• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.45-55
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• 2003

Self-help group program is an elective procedure intended to improve the quality of life of women undergoing mastectomy. The purpose of this study is explore effects of the self-help group program for QOL after mastectomy. 40 Women who had undergone mastectomies between stagel to 3 were recruited. Subjects of experimental group attended the self-help group for 4 weeks. Data were collected by self-reporting questionnaire. QOL was assessed using the Quality of Life Scale(QLS) translated by Kwon(1990). As a results, no significant differences were found between experimental and control group in changes of QOL. But, experimental group increased QOL score. In conclusions, when the self-help group program is provided to the patients with breast cancer, it can be helpful for promoting QOL and emotional support, even no statistical difference. For the further study, repeated researched with appropriate duration of intervention is suggested. Significant anxiety about their disease and fear of recurrence will be persisted despite intervention.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.249-261
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• 1997

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of short term selp-help education on pain, depression, self-efficacy, and quality of life in patients having chronic arthritis. This program was carried out 3 hrs per week for 4 weeks by 3 small groups among 10 patients. Research design was a quasi-experimental study of nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The subject of this study were 10 of experimental group and 10 of control group. Before and after 4 weeks program, quality of life, self-efficacy, depression, pain, ADL were measured. As a result, it was confirmed the self-help education was effective to increase quality of life, but self-efficacy, depression, pain, ADL were not improved. This suggests the replicate study to examine the effect of self-help education with the large samples of subjects having chronic arthritis.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.307-315
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was done to assess the effects of a self-help intervention on clinical, lifestyle and psycho-social outcomes in patients with Type II diabetes. Methods: Eligible adults with Type II diabetes were randomly assigned to either the intervention group receiving the diabetes self-help or the control group receiving usual care. Of the 36 patients who completed the study, 15 were in the intervention group and 21 were in the control group. The self-help group consisted of six weekly sessions covering aspects of diabetes self-care and using continuing education, discussion, and structured social activities. Outcomes included changes in glycemic control, knowledge, self-management behaviors, diabetes-related self-efficacy, and health-related quality of life. Analysis of covariance was used to compare outcomes between the groups, adjusting for baseline measures. Results: After the six week intervention, significant improvements from the baseline were observed in the measurements of self-management behaviors, diabetes-related self-efficacy, and health-related quality of life for the intervention group. Conclusion: The findings provide preliminary evidence that a diabetes self-help group intervention can benefit diabetes patients in self-management behaviors, diabetes-related self-efficacy, and health-related quality of life. However, larger longitudinal studies are needed to determine the most efficacious self-management methods to sustain long-term glycemic control and psychological well-being.