• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.137-147
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• 2005

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate physical health status. depression. activities of daily living (ADL & IADL) of the low-income elderly who live alone in urban areas. Method: The subjects were the 400 low-income elders who live alone in Daegu city and the following instruments were used: 1. The number of self-reported physical health problems and present diseases: 2. CES-D scale for depression by Jo Nam-Oak et al. (1998): and 3. ADL scale by Katz (1989) and IADL scale by Lawton and Brody (1969). Results: 1. Visual difficulty was the most prevailing problem (55.3%) among physical problems. the second bowel elimination and the third hearing disturbance. As for present diseases. arthritis (26.5%), hypertension(24.3%) and DM (11.8%) were the most common diseases. 2. There were significant differences in physical health status according to age (t=3.115. p=.045). kind of medical security (t=-1.973. p=.049). perceived life satisfaction (F=4.966. p=.007) and the number of present diseases (F=2.937. p=.033). 3. There were significant differences in depression according to sex (t=-3.758. p=.000) . kind of medical security (t=-4.368. p=.000). perceived life satisfaction (F=35.743. p=.000) and the number of present diseases (F=4.246. p=.006). 4. There were significant differences in ADL according to sex (t=-2.136. p=.033) and age (F=4.863. p=.008). and in IADL according to sex (t=4.552, p=.000), age (F=3.090. p=.047) and kind of medical security (t=-3.306. p=.001). 5. Physical health state was correlated positively with both the number of present diseases (r=.140. p=.005) and depression (r=.352. p=.000), and negatively with ADL (r=-.176. p= .000) and IADL (r= -.230. p=.000). Depression was correlated positively with the number of present diseases (r=.169. p=.001) and negatively with both ADL (r=-.139. p=.005) and IADL (r=-.203. p= .000). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that general characteristics are important factors for physical health status, depression. ADL and IADL of the low-income elderly who live alone and there are close relations among physical health status, the number of diseases, depression, ADL and IADL. Therefore, these results must be reflected in community health programs for the low-income elderly who live alone. In addition, this kind of study must be extended to the low-income elderly who live alone in rural areas.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.653-660
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Korean medicine on patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease.Methods: The charts of 47 patients diagnosed with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease in the Department of Internal Korean medicine, Stroke and Neurological Disorders Center, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Gangdong between August 2012 and July 2016 were reviewed. The Unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale (UPDRS) was administered before and after treatment with Korean medicine.Results: Thee average UPDRS Ⅱ+Ⅲ, UPDRS Ⅱ, and UPDRS Ⅲ of the 47 patients decreased significantly from 22.26±15.15, 10.19±7.53, and 12.06±8.35, respectively, pretreatment to 16.96±13.63, 7.47±6.44, and 9.49±7.73, respectively, post-treatment. The average postural instability and gait difficulty (PIGD), tremor, and bradykinesia also significantly improved post-treatment.Conclusions: These results provide evidence that Korean medicine can improve the activities of daily living and motor function of patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. In particular, Korean medicine may be effective for the treatment of PIGD, tremor, and bradykinesia.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.35-46
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to examine the self-rated health and to find various factors affecting it for elderly women in a rural community, to provide data necessary to establish health promotion programs for elderly. The subjects of the study included a total of 245 women with above 70 years of age reside in one rural community. VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) for self-rated health, Lawton's physical & instrumental activity of daily living scales, social network were evaluated. The results of the study were as follows: 1. The self-rated health of the elderly women were measured on a 100 point(VAS) scale and the score was 53.6, indicating that women rated their health as moderate. 2. Factors such as income(p=0.008), family size(p=0.031), the level of ADL(p=0.039), urinary symptom(p=0.039), nocturia(p=0.001), visual difficulty(p=0.023), the number of chronic diseases(p=0.015), presence of arthritis or neuralgia(p=0.015), social network(p=0.002), housework assistant(p=0.008), emotional support(p=0.031) were significantly related to self-rated health. 3. Through the stepwise multiple regression, social network, family size, visual difficulty, and housework assistant were identified as significant predictors of self-rated health(p<0.05), explaining $21.0\%$ of the variance of the dependent variable. Better understanding of the determinants of healthy aging hopefully will lead to effective interventions to improve the quality of life of the elderly.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.392-402
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• 2023

The purpose of this study was to conduct an exploratory and descriptive survey study design to examine 1) the physical difficulty by care task, 2) overall occupation-related physical burden by the characteristics of caregivers and care receivers, and 3) the level of help by the use of care robots and devices among formal caregivers working in facilities for older adults. In this study, 308 formal caregivers working in facilities were recruited from 8 nursing homes and 5 geriatric hospitals between Aug. 2021 and Sept. 2022 in South Korea. There were significant differences in ADLs between nursing homes and geriatric hospitals: eating, dressing, hygiene, transfer to bed, transfer to the toilet and walking. For each care item, the items the caregivers had the most difficulty ranked first were bathing, excretion assistance, and mobility support. The difference in occupation-related physical burden according to general characteristics was found to have statistically significant differences in female and bad perceived health. Among the 205 caregivers who had experience using care robots and devices, pressure ulcer prevention was the most experienced one, and those also were the most helpful and exercise aids were the least helpful. In order to reduce the physical burden on care providers, it is necessary to develop and introduce a care robots centered on the care site. Furthermore, national level public support systems are required to enable facilities to actively utilize care robots and devices.

• 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.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.51-59
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• 2010

The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is widely used to determine the dependency of activity of daily living in rehabilitation patients. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the unidimentionality of the FIM physical items and to analyze the validity of cross-functional levels in stroke survivors in Korea. Thirteen physical items of FIM were rated according to an ordinal scale of a 7-level classification. Two hundred and seventy-nine patients participated in the study (age range 18~92 years and 57% male). Six items-eating, bladder control, bowel control, transfer to and from the bed/wheelchair, transfer to and from the toilet, and bathing-showed misfits with the Rasch model. The most difficult item was 'bathing', the easiest item was 'bowel control'. Although there were several differences within functional levels, the hierarchical order of item measures was rather similar. 'Bathing' was the most difficult in high level patients (above 60), however 'stairs' was most difficult in the middle level (41~60) group. In the low level group (below 40), 'toileting' was the most difficult. In conclusion, the present study has shown several differences of item difficulty among functional levels. This result will be useful in planning interventions, and developing rehabilitation programs for stroke survivors.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.307-318
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• 2013

This study developed the prevention education program of smartphone overuse for adolescents in middle school and testified its outcome. Finally the 4-session prevention education program for smartphone overuse was developed. 1st session was composed of psychoeducation about smartphone overuse and its side effect by quiz question. 2nd session smartphone addiction and brain change, 3rd session motivational enhancement program for smartphone overuse, 4th session cognitive behavioral program for it. The outcome was testified by internet addiction scale, smartphone addiction scale, and school adaptation scale for 2 classes of middle school students(experimental and control class). 2 Main results were as follows; First, the smartphone addiction total score and cyberworld orientation of the students participating in it were statistically significantly reduced. The difficulty of daily living and abstinence symptom due to smartphone overuse of them tended to reduce. Second, internet addiction total and all subscores of them were not changed. Third, class adaptation of them was statistically significantly increased and school adaptation total score and teacher adaptation of them tended to increase. Its meaning, implication and limitation were discussed.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.22 no.6 s.72
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• pp.1-11
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to provide basic information about efficient space use in the dining and bathing area through the analysis of service flowing. Four researchers observed the service flowing and the using behavior at those areas. The results of the study were as follows: Dining service was proceeded as resident moving, waiting, meal serving, dining, moving and arranging in order. The waiting stage was one of the problematic processes since the staffs made the residents wait to) long at a fixed position. The program right before the meal serving will be helpful for reducing tediousness of the elderly residents. Another problem was that the area was not big enough for the meal sowing. The legal regulation Is needed to prescnbe for the size of dining area per resident. The flowing of bathing service was proceeded as staff preparation, moving, waiting, undressing, bathing, drying, dressing, moving and arranging in order. There were more problems in the dressing area than in the bathing area. The elderly with stretcher or wheelchairs had difficulty in entering the narrow doorway. The dressing area was so crowded with the staffs, undressed elderly, dressed elderly, and other laundries. The division of dressing and undressing area is required to avoid the confusion of the users in the area.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.248-256
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• 2008

Purpose: The findings of various studies and policy reports on marriage change, international marriage migrant women and its issues are presented in this study. Method: Research objectives were accomplished by conducting a literature review. The main areas of the literature review included married migrant women, its challenges, and current policies for international marriage migrant women. Result: Women migrating through international marriage are known to face various difficulties due to their migration. Some important obstacles women migrants face in the Republic of Korea are cultural differences in daily lifestyle, language, food, health care services, cultural assumptions, gender structure, family relationships, expected roles within family, interpersonal relationships and more. The plights of married migrant women include commercialization of international marriage, false information regarding the spouse, family abuse, insecure nationality, economic difficulty and unemployment, racial prejudice, and cultural maladjustment. Current support policies for migrant women living in Korea are suggested. Conclusion: This study concluded with policy implications and recommendations for future study. In addition, the author suggests the necessity of programs and policies for the improvement of married migrant women's well-being based on women's health and family nursing dimensions.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.193-200
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• 2019

Hearing impaired people are living in a voice culture area, but due to the difficulty of communicating with normal people using sign language, many people experience discomfort in daily life and social life and various disadvantages unlike their desires. Therefore, in this paper, we study a sign language translation system for communication between a normal person and a hearing impaired person using sign language and implement a prototype system for this. Previous studies on sign language translation systems for communication between normal people and hearing impaired people using sign language are classified into two types using video image system and shape input device. However, existing sign language translation systems have some problems that they do not recognize various sign language expressions of sign language users and require special devices. In this paper, we use machine learning method of artificial neural network to recognize various sign language expressions of sign language users. By using generalized smart phone and various video equipment for sign language image recognition, we intend to improve the usability of sign language translation system.