• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.149-157
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• 2010

Objectives: To quantify disability level in salespeople with concurrent low back pain (LBP) and to determine the relative associations between demographic, occupational, psychosocial and clinical factors and back disability. LBP is the most common cause of work-related disability in people under 45 years of age and the most expensive cause of work-related disability, in terms of workers' compensation and medical expenses. Evidence suggests high prevalence of LBP in salespeople. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in which 184 saleswomen with a current episode of self-reported LBP working in a large up-scale department store filled out a battery of 6 self-administered questionnaires and received a standardised physical examination. Results: Saleswomen with concurrent LBP had low disability levels. Factors significantly associated with disability were pain intensity, measured by a visual analogue scale, in the past week (p < 0.001), physical and mental health status (p < 0.001, p = 0.003, respectively), fear avoidance scores for both work and physical activities (p = 0.031, p = 0.014, respectively), past history of LBP (p = 0.019), and self-reported frequency of pushing or pulling objects placed in high positions during work (p = 0.047). A significant level (45%) of the variance in disability status was explained by these variables. Conclusion: In clinical management of LBP workers who required prolonged standing, such as salespeople, clinicians should look for modifiable risk factors associated with disability. Specific measures need to be taken to prevent disability due to LBP among salespeople.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.39-49
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to systematic review about randomized controlled trials the characteristics and effect of non-pharmacological intervention on depressive symptom in elderly with mild cognitive impairment. We searched studies published from January 2011 to July 2021 in 3 databases. A total 1,455 studies were found and included 11 studies in final analysis. Methodological quality was assessment with the Cochrane's RoB(risk of bias) tool. Geriatric Depression Scale(GDS) was the most used as the assessment tool for identifying the depressive symptom. Intervention were yoga, psychosocial intervention, cognitive training, health education, multi-component intervention, game training, aerobic/pulmonary physiotherapy, art therapy, music reminiscence activity, memory specificity training, cognitive stimulation therapy and SWTW(sleep well, think well) program. Among the intervention programs, yoga, multi-component intervention and game training were effective in improving depressive symptom. This study provided a clinical evidence for planning and implementing intervention on depressive symptom in elderly with mild cognitive impairment.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.58-65
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• 2018

Objectives This study is to identify the relationship between stress, obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) by Sasang constitution (SC) and to use it as a basic data for the customized healthcare system of chronic disease management. Methods In a cross-sectional study conducted in a rural area of the Gyeongju area in 2014, we extracted data on 1,847 people using data from Korean medicine Data Center (KDC). The SC types diagnosed by Sasang constitutional medicine doctor. The stress was measured by the psychosocial well-being index questionnaire, and the obesity was defined by the body mass index. Results In all SC type, the stress and obesity was associated with MetS. There was a significant difference in the prevalence and trend of MetS according to presence of stress and obesity. The prevalence of MetS was the highest in Taeumin with all the stress and obesity, in order of Soeumin and Soyangin. Regardless SC types, the stress was associated with higher risk of MetS in the obese but not in the nonobese. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that further research is necessary to the SC types for the management of the Metabolic syndrome according to stress and obesity.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2020

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of depressive/anxiety symptoms with psychosocial factors including ego resilience, social conflict, and social support as well as hemoglobin A1c in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods : The subjects were 144 patients with DM. Depressive/anxiety symptoms were evaluated by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Sociodemographic factors, hemoglobin A1c, ego resilience, social conflict, and social support were measured. Multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the impact of hemoglobin A1c, ego resilience, social conflict, and social support on depressive/anxiety symptoms. Results : A total of 32.6% and 24.3% of participants were identified with depressive and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Depressive/anxiety symptoms positively correlated with the social conflict score. Conversely, ego resilience and social support negatively correlated with depressive/anxiety symptoms. In the final model of the multiple regression analyses, ego resilience was associated with a lower level of depressive (β=-0.083, p=0.019)/anxiety (β=-0.125, p=0.001) symptoms whereas social conflict was related to a higher level of depressive (β=0.353, p=0.011)/anxiety (β=0.460, p=0.003) symptoms. Also, hemoglobin A1c positively associated with anxiety symptoms (β=0.495, p=0.012) whereas social support negatively related to depressive symptoms (β=-0.464, p=0.004). Conclusion : We found possible risk and protective psychosocial factors of underlying depressive/anxiety symptoms among patients with DM. Our findings suggest that enhancing ego resilience and social support as well as decreasing social conflict would be crucial in the prevention and management of depressive/anxiety symptoms in patients with DM.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.687-694
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• 2012

Objective: This study aims to survey the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders(MSD) among Korean hospital workers and to analyze the relationship of MSD symptoms and workload perceived by workers. Background: Despite of high exposure to the MSD risk factors and high MSD symptom prevalence among health care workers, there were not enough studies of MSD prevalence among the hospital workers. Method: This study designed a survey based on Nordic questionnaire to obtain MSD symptoms and the degree of four perceived workloads: work repetition, urgency, physical exertion and satisfaction. In this survey, 1,846 workers in a hospital participated. The prevalence of MSD was analyzed for each body part, and MSD cases, which were predetermined in this study, were identified. The relationship between the MSD cases and each perceived workload was analyzed using chi-square test. Results: The pain in the shoulder was the most prevalent among the workers as 52%, and the low back(37%) and leg discomfort(36%) followed. The MSD cases, in which degree of pain was more than severe, were also the most prevalent in the shoulder(13%). Female workers had higher rate of MSD cases than the males. Among the four workload variables, the physical exertion was the statistically related to MSD cases for all the body parts. In addition, the others also had significant relation to MSD cases except one or two body parts. Conclusion: This study found that Korean hospital workers had MSD symptoms mainly in the shoulder, low back and legs in order, and the perceived workload surveyed in this study was highly correlated with MSD symptoms. Application: This study provides another evidence that subjective physical exertion perceived by workers is an important factor to explain MSD cases as same as the objective one.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.71-80
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• 2010

Objectives: This study furthers the currents understanding of mental health status and stress level among Seoul citizens and to identify differences according to socio-demographic variables for developing mental health programs. Methods: The study subjects using cluster-stratified sampling method were 1234 adults over 19 years old from 17 dong, S-Ku in Seoul City. A cross-sectional study with face-to-face interview was used to collect data. A questionnaire measuring socio-demographic variables, Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) and psychosocial wellbeing index-short form (PWI-SF) was utilized. Results: Three findings in this study were discussed: (1) The rate of clinical mental health was low in contrary to that of border group which was high and the rate of high risk group of stress was 68.1% (men 67.0%, women 69.0%); (2) The mental health and the stress level was significantly higher among female, elderly, lower education level, divorced, and lower family income; and (3) In Pearson correlation analysis, stress were correlated to all 9 symptoms of SCL-R. Conclusion: The findings suggest that the future intervention of Mental Health programs should be carefully designed and tailored by socio-demographic variables.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.71-81
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• 2009

Objectives: This study furthers the currents understanding of alcohol use disorders, stress, mental health status and suicide among Seoul citizens. This study is to identify differences according to socio-demographic variables and variables which affect stress, mental status and suicide for developing mental health programs. Methods: The study subjects using cluster-stratified sampling method were 1234 adults over 19 years old from 17 dong, S-Ku in Seoul City. A cross-sectional study with face-to-face interview was used to collect data. A questionnaire measuring socio-demographic variables, Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) and psychosocial wellbeing index-short form (PWI-SF) was utilized. Results: Three findings in this study were discussed: (1) The prevalence of problem drinking and alcohol dependence and AUDIT score were significantly higher among male, younger age, and high level of education and income; (2) AUDIT score were related with stress, all 9 symptoms of SCL-R and suicide plan; (3) Problem drinkers were more likely to have 2.5 times of anxiety, 3.0 times of hostility, and 2.4 times psychoticism than non alcohol problem drinkers. Alcohol dependence drinkers were more likely to have 1.9 times of high risk group of stress, 4.1 times of obsessive-compulsive, 4.7 times of anxiety, 5.5 times of hostility, and 2.3 times psychoticism than non alcohol dependence drinkers. Conclusion: The findings suggest that the future intervention of Mental Health programs should be carefully designed and tailored by socio-demographic variables.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2024

Frailty is a clinical syndrome as an increased vulnerability to stressors, leading to a decrease in physiologic reserves and a decline in the ability to maintain a good homeostasis. This condition leads to an increased risk of hospitalization, disability and mortality. Frailty occurs due to various causes and requires a multidimensional approach. It is also important to detect and manage it early. Frailty is also deeply related to neuropsychiatric problems such as pain and depression. In evaluating frailty, it is desirable to comprehensively consider not only physical areas such as disease, nutrition, movement, and sensory functions, but also psychosocial areas, and representative scales include Fried's physical frailty phenotype and Rockwood's frailty index. Physical activity and appropriate protein intake are important for frailty management, and inappropriate drug use should be reduced and oral care, cognitive function, and falls should also be noted. Frailty and pain can affect each other, and pain can promote frailty. Evidence has been published that hormone and protein abnormalities, immune system activity and inflammatory response, and epigenetic mechanisms work in common in the field of frailty and pain. More extensive and high-quality research should be conducted in the future, and the quality of life will be improved if the results are applied to the suppression and treatment of old age and pain.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.122-131
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• 2013

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the point prevalence of anxiety, depression and the associated risk factors in hospitalized patients with cancer. Methods: A total of 114 patients with cancer who admitted to the Cancer Center in St. Mary's Hospital were enrolled for a day. The patients were asked to complete Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS). Sociodemographic and cancer related clinical variables were also evaluated. Results: The point prevalence of anxiety and depression was 10.5% and 34.2%, respectively, as assessed with HADS. Logistic regression models revealed that distant metastasis was significantly associated with anxiety in patients with cancer and previous chemotherapy and Low socioeconomic status were significantly associated with depression. Conclusions: Our results indicate that more than one third of patients with cancer suffer from either anxiety or depression. In addition, previous chemotherapy as well as low socioeconomic status and distant metastasis were associated risk factors of anxiety and depression, respectively. These findings suggest the need for screening and systematized psychosocial intervention for psychological distress in hospitalized patients with cancer.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.133-145
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• 1999

The purposesof the study are to analyze the community nursing center in U.S.A and to develop the model of nursing care system based on nurse-midwifery clinic in community for women's health in Korea. 1. In America nursing center is defined as nurse-anchored system of primary care delivery or neighborhood health center. Nursing centers are identified the following four types: (1) community outreach centers, which are similar to traditional public health clinics: (2) institutional-based centers following the mission of a large institution, such as a hospital or university: (3) wellness/health promotion centers, which offer screening, education, counseling, triage, and health maintenance services: and (4) independent practice. Nursing centers are a concept of services provided by nurses in practice arrangements in a community. Nursing centers offer a variety of services, ranging from primary care provided by advanced practice nurses with medical acute management and nursing care to the more traditional education, health promotion, screening wellness and coordination services. Some services, such as the care provided by advanced practice nurses are reimbursed under various insurance plan in some instances and states, where as others, such as preventive and educational services, are not. Thus, lack of reimbursement has threatened the survival of some centers. Licensing of nursing centers varies by state and program and accreditation of nursing centers is also limited. 52% of centers are affiliated with another facility and 48% are freestanding centers. The number of registered nurse at the nursing centers ranges from just one to 115, with a mean of eight RNs peragency and a median of three. Nursing centers avail ability varies: 14% are open 24 hours, 27% have variable short hours, 23% are open 6-7 days per week, and 36% are open Monday- Friday. As the result of my visiting three health centers in Seattle and San Francisco, the women's primary care nurse practitioners focus on a systematic and comprehensive assessment of the health status of women and diagnosis and management of common physical and psychosocial health concerns of women in ambulatory settings. Therapeutic nursing strategies are directed toward self-care, risk reoduction, health surveillance, stress reduction, healthy nutrition, social support, healthy coping, psychological well-being, and pharmacological therapy. They function as primary care providers for the well ness and illness care of women from adolescence through the older adult years and pregnant families. 2. In Korea a nurse-midwife practices independently for pregnant women's health including childbearing family at her own clinic in community. Her services are reimbursed under national health insurance but they are not paid on a fee-for-service schedule covering items. Analyzing the nursing centers in America, I suggest that nurse-midwifery clinics offer primary care for women and home care for chronic ill patients. The health law and health insurance policy should be reovised in order to expand nurse-midwife's and home care nurse's roles at nurse-midwifery clinic.