final questionnaire composed of 32 items was also tested for the concurrent validity based on Pearson's correlation with Goldberg's General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), which is a well-known index to represent the socio-psychological stress. The correlation factor is .41(p＜.001), which justifies the fitness of the newly designed questionnaire. To find the confidence level, the Cronbach α was evaluated, which results .88 for the overall questionnaire and ranges between .76 and .82 for each subcale. This parenting scale can be also utilized as a measure to exploit proper programs for the parent-child relations, parent education and rehabitilation of the family function.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.4655-4660
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• 2013

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide due to its generally poor prognosis. Caregiver burden for liver cancer cases is higher than with other cancer and needs especial attention. Methods: To explore the experiences of families of patients with newly diagnosed advanced terminal stage hepatocellular cancer by interview. Results: Nine participants were recruited in this study. Content analysis of the interviews revealed four themes: blaming oneself, disrupting the pace of life, searching all possible regimens, and not letting go. Conclusions: This study provides new insight into the needs and support of family members especially when they are facing loved ones with newly diagnosed advanced terminal stage HCC. These results will inform future supportive care service development and intervention research aimed at providing assistance in reducing unmet supportive care needs and psychological distress of these family members.