• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2018

Objectives: To identify the associations of characteristics of the neighborhood environment with substance abuse among clients receiving treatment for drug abuse in Thailand. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted of 1128 drug addicts from 28 neighborhoods who were receiving treatment at all 7 compulsory drug detention centers in Thailand. A trained interviewer conducted structured interviews with the subjects about substance use and the perceived neighborhood environment in their community. A multilevel logistic regression model was applied to estimate the effects of the neighborhood environment on substance use. Results: The majority of participants, 53.8% only used methamphetamine pills, 31.3% used other illicit drugs as well as methamphetamine pills, and 14.9% used an illicit drug other than methamphetamine. Three neighborhood characteristics were associated with substance use. A 1-unit increase in the perceived neighborhood cohesion score was associated with a 15% reduction in methamphetamine pill use and an 11% reduction of the use of both methamphetamine pills and another illicit drug. Conversely, a 1-unit increase in perceived neighborhood crime predicted 19 and 14% increases in the use of methamphetamine pills and the use of both methamphetamine pills and another illicit drug, respectively. In addition, a 1-unit increase in the scores for stigma surrounding addiction corresponded to a 25% increase of the use of methamphetamine pills and a 12% increase in the use of both methamphetamine pills and another illicit drug. Conclusions: Substance use among drug addicts was influenced by characteristics of the neighborhood environment. Therefore, prevention and intervention strategies should be designed based on a consideration of the impact of neighborhood context on substance use behaviors.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.68-77
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to explore home visiting therapists' self-perceived role, problems, and supplement points of the home-based rehabilitation (HR) program based on the community-based rehabilitation (CBR) model. Methods: Four home visiting physical therapists, who conducted the HR program, participated in this study. After completion of the HR program, in-depth interviews were conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire for participants to explore their self-perceived role, problems, and supplement points of the HR program. Results: Participants regarded the role of the HR program as for "the linkage between recipient & society", "maintenance & improvement of recipients' physical function", and "education of recipient about the way of self rehabilitation". The problems and supplement points were derived from all phases of the HR program, including "human & material resources", "training program for human resources for HR service", "selection of recipient of HR service", "contents of the intervention for HR service", and "duration of HR service". Conclusion: These findings indicate that participants well recognized the intention of the HR program based on the CBR model, and suggest that high-quality human resources with rich expertise and experiences, a training program for HR service led by experts, and selection of recipients led by experts are necessary for an effective HR program. In addition, strategies and capacities specified to HR service should be identified, and applied to the training program for human resources for HR service. The results of this study could provide useful information when the government decides on the next guideline for home visiting health service.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2010

Purpose: This study aims to identify differences in breast self-examination (BSE) performance and influencing factors between woman-groups under and over 45 years old. Methods: The subjects were 152 women aged from 35 to 65, who were recruited through convenient sampling in a metropolitan city. They were divided into two groups: under and over 45 years old. The data were collected using self-reporting questionnaires and analyzed by $x^2$ test, t-test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression. Results: Experience of BSE education ($x^2$=4.68, p=.030), BSE performance ($x^2$=20.12, p<.001), confidence (t=-2.97, p=.003), and self-efficacy (t=-2.44, p=.016) were significantly higher in the group over 45 years (the older group) than the one under 45 years (the younger group). Self-efficacy (${\beta}$=.346, p=.004) and susceptibility (${\beta}$=.238, p=.002) were 17.6% of the variance in the younger group's BSE performance. On the other hand, significantly influencing factors on the older group's BSE performance were self-efficacy (${\beta}$=.500, p<.001) and BSE education (${\beta}$=.217, p<.001), which accounted for 25% of the variance in the BSE performance. Conclusion: We conclude that differentiated strategies of considering age should be established in nursing intervention to detect breast cancer early.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.261-269
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate health management state during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum of immigrant women. Methods: A descriptive research design was employed. Data were collected from 182 immigrant women who lived in four provinces and D city. Subjects were completed the following questionnaires: demographic, medical service use, pregnancy and childbirth, and health management during the ante-postpartum. Results: The average age of subjects was 28.96 and 83 subjects (45.6%) were coming from Vietnam. 55 Subjects (30.2%) were within the low-income group with less than 4 million won per month. So, 62 subjects were uninsured women because of the expensive costs. Subjects mainly visited a health care center with their husband. On the using a health care center, subjects complained about communication difficulties and transportation problems. 42 Subjects were pregnant but 21.4% of pregnant subjects did not receive ante-natal care. Subjects got information about pregnancy and childbirth through their husbands and husband's family. Conclusion: Nursing intervention to manage the pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum of immigrant women need to be developed and should include strategies to take care of themselves after delivery and provide knowledge and information about ante-postpartum.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.620-631
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• 2001

Purpose: Fatigue is one of the most common complaints of cancer patients. In this study, we analyzed the change of fatigue level and general symptoms as time go by, so that, we could explain more on the mechanism and change of fatigue in relation with treatment, and explore the influencing factors. Method: The subjects of this study were 50 GI cancer patients who have visited the cancer center of A hospital in Suwon. We measured fatigue by using the Revised Piper Fatigue Scale(RPFS) at the time of starting and finishing induction chemotherapy, and starting the 2nd cycle of chemotherapy. Results: 1) The fatigue score was 2.81, 3.73, and 3.82 in a 10 point scale at the time of starting and finishing induction chemotherapy, and starting the 2nd chemotherapy, respectively. This means fatigue persisted until after the treatment. 2) Fifty two percent of participants complained of some kinds of symptoms when starting the treatment, and the proportion increased up to 92% when finishing the treatment. 3) Fatigue scores were significantly high in patients with fatigue-related symptoms than for patients without those symptoms. 4) Fatigue scores showed significant differences according to patients' general characteristics such as age, educational level, economic status, occupation, diagnosis, hematocrit, weight, and amount of sleepy. Conclusion: We have to develop intervention strategies to reduce fatigue in cancer patients in the consideration of influencing factors.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6549-6556
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• 2013

Leukemia stem cells (LSCs) play important roles in leukemia initiation, progression and relapse, and thus represent a critical target for therapeutic intervention. Hence, it is extremely urgent to explore new therapeutic strategies directly targeting LSCs for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) therapy. We show here that Angelica sinensis polysaccharide (ASP), a major active component in Dong quai (Chinese Angelica sinensis), effectively inhibited human AML $CD34^+CD38^-$ cell proliferation in vitro culture in a dose-dependent manner while sparing normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells at physiologically achievable concentrations. Furthermore, ASP exerted cytotoxic effects on AML K562 cells, especially LSC-enriched $CD34^+CD38^-$ cells. Colony formation assays further showed that ASP significantly suppressed the formation of colonies derived from AML $CD34^+CD38^-$ cells but not those from normal $CD34^+CD38^-$ cells. Examination of the underlying mechanisms revealed that ASP induced $CD34^+CD38^-$ cell senescence, which was strongly associated with a series of characteristic events, including up-regulation of p53, p16, p21, and Rb genes and changes of related cell cycle regulation proteins P16, P21, cyclin E and CDK4, telomere end attrition as well as repression of telomerase activity. On the basis of these findings, we propose that ASP represents a potentially important agent for leukemia stem cell-targeted therapy.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.209-217
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• 2004

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to construct the structure, process and outcome of community-based home care nursing service and to examine their validity. Method: There were two steps. The first step was developing the structure and process of community-based home care and the second was evaluating the outcome of community-based home care. Home care services were provided to 25 clients who had health problems. Data on these clients were analyzed. Result: According to Albrecht Model, in the developed structure and process of community-based home care, structure contained facility's philosophy, organization, delivery system, steering committee, office, equipments, medical instruments, the home care nurse and client of home care nursing. Process contained classification of client. nursing diagnosis and nursing intervention. The majority of clients were men (56%). The service was used mostly by people aged over 50 (82%). The most frequent nursing diagnoses were altered urinary elimination (23.2%). impaired skin integrity (21.8%) and risk for infection (17.6%). Nursing interventions included wound care (16.7%), tube care (15.1%) and catheter care (14.5%). Conclusion: Several strategies are suggested from this study: first, activate a referral system within the national health care system: second, increase public information on home care nursing: third, develop home care nursing services for elderly people: and fourth, construct a cooperation system between home care services and social welfare services.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.298-311
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe levels of multiple stress factors and depression, and to examine the effects of the stress factors on depression among female marriage immigrants in Korea. Methods: Participants were 322 female marriage immigrants currently residing in Korea, who migrated from China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and other Asian countries. Stress of female marriage immigrants was measured on the SMFMI (Stress Measure of Female Marriage Immigrants in Korea), consisting of 21 items in four factors (cultural, household economic, emotional, and parenting and discrimination stress). CES-D was used to assess depression among marriage immigrants. Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA with Scheffe's post hoc tests, and multiple regressions were performed for data analyses. Results: The average score for stress was 1.34 (SD=.98, theoretical range: 0-4) and the average score for depression was 17.07 (SD=10.09) in these female marriage immigrants. Adjusting for household income, employment status, duration since immigration, and Korean language proficiency, household economic stress (p<.001) was identified as the strongest predictor in explaining depression of female marriage immigrants (Adjusted $R^2=.331$). Conclusion: Health care professionals should prioritize intervention strategies to alleviate household economic stress for mental health promotion in female marriage immigrants in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.346-356
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• 2001

This paper describes a Q-methodological study on the Perception of comfort in hospital in-patients. The participants completed a 37-item Q sort made up of statements which could be ranked in terms of their relevance to the subjective meaning of comfort. Three interpretable types of comfort were identified through this Q study : Type I, positive medical action style, feel secure and satisfied when medical staff show a positive attitude towards them as patients. They put a high value on prompt responses from medical staff and physical aspects of care like non-invasive procedures or comfortable position. Type II, social relation style, experience a state of comfort when they perceive support or concern from medical staff, relatives or other patients suffering from similar diseases. They feel safe and secure when medical staff are kind and have a good reputation or when the size of the hospital is big enough, Type III, emotional wellbeing style, feel that hope for a healthy life or maintaining self-care activities are highly valuable. They feel safe and comfortable when their privacy is protected. They put worth on independent thinking, strong will, and emotional or psychological comfort. The results of this study can be used as a basis to develop nursing measures for comfort. Further studies on factors which influence perception of comfort and intervention strategies according to the above types of comfort need to be done.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.575-587
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the research on adherence for secondary prevention in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) in Korea, and to identify the strategies for improvement that should be included in future studies. Methods: Electric literature searches were conducted for Pubmed, CINAHL, RISS4U, KISTI, DBpia, KoreaMed, National Assembly Library, and National Library of Korea. A total of forty two articles published between 1986 and 2009 were selected based on established inclusion criteria. Results: Forty research papers were related to nursing, and there was only one research paper focused 011 elderly people with CAD. There were no papers using concept analysis, qualitative study. or randomized controlled clinical trial. Almost all definitions of adherence were adopted from outdated compliance definitions with the attribute of 'paternalistic obligation', Measurement tools were not based on theoretical framework of adherence but borrowed from tools for measuring self-care, health behavior, or self-efficacy. Overall patient's adherence was analyzed in most studies, except for a few studies which focused on diet and exercise only. Educational strategy was the main strategy used in intervention studies. Conclusions: The concept of adherence and measurement tools need to be clarified, along with development of the specific adherence interventions according to the type of adherence in patients with CAD.