• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.18
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• pp.8107-8112
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• 2016

Background and Aims: Colorectal cancer is the second most frequent cancer in Malaysia. We aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the Malaysian Chinese version of European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire core (QLQ-C30) in patients with colorectal cancer. Materials and Methods: Translated versions of the QLQ-C30 were obtained from the EORTC. A cross sectional study design was used to obtain data from patients receiving treatment at two teaching hospitals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Malaysian Chinese version of QLQ-C30 was self-administered in 96 patients while the Karnofsky Performance Scales (KPS) was generated by attending surgeons. Statistical analysis included reliability, convergent, discriminate validity, and known-groups comparisons. Statistical significance was based on p value ${\leq}0.05$. Results: The internal consistencies of the Malaysian Chinese version were acceptable [Cronbach's alpha (${\alpha}{\geq}0.70$)] in the global health status/overall quality of life (GHS/QOL), functioning scales except cognitive scale (${\alpha}{\leq}0.32$) in all levels of analysis, and social/family functioning scale (${\alpha}=0.63$) in patients without a stoma. All questionnaire items fulfilled the criteria for convergent and discriminant validity except question number 5, with correlation with role (r = 0.62) and social/family (r = 0.41) functioning higher than with physical functioning scales (r = 0.34). The test-retest coefficients in the GHS/QOL, functioning scales and in most of the symptoms scales were moderate to high (r = 0.58 to 1.00). Patients with a stoma reported statistically significant lower physical functioning (p=0.015), social/family functioning (p=0.013), and higher constipation (p=0.010) and financial difficulty (p=0.037) compared to patients without stoma. There was no significant difference between patients with high and low KPS scores. Conclusions: Malaysian Chinese version of the QLQ-C30 is a valid and reliable measure of HRQOL in patients with colorectal cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.18
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• pp.8101-8105
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• 2016

Background: This study examined the psychometric properties of the Bahasa Malaysia (BM) version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Colorectal Cancer-specific Quality Of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-CR29). Materials and Methods: We studied 93 patients recruited from University Malaya and Universiti Kebangsaan Medical Centers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia using a self-administered method. Tools included QLQ-C30, QLQ-CR29 and Karnofsky Performance Scales (KPS). Statistical analyses included Cronbach's alpha, test-retest correlations, multi-traits scaling and known-groups comparisons. A p vaue ${\leq}0.05$ was considered significant. Results: The internal consistency coefficients for body image, urinary frequency, blood and mucus and stool frequency scales were acceptable (Cronbach's alpha ${\alpha}{\geq}0.65$). However, the coefficients were low for the blood and mucus and stool frequency scales in patients with a stoma bag (${\alpha}=0.46$). Test-retest correlation coefficients were moderate to high (range: r = 0.51 to 1.00) for most of the scales except anxiety, urinary frequency, buttock pain, hair loss, stoma care related problems, and dyspareunia (r ${\leq}0.49$). Convergent and discriminant validities were achieved in all scales. Patients with a stoma reported significantly higher symptoms of blood and mucus in the stool, flatulence, faecal incontinence, sore skin, and embarrassment due to the frequent need to change the stoma bag (p < 0.05) compared to patients without stoma. None of the scales distinguished between patients based on the KPS scores. There were no overlaps between scales in the QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR29 (r < 0.40). Conclusions: the BM version of the QLQ-CR29 indicated acceptable psychometric properties in most of the scales similar to original validation study. This questionnaire could be used to complement the QLQ-C30 in assessing HRQOL among BM speaking population with colorectal cancer.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.259-271
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• 2017

The present study was designed to examine the impact of socioeconomic, health-related, and health behavioral factors on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of the Korean elderly by gender. The subjects comprised 688 men and 898 women aged 65 or more who had participated in the Sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2014. The associations of factors with the HRQoL as measured with the European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) Index were examined in a general linear model. The most influential factor on the HRQoL was depression in both men and women. The perceived health status and walking activity were also associated with the HRQoL in both men and women. The living arrangement and educational status were associated with the HRQoL in women, while the body mass index was associated with the HRQOL in men. Depression management and the promotion of walking activity are essential to the HRQoL of the Korean elderly. Particular attention must be paid to the HRQoL of older women who live alone and have a lower level of education.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.195-199
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• 2005

The Working Group on the revision of Clinical Research Methodology for Acupuncture met in Seoul, Republic of Korea from 24 to 26 August 2005. The main objectives of the meeting were to review the regional publication guidelines for Clinical Research on Acupuncture, to make necessary revisions in the guidelines, to make recommendations on further collaboration and activities in the field of research on acupuncture, and to discuss scientific evidence-based approaches in the clinical research on acupuncture. Fourteen members from the eight Member States, one secretariat staff from the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific and ten observers from the Republic of Korea attended the meeting. The members presented their papers to review the current status of clinical research on acupuncture. The drafts of proposed revision to the previous guidelines for clinical research methodology on acupuncture were discussed extensively. The issues covered during the discussion included: the definition of the new terms; reorganization of clinical research design; revision and update of contents (e.g., control group); introduction of Institutional Review Board (IRB) on the section of ethical approval; additional outcomes including health-related quality of life (HRQOL), qualitative measures, etc. In the course of these discussions, the working group developed the revised guidelines for clinical research on acupuncture and made recommendations for promoting the dissemination of the revised guidelines.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.6-12
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• 2007

The clinical investigations above suggest that topiramate may be an effective agent in the treatment of BED or BN by reducing binging/purging episodes, improving the HRQOL, and decreasing weight. The case report and case series also support these findings. However, there are several limitations in the above studies and cases. All these had relatively small sample size, and two of them were only 10-week-period studies. Optimal duration of treatment with topiramate in patients with BED or BN is unknown. As most clinicians treat the patient with BED or BN for 6 to 12 months and then reassess, at least 6 months period is needed to show its efficacy. One of studies included only women in the patient group. In the case series, all patients had severe comorbid mood disorders such as major depression and bipolar disorder besides BN. Therefore, notwithstanding its clinical usefulness, additional researches are needed to define the role and the benefits of topiramate in the treatment of BED or BN more thoroughly.

• 재활복지
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.195-212
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to compare the function, activity, and participation and quality of life of cerebral palsy, Down syndrome children and typically developing children. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health for Children and Youth (ICF-CY) Checklist, and KIDSCREEN 52-HRQOL questionnaire were used to measure children function, activity and participation and quality of life. The results showed significant differences in functions (except for genitourinary and reproductive functions), activities and participation of ICF-CY were significantly different in all items. In the post-hoc analysis, showed high activity and participation in order of typically developing children, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome children (except for mobility). The quality of life were significantly different in all items (except for bullying), children with cerebral palsy and Down syndrome showed lower quality of life than typically developing children. The results showed that there were a significant difference in activity and participation, and quality of life among the three groups, and higher function, activity and participation, and quality of life in order of typically developing children, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome children.

• 한국노년학
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.1239-1261
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• 2010

The main purposes of the study were to identify factors affecting health-related quality of life of elderly stroke survivors, and to suggest social work interventions for improving their quality of life. The participants were 328 elderly stroke survivors over 55 years old recruited from 18 long-term care hospitals and 13 nursing care facilities in Chung-Nam Province, Korea. The data was collected through a direct survey method from Dec. 16, 2008 to Jan. 17, 2009. Statistical analysis revealed that the overall health-related quality of life among participants was relatively low, especially in the social relationships domain. As a result of hierarchical multiple regression analysis, depression emerged as the most significant predictor of elderly stroke survivors' health-related quality of life, followed by financial burden in future, activities of daily living, acceptance of disability, comorbidity, and major financial supporter(spouse). Health-related quality of life of elderly stroke survivors in long-term care facilities was affected by a variety of variables from disease-related factors to environmental ones. Particularly psychosocial variables were the most powerful factors to predict HRQOL of elderly stroke survivors. Based on the results, social work implications were discussed in the context of developing clinical strategies to alleviate elderly stroke survivors' health-related quality of life in long-term care facilities. Living with chronic illness and disability is a great challenge to the elderly. Most of all long-term residence in care facilities can cause deterioration of quality of life in old age. From now on, studies on health-related quality of life of elderly with chronic illness and disability should be activated in social work field.