• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.54-60
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate levels and correlations of epilepsy specific knowledge, attitude and anxiety in mothers of children with epilepsy. Methods: Participants were 176 mothers of children with epilepsy living in B and Y cities. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficients with the SPSS 21.0 program. Results: Participants scored 57.2 (${\pm}1.7$) out of 100 points on epilepsy-related knowledge; 35.6 (${\pm}5.0$) out of 48 points on attitude toward epilepsy; 58.1 (${\pm}15.3$) out of 85 on anxiety related to a child's epileptic condition. The participants had higher levels of epilepsy-related knowledge if their family monthly income was three million KRW or higher (t=-2.92, p=.004); if there was no side effect from the medication (t=-2.91, p=.004); and if the mothers' perception of the child's health was good (F=6.181, p=.001). There was a positive correlation between knowledge and attitude related to epilepsy (r=.321, p<.001), and a negative correlation between knowledge and anxiety (r=-.257, p=.001). Conclusion: Findings indicate that interventions which reduce mothers' anxiety by providing epilepsy specific knowledge and help to achieve more positive attitudes to better ways of coping with child's disease.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.163-171
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was done to explore disease factors in children with epilepsy, parental factors and resource factors that are related to parenting stress and identify effects of each factor on parenting stress. Methods: Participants were 131 parents who had children who visited a hospital or were hospitalized due to epilepsy. Data collection was done between September 17 and November 17, 2012, and self-report surveys were used. Results: In Stepwise multiple regression analysis, factors influencing parenting stress in children with epilepsy were marital communication, educational background of parents, parenting efficacy, children's development delay, drug treatment and surgical treatment as a method of epilepsy treatment. These factors explained 34.6% (F=13.22, p<.001) of the variance in parenting stress. Conclusion: The findings indicate that parental factors (educational background of parents and parenting efficacy) and resource factors (marital communication) have higher explanatory power than disease factors of the children. Thus, it is importance to assess the capacity of parents through self-evaluation, and to assess barriers to marital communication when developing parenting stress intervention programs. Furthermore, both parents should be involved in interventions for parenting stress.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.205-219
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• 2021

Purpose: This concept analysis was conducted to clarify 'parents' treatment adherence for an epileptic child or adolescent'. Methods: The analysis used a hybrid model comprising three phases: theoretical phase, fieldwork phase, and integration phase. In the theoretical phase, fifty studies were reviewed. Interviews with four parents of epileptic children or adolescents were conducted during the fieldwork phase. In the integration phase, the results derived from prior phases were synthesized and clarified. All phases were performed cyclically. Results: The concept, 'parents' treatment adherence for an epileptic child or adolescent' was defined as parents' voluntary and goal-directed behavior towards the epilepsy treatment for their children: a collaborative decision-making process with health-care providers, establishing a support system, adaptability to the treatment plans, and appraisals of the child's health condition. Conclusion: This achievement is thought to contribute to improving the accuracy and validity of the concept measurement. It has implications for additional research on how the concept 'treatment adherence' differs in diverse health problems and other population groups than parents of children and adolescents with epilepsy.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.266-270
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• 2020

The musculoskeletal system can be damaged by massive contractions of the muscles in the case of systemic attacks by epilepsy. Several studies or case reports of multiple thoracic vertebrae fractures following generalized seizures without underlying diseases or falls have been reported, but there are few domestic studies or case reports. This paper reports the case of a 42-year-old male patient without any specific underlying disease, who was diagnosed with multiple fractures of the thoracic vertebrae caused by generalized myoclonic epilepsy during sleep.

• Journal of the Korean Child Neurology Society
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.269-271
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• 2018

Purpose: The use of anticonvulsants can cause side effects such as reduction of bone mineral density, requiring attention in growing children. The aim of our study is to investigate the effects of different anticonvulsants on bone mineral density in epileptic patients treated with monotherapy. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 60 subjects who visited the Pediatric Epilepsy Clinic of Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital from January 2013 to December 2017. Bone mineral density was measured with dual photon absorptiometry every 6 months. Results: The number of patients treated with oxcarbazepine, valproate and levetiracetam was 31, 16 and 13, respectively. Reduction of bone mineral density was seen in 8 out of 31 patients (25.8%, P=0.10) treated with oxcarbazepine, 9 out of 16 patients treated with valproate (56.3%, P=0.04) and 4 out of 13 patients treated with levetiracetam (30.8%, P=0.50). Conclusion: There was a significant reduction of bone mineral density in patients treated with valproate compared to the other anticonvulsants in our study. We believe attention to bone mineral density is required in children treated with anticonvulsants.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.451-458
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• 2020

Post-stroke epilepsy (PSE) slows the recovery process and reduces the quality of life of stroke survivors. Antiepileptic drugs are empirically prescribed to prevent PSE. However, the long-term use of antiepileptic drugs increases the risk of atherosclerosis, and up to 25% of patients have drug-resistant epilepsy. Herein, We report a patient with PSE who was treated with Korean medicine including Jingansikpungtang-gagambang and Uwhangchungsimwon. A 51-year-old patient had a past medical history of cerebral infarction that occurred in 2014. His first seizure occurred in January 2020 and he was diagnosed with PSE through a brain magnetic resonance imaging. The patient had a partial seizure with secondary generalization. After the initiation of taking Korean medicine, both the rate of progression to generalized seizures and the frequency of seizures was progressively and significantly reduced. This case report suggests that Korean medicine-based treatment may be safe and effective for PSE.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.71-85
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a deeper understanding of the experience of mothers caring for children with epilepsy. Methods: Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews and observation from 12 mothers of children with epilepsy. Data were collected from December, 2014 to February, 2015 and analyzed using van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenological methodology to identify essential themes of their experience. Results: The essential themes that fit into the context of the 4-existential grounds of time, body, other people, and space were: Lived time-ongoing influence of the past, living in insecure present, fearful future with no answer; Lived body-bonded body, burned out state; Lived other-burden but also support, shrunken down; Lived space-narrowed range of activity, widened horizon. Conclusion: The findings in this study show in-depth understanding of the hardships of mothers who are caring for children with epilepsy. The beauty and greatness of these mothers are revealed through the analysis of various phenomenological materials such as literary and artistic work reflecting socio-cultural context, as well as vivid care experiences of mothers of children with epilepsy. This will be helpful in increasing understanding of the nature of caregivers' experience for medical professionals dealing with patients and caregivers. Also it helps to improve the understanding of the disease among the general public, followed by a more warming and caring attitude towards patients and family members. Finally, it will enhance psychological well-being and overall quality of life of the epileptic children and their families.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.252-259
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• 2017

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of clinical and psychological factors on the self-concept of children and adolescents with epilepsy. Methods: Children and adolescents with epilepsy (n=60; age range=9-17 years) completed questionnaires about their epilepsy-related variables, self-concept, depressive symptoms, anxiety, family functions, and behavioral problems. The T-test and one-way analysis of variance were used to examine the variables affecting the total self-concept scores. To determine the independent variables by adjusting the significant variables, a stepwise regression analysis was performed. Results: In the correlational analysis, age, depressive symptoms, anxiety, social problems, attention problems, and internalizing problems had significantly negative correlations with self-concept. On the other hand, IQ and family functions showed positive correlations with selfconcept. Age (${\beta}=-0.177$, p=0.015), depressive symptoms (${\beta}=-0.487$, p<0.001), anxiety (${\beta}=-0.298$, p=0.008), and attention problems (${\beta}=-0.138$, p=0.048) were analyzed as independent factors to assess their impact on self-concept, and were found to account for 78.3% of the variance in self-concept by stepwise regression analysis. Conclusion: Parents and clinicians should pay attention to improving the self-concept of children and adolescents with epilepsy, especially if they have problems with depression, anxiety, or attention.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.289-304
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand and describe the illness experience of married Korean women with epilepsy. Methods: Data were collected during 2015~2016 through individual in-depth interviews with 12 married women with epilepsy. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed using Giorgi's phenomenological analysis to uncover the meaning of the illness experience of the participants. Results: The study results showed that the illness experience of married Korean women with epilepsy was clustered into a specific description of situated structure and a general description of situated structure. Six themes from 20 meaning units were identified: 1) Undermined self-esteem with stigma of being epileptic; 2) Limited social interaction; 3) Suffering sorrow as a 'disqualified being'; 4) Shuttling back and forth across the boundary between healthy and epileptic; 5) Desperate struggle to meet the expectation of given role; 6) Self-empowering through self-restriction and realization. Conclusion: The findings from this study show that both the enacted and felt stigma of epilepsy impact on the life of married Korean women with epilepsy. Although the participants face social and interpersonal restriction and prejudices, they try their best to fulfill their role rather than to be cared for as patients. As the stigma and hardships of the participants are related to lack of knowledge, health professionals should focus not just on clinical intervention but also on providing targeted educational programs and counseling for these women to dispel the stigma of the disease and to increase their quality of life.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.624-637
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• 2017

Purpose: This study aimed to identify variables influencing the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of adults with epilepsy in order to establish a structural model and design an intervention strategy to improve patients' HRQoL. Methods: The selected subjects were 212 patients with epilepsy aged between 18 and 70 years who were currently receiving treatment from hospital, general hospital, and clinic. They were surveyed using a structured questionnaire. Results: The goodness of fit measures of the final hypothetical model were as follows: ${\chi}^2/df=2.51$, GFI=.91, AGFI=.90, CFI=.96, SRMR=.04, NFI=.93, and RMSEA=.08. The major variables influencing the HRQoL of adults with epilepsy were epilepsy self-efficacy, depression, social support, and side effects of anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs), which were significant in the mentioned order, whereas the duration of AEDs use and perceived stigma did not show any effects. Six variables accounted for 75.6% of HRQoL. Variables having a direct and total effect on the HRQoL of adults with epilepsy were the side effects of AEDs, social support, epilepsy self-efficacy, and depression, and those with an indirect effect were the side effects of AEDs and social support. Conclusion: It is necessary to accurately identify the side effects of AEDs in adults with epilepsy and accurately observe the physical changes caused by depression. In addition, it is imperative to establish an active and effective nursing intervention program to strengthen the self-efficacy of the patients and to improve their quality of life through social support provided by family members and medical professionals.