• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.259-269
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• 2014

Purpose: This preliminary study is aimed at developing standardized tools for psycho-social assessment of patients in needs for hospice/palliative care. To accomplish the purpose, investigators examined effects of perceptions of social workers on the importance of psycho-social domains of assessment in hospice/palliative care settings. Moreover, investigators paid attention to variances of perceptions of social workers' along with types of institution and credentials of those family settings. Methods: A form of questionnaire was first explored from an initial interview assessment of 10 government-certified hospice care providers and a literature review, second constructed with eight domains and 80 items, and sent by e-mail to 55 institutions and hospitals providing hospice/palliative cares in Korea. Lastly, a total of 31 agencies returned with a completed responses and consent form (56% response rate). SPSS program (version 18.0) was used for data analysis. Results: Study found that social workers perceived patients' family background (m=4.53, 5-point scale) as the most important assessment domain, whereas economic conditions (4.06 point) the least important. Social workers' perception varied by credentials (i.e., license types, training, full-time position, types of care facility). Conclusion: Based upon study findings, investigators can conclude strong needs for developing a assessment tool that measures multiple domains (i.e., psychological, social and ecological aspects) of patients. A standardized assessment tool should be structured with 2 axis (center/core and expanded/peripheral) and tailored for institution type. Second, professional trainings must be provided by strengthening legal institutionalization and fostering qualified social workers with full responsibilities of hospice and palliative care patients.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.234-241
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• 2019

Objective: To investigate the physical therapists' actual experience of workplace violence and examine its relationship with depression, burnout, subjective health status, and job and life satisfaction. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: The level of workplace violence was assessed using the Korean Workplace Violence Scale composed of 24 questions in the following 4 subscales of workplace violence. Depression was assessed using the Korean version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Burnout was assessed using the Korean version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey, which is a 5-item scale. Subjective health status was measured on a 5-point scale. Job and life satisfaction was measured based on the assessment tool used in the World Values Survey. Results: There was a significant correlation between the three subscales of workplace violence and health indicators, including depression, subjective health status, job and life satisfaction (p<0.05). The organizational protective system subscale showed a significant negative correlation with depression and a positive correlation with subjective health status as well as job and life satisfaction (p<0.05). The area of 'psychological and sexual violence from customers' showed a significant moderate correlation with depression and job satisfaction (p<0.05). Also, there was a negative correlation that was significant between depression and subjective health status, job satisfaction, and life satisfaction (p<0.05). Conclusions: This study suggested that future studies should continue to investigate and reveal the causal relationships between workplace violence and physical therapists' health indicators.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.761-768
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• 2015

Background Surgical scars on the palmar surface of the hand may lead to functional and also aesthetic and psychological consequences. The objective of this study was to introduce a new incision technique for periarterial sympathectomy of the hand and to compare the results of the new two-step incision technique with those of a Koman incision by using an objective questionnaire. Methods A total of 40 patients (17 men and 23 women) with intractable Raynaud's disease or syndrome underwent surgery in our hospital, conducted by a single surgeon, between January 2008 and January 2013. Patients who had undergone extended sympathectomy or vessel graft were excluded. Clinical evaluation of postoperative scars was performed in both groups one year after surgery using the patient and observer scar assessment scale (POSAS) and the Wake Forest University rating scale. Results The total patient score was 8.59 (range, 6-15) in the two-step incision group and 9.62 (range, 7-18) in the Koman incision group. A significant difference was found between the groups in the total PS score (P-value=0.034) but not in the total observer score. Our analysis found no significant difference in preoperative and postoperative Wake Forest University rating scale scores between the two-step and Koman incision groups. The time required for recovery prior to returning to work after surgery was shorter in the two-step incision group, with a mean of 29.48 days in the two-step incision group and 34.15 days in the Koman incision group (P=0.03). Conclusions Compared to the Koman incision, the new two-step incision technique provides better aesthetic results, similar symptom improvement, and a reduction in the recovery time required before returning to work. Furthermore, this incision allows the surgeon to access a wide surgical field and a sufficient exposure of anatomical structures.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.69-74
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• 2013

Introduction: Although it is well known that medical students are not getting an adequate amount of sleep, there have been only a few studies on the sleep patterns of medical students and the related factors. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the medical students' sleep patterns and the related factors. Methods: A questionnaire package was administered to the $1^{st}$ to $4^{th}$ year medical students at one medical school. It consisted of questions asking about their lifestyles as well as Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), global assessment of recent stress scale (GASS), the center for epidemiologic studies-depression scale (CES-D), and Moudsley obsessive-compulsive inventory (MOCI). A total of 352 students (206 males and 146 females) responded to the survey and the result was analyzed using the independent t-test, the chi-square test, the paired t-test, Pearson's correlation and ANOVA. p-values of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant in analyses. Results: The weekend bedtime was significantly delayed (0 : 49 on weekday ; 1 : 34 on weekend ; t=-5.23, p<0.001), the weekend rise time was delayed (6 : 58 on weekday ; 9 : 30 on weekend ; t=-24.48, p<0.001) and the total sleep time was increased on weekends (5 : 36 on weekday ; 7 : 39 on weekend ; t=15.94, p<0.001). The PSQI score of all subjects was 6.43{\pm}2.64. PSQI was positively correlated with ESS (r=0.383, p<0.001), GASS (r=0.326, p<0.001), CES-D (r=0.393, p< 0.001), and MOCI (r=0.247, p<0.001), but not with GPA (r=0.072, p=0.228. The more senior students had lower PSQI, GASS, CES-D, and MOCI score (p<0.05). Conclusion: Medical students were experiencing a lack of sleep during weekdays as they have a later bedtime and earlier rise time, and consequently had more hours of sleep on weekends. Overall, the medical students were experiencing poor sleep quality and sleep deprivation. Poor sleep quality is associated with psychological problems (daytime sleepiness, stress, depression, and obsessive tendency).

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.361-372
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to develop an assessment scale for healthy aging of middle aged women. The data were collected from 385 middle aged women in two large cities in Korea. The development processes of the scale were followed: Development of preliminary items; Verification of content validity and reliability; Factor analysis and criterion validity of final items. Results: Factor analysis resulted in the creation of the final scale, which consisted of 38 items that were grouped into 9 factors: self achievement, physical change adaptation, psychological change adaptation, interpersonal relationships, menopausal symptom adaptation, economic stability, physical health, social support, social change adaptation. The explanatory variance was 64.03%. The reliability of the scale was Cronbach's ${\alpha}=.90$. Correlation of the scale with healthy aging and depression, established its construct and concurrent validity was r=-.69, p<.001. The scale was confirmed to have a relatively high validity and reliability. The findings of the study can be useful as a measurement to evaluate healthy aging of middle aged women. Future researches with the scale will be helpful for basic data for the program development to support healthy aging of middle aged women.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.723-730
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• 2015

Background: This study was performed to assess patient symptoms prevalence, frequency and severity, as well as distress and coping strategies used, and to identify the relationships between coping strategies and psychological and physical symptoms distress and demographic data of cancer patients. This cross-sectional descriptive study involved a total of 268 cancer patients with various types of cancer and chemotherapy identified in the oncology unit of an urban tertiary hospital. Materials and Methods: Data were collected using questionnaires (demographic questionnaire, Medical characteristics, Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) and Brief COPE scales and analyzed for demographic, and disease-related variable effects on symptom prevalence, severity, distress and coping strategies. Results: Symptom prevalence was relatively high and ranged from 14.9% for swelling of arms and legs to 88.1% for lack of energy. This latter was the highest rated symptom in the study. The level of distress was found to be low in three domains. Problem-focused coping strategies were found to be more commonly employed compared to emotion-focused strategies, demonstrating significant associations with sex, age group, educational levels and race. However, there was a positive correlation between emotion-focused strategies and physical and psychological distress, indicating that patients would choose emotion-focused strategies when symptom distress increased. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that high symptom prevalence rates and coping strategies used render an improvement in current nursing management. Therefore development of symptoms management groups, encouraging the use of self-care diaries and enhancing the quality of psychooncology services provided are to be recommended.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.188-202
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• 2003

The aim of study was to investigate the effects of 12 forms of Sun-style Tai-Chi for arthritis(TCA) on physical symptom(pain, tenderness, swelling fatigue, and blood pressure), physical function(balance, flexibility, grip strength) and social-psychological health status in osteoarthritis(OA) patients and rheumatoid arthritis(RA) patients. This study was done with one group pretest-posttest design. A total 21 arthritis patients(6 OA patient and 15 RA patient) participated in 60 minute session consisting of warm-up exercise 12-main movement including qigong, and cool-down exercise twice a week for 6weeks. Physiological and social-psychological variables were measured before and after TCA 12 form. The researcher who completed a Tai Chi workshop for exercise leaders in Australia and Seoul taught the Tai Chi movement step by step until the patient felt comfort enough to perform them correctly by themselves during the first 4 weeks. At the last 2 weeks, the subject perform 10-15set of these at a session with traditional music to help patients move in a slow tempo. TCA 12 forms program showed significant improvement in fatigue(p=0.039) of rheumatoid arthritis patient and pain(p=0.006), fatigue(p=0.013), tenderness(p=0.032), flexibility(rt arm up, p=0.014, If arm up, P=0.003), grip strength(rt hand, p=0.002, If hand, P=0.003) of osteoarthritis patients. With assessment by Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale 2 questionnaire(AIMS2), physical component(0.002) and social interaction(0.025) on osteoarthritis patients were significantly improved. Evaluation of the participants about TCA exercise noted that the exercise was fairly easy(23.6%), moderately difficult(57.1%), and fairly difficult(14.3%). Considering the result of this study, TCA exercise program was more effective in pain, tenderness, grip strength, flexibility, and physical and social interaction on osteoarthritis patients than rheumatoid arthritis patients. Tai-Chi for arthritis 12 form was an appropriate intensity exercise for osteoarthritis patients.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.146-153
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• 2021

Background: Researchers have previously commenced examining the degree of concordance between parent proxy and child self-reports on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of many disease and impairment populations. Objects: To explore the differences between parent proxy and child self-reports on the HRQOL using Korean version of KIDSCREEN-10 questionnaires for applying to elementary school children and their parents who participated for a school-based wellness program. Methods: The focus groups were recruited for a school-based wellness program by implementing the following wellness services: 1) referring to a screening session for detecting potential posture-related musculoskeletal problems and 2) recommending home exercise programs. Before a primary field testing for the program, two focus groups were formed with a group of 9 parents and their 9 elementary school children aged 8-10 years of age. The parent proxy and child self-report versions of KIDSCREEN-10 questionnaires were administered to both groups after completion of the wellness program. Item level Rasch rating scale analysis was applied to compute logit scales of KIDSCREEN-10 questionnaire. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and scatterplot of item difficulty between two reports were analyzed. Results: For fit statistics of parent proxy report, all items except 4 items (i.e., psychological well-being, mood/emotions, self-perception, parent relation) were found to be acceptable. For fit statistics of child self-report, all items except 3 items (i.e., psychological well-being, autonomy and home life) were acceptable. The relationship between two reports using ICCs were ranging from weak to very strong at p = 0.05 (i.e, ICCs = 0.011 to 0.905). Scatterplot analysis between two reports showed a major disparity on self-perception item at 95% confidence intervals. Conclusion: Both item level analyses and ICC comparisons provided a disparity between parent proxy and child self-reports of the HRQOL on self-perception item after competing a school-based wellness program. Therapist should consider the item as part of the HRQOL assessment.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.330-340
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Emotional eating is one of the eating behaviors in which negative emotions affect eating. During the luteal phase, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and its associated psychological and physical symptoms can appear in some women, and a few of them suffer from premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a severe form of PMS. Some women diagnosed with PMS/PMDD experience emotional eating during the luteal phase, which may be a coping mechanism for psychological stress. This study aimed to investigate how PMS/PMDD and negatively perceived stress are related to emotional eating. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 409 women aged 20 to 39 yrs with a body mass index (BMI) ranging from 18.5 to 29.9 kg/m² participated in this study. Participants who responded to all the questions of the Shortened Premenstrual Assessment Form, Negative Perceived Stress Scale, and Emotional Eater Questionnaire were divided into a PMDD and a non-PMDD group according to the cut-off value for PMDD diagnosis. Independent t-tests and mediation analyses were performed to compare the 2 groups. RESULTS: No significant differences between the 2 groups were found in terms of BMI; however, the average values for emotional eating, PMS, and negative perceived stress of the PMDD group were significantly higher than those of the non-PMDD group. Only negative perceived stress had a significant effect on emotional eating in the non-PMDD group. In the PMDD group, PMS was statistically significant for both negative perceived stress and emotional eating mediated by negative perceived stress. Consequently, it appeared to have a partial or complete mediation depending on the independent variable for the PMDD group. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the importance of managing negative perceived stress to control emotional eating in PMS/PMDD for improved women's health.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.102-130
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• 2022

Objectives: The persistence and unpredictability of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and new measures to prevent direct medical intervention (e.g., social distancing and quarantine) have induced various psychological symptoms and disorders that require self-treatment approaches and integrative treatment interventions. To address these issues, the Korean Medicine Mental Health (KMMH) center developed a field manual by reviewing previous literature and preexisting manuals. Methods: The working group of the KMMH center conducted a keyword search in PubMed in June 2021 using "COVID-19" and "SARS-CoV-2". Review articles were examined using the following filters: "review," "systematic review," and "meta-analysis." We conducted a narrative review of the retrieved articles and extracted content relevant to previous manuals. We then created a treatment algorithm and recommendations by referring to the results of the review. Results: During the initial assessment, subjective symptom severity was measured using a numerical rating scale, and patients were classified as low- or moderate-high risk. Moderate-high-risk patients should be classified as having either a psychiatric emergency or significant psychiatric condition. The developed manual presents appropriate psychological support for each group based on the following dominant symptoms: tension, anxiety-dominant, anger-dominant, depression-dominant, and somatization. Conclusions: We identified the characteristics of mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic and developed a clinical mental health support manual in the field of Korean medicine. When symptoms meet the diagnostic criteria for a mental disorder, doctors of Korean medicine can treat the patients according to the manual for the corresponding disorder.