• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.3
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• pp.53-66
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• 1996

Home Health Care is one part of the total health care system. It includes health care services that link the hospital to the community. While it is important for early discharge patients, home care is also important for people with chronic illnesses or handicapping conditions. In 1989 the Korean government passed a law that opened the way for formal development of home health care services beginning with education programs to certify nurses for home care, and then demonstration home care services. Part of the mandate of the demonstration projects was evaluation of home care services. This study was done in order to provide basic data that would contribute to the development of records that could be used for evaluation through a retrospective audit and to examine the care that had been given in Home Care at Wonju Christian Hospital over a twenty year period from 1974 to 1994. The purposes of the study were : to identify to characteristics of the clients who had received home care, to identify the reasons for client referrals, to identify the nursing problems of these clients, to identify the nursing care provided to these clients, and to identify differences in these areas over the twenty year period. The study was a descriptive study involving a retrospective audit of the client records. Demographic data on all clients were included : 4,171 clients from 2,564 families. Data on referrals, nursing diagnosis and nursing interventions were from even numbered records which had a patient problem list included in the record, 2,801 clients, Frequencies and ANOVA were used in the analysis. The results of the study showed that the majority of the clients were from Wonju city /county. There were more women than men related to the high number of postpartum clients(1,300). The high number of postparttum clients and newborns was also evident in the age distribution. An the number of maternal-child clients decreased over the 20 years, the mean age of the clients increased significantly. Other factors also contributed to this change ; as increasing number of clients with brain injuries or with cancer, and fewer children with burns, osteomyelitis and tuberculosis. There was a decrease in the mean number of visits and mean length of coverage, reflecting a movement towards a short term acute care model. The number of new clents dropped sharply after 1985. The reasons for this are : the development of other treatment alternatives for clients, the establishment of an active wellbaby clinic, many more options plus a decreasing number of new cases of Hansen's Disase, and insurance that allows people with burns to be kept in hospital until skin grafts are healed. Socioeconomic changes have resulted in an increase in the number of cases of cancer, stroke, head injuries following car accidents, and of diabetes. Of the 2,801 client records, 2,541(60.9%) contained a written referral but for 1,802 it contained only the medical diagnosis. The number of records with a referral requesting specific nursing care was 739(29.1%). Many family members who were identified as in need of nursing care had no written referral. Analysis of the patient problem list showed that 41.9% of the enteries were nursing diagnoses. Others incuded medical diagnosis, symptoms, and plans. The most frequently used diagnoses were alteration in nutrition, less than body requirements(115 entries), alteration in skin integrity(114), knowledge deficit(111), pain(78), self-care deficit(66), and alteration in pattern of urinary elimination(50). These are reflected in the NANDA categories for which the highest number of diagnosis was in the Exchanging pattern(446), followed by Moving(178), Feeling(136) and Knowing (115). Analysis of the frequency of interventions showed that exercise and teaching about exercise was the most frequent intervention, followed by teaching concering the need for follow-up care, checking vital signs, managing nutritional problems, managing catheters, giving emotional support, changing dressings, teaching about medication, teaching (subject not specified), teaching about diet, IM and IV medications or fluid, and skin care, in that order. Recommendations included: development of a record that would allow for efficient recording of frequently used nursing diagnoses and nursing interventions: expansion of the catchment area for Home Care at Wonju Christian Hospital ; expansion of the service to provide complication prevention, rehabilitation services, and support to increase the health maintenance /health promotion of the people being served as well as providing client dentered care ; and development of a clinical record that will allow efficient data collection from records, even though the recording is done by a variety of health care providers.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.427-440
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• 2000

A comparative study was made about health resources, medical care service statistics and public health service statistics by health subcenters at Jangdong and Jangpyung townships, Jangheung County, Chollanamdo before and after the unification of two health subcenter to improve their function. 1. While two general physicians, one dentist, 4 nurse aids arid one oral hygienist were working at two health subcenters with simple facility with examination room and public health office in 1997 prior to the unification, in 1999 after the unification of two health subcenters 14 staff including a specialist physician, a general physician, a dentist, a herb hygienist, a radiology technician and a physical therapist were working in the new health subcenters equipped with appropriate facilities in two storey building. 2. In 1997 before the unification the yearly total income of two health subcenters was 78,815 thousand won(about 14,000 won per capita) and the amount was 140,376 thousand won(about 25,000 won per capita) in 1999 after the unification. And the income was used for operation of health subcenters excluding personnel expense. 3. While 90.5% of visitors to the health subcenters came for general medical care, and 91.6% came for the revisit before the unification, after the unification 71.2% came for general medical care, 10.8% for dental care, 16.5% for oriental physician's care, 29.7% for the first visit and 70.3% for revisit. Most common problem cared for was musculoskeletal disorder like arthralgia. Average treatment cost per person per month was 9,363 won before the unification and 8,309 won after the unification. 4. Through the comparison of execution rate of public health services before and after the unification. the practice rate of most health service among target population including visiting service for chronic illness, maternal and child health service and immunization service increased after the unification. The practice rate of tuberculosis control service, hypertension control and diabetes management was a little decreased. In conclusion, continuous effort to satisfy all persons in two townships and evaluation are necessary to coincide with the spirit of unification of two health subcenters.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.388-393
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• 1999

Background: Correct preoperative staging of esophageal cancer is a prerequisite for adequate treatment. We prospectively compared the accuracy of positron emission tomography (PET) with [fluorine-18]FDG in the staging of esophageal cancer to that of computed tomography (CT). Material and Method: The findings of FDG PET and of chest CT including lower neck and the upper abdomen of 20 biopsy-proven squamous cell carcinoma patients (male, 19; female, 1; mean age, 61) were compared with the pathologic findings obtained from a curative esophagectomy with lymph node dissection. Result: The sensitivities of FDG PET and CT for diagnosis of primary tumor were the same, 90.0% (18/20). Both FDG PET and CT failed to show the primary tumor in 2 of 20 patients; one had a 1cm sized carcinoma in situ and the other had T1 stage cancer. By using the results of the pathologic examinations of 193 removed lymph node groups, we calculated the diagnostic sensitivities, specificities and accuracies of PET and CT (*$\chi$2 p < 0.005). Sensitivity** Specificity Accuracy* PET 55.6%(30/54) 97.1%(135/139) 85.5%(165/193) CT 13.0%(7/54) 98.6%(137/139) 74.6%(144/193) One of four patients with a false-positive for PEThad had active pulmonary tuberculosis. Among the 24 tumor involved lymph node groups, PET failed to show tumor metastasis in 5 lymph node groups abutting the tumor and in 14 lymph node groups located where the decay correction was not performed. Conclusion: Based on the above findings, it is suggested that [F-18]FDG-PET is superior to CT in the detection of nodal metastases and in the staging of patients with esophageal cancer.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.34-45
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• 1992

In this county, the gap between the urban 'haves' and the rural 'have-nots' continues to be an increasing problem. WHO and UNICEF see primary health care(PHC) as the key to achieving an acceptable level of health throughout the world as a community development. PHC is essential health care made accessible to individuals and families in the community by means acceptable to them. It is the first level of contact of individual, the family, and community with the national health system. It includes at least education on health system. It includes at least education on health problems, promotion of food supply, MCH including family planning, immunization against infectious diseases, control of endemic diseases, treatment of common diseases and injuries, promotion of mental health, and provision of essential drugs. However, of the aboves, education concerning of mental health problems and the methods to identify, prevent, and control them is the principal step of establishment. In Korea, the category of PHC worker includes the physician as public doctor and nurse as primary health care practitioner and community health leader as village health worker. PHC workers of the aboves will thus function best if they are appropriately trained to respond to the health needs of the community. However in this country, since the national PHC service project launched in 1980, the government has not developed and performed appropriate and enough education and training activities. In light of above reasons, several categories of health education activities had been planned and performed being aimed at above specific target groups and the main focus was on the village health workers for about one year from July 1991 to July 1992 in Yeoju Kun of Kyonki Province. At the end of the period, evaluation of education input was carried out to measure the improvement of healthful life of people in terms of awareness, attitude, and practice. At the end of the period, evaluation of education input was carried out to measure the improvement of healthful life of people in terms of awareness, attitude, and practice. The totals of 80 village health workers, 13 public health practitioners and 9 public docters took in the course of health education for a few hours at every month and the evaluation works of educational effect were taken. The results the study were as follows. 1) Number of persons who realized the maxim "health care of the people is a duty of the government" increased after the education course, On the other hand, the rate of satisfaction on the effort of government for health promotion of the people decreased. 2) Public doctors and primary health care practitioners(nurses) liked and enjoyed the education schedule as a meeting of peer group. It provided chances of communication with staffs of Korea University Hospital. It was said that lectures covered great deal of knowledge and technic they urgently needed in the field. 3) After finishing the education course, more of village health workers(VHW) thought they adapted themselves to their roles and functions showing increased number of home visit and contact with primary health care practitioners by month. 4) In case of patient refer, VHW preferred primary health care practitioners to public doctors. 5) Capability of VHWs in most of their functions increased dramatically after when the education course finished except tuberculosis control.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.225-232
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• 2021

This study sought to investigate the distribution, antimicrobial resistance rate, and bacterial co-infection frequency of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in a single center in Incheon, South Korea. A total of 8,258 specimens submitted for tuberculosis (TB)/NTM real-time PCR tests during the years 2015 to 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. In total, 296 specimens (3.6%) were NTM positive, and the positivity increased from 2.5% (30/1,209) in 2015 to 3.8% (66/1,740) in 2020. Of 296 NTM specimens, 54.7% (162/296) were identified as the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) followed by the Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABC) 20.9% (62/296), M. fortuitum 6.4% (19/296) and M. flavescens 3.4% (10/296). Of the NTM-positive specimens, 76.7% (227/296) were tested for drug resistance. The results showed multidrug-resistant NTM in 40.1% (91/227) and extensively drug-resistant NTM in 59.9% (136/227) of these specimens. Of the 145 isolates taken for bacterial culture, bacteria/fungi co-infection with NTM accounted for 43.4% (63/145), in which the most common bacterial species was Klebsiella pneumonia (23.8%, 15/63). This study is the first report on the distribution and antimicrobial resistance of NTM in Incheon. As the proportion of NTM infections increases, active treatment and thorough infection control are required for effective management.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.308-322
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• 1996

Background : Neutrophils are considered to play critical roles in the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Histamine, which is distributed abundantly in lung tissue, increases the rolling of neutrophills via increase of P-selectin expression on the surface of endothelial cells and is known to have some interrelationships with IL-1, IL-8 and TNF-$\alpha$. We studied to investigate the effect of the histamine on the acute lung injury of the rats induced by intratracheal insufflation of TNF-$\alpha$ which has less potency to cause lung injury compared to IL-1 in rats. Methods : We intratracheally instilled saline or TNF(R&D, 500ng), IL-1(R&D, 50ng)or histamine of varius dose(1.1, 11 and $55\;{\mu}g/kg$) with and without TNF separately in Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 270-370 grams. We also intratracheally treated IL-1(50ng) along with histamine($55\;{\mu}g/kg$). In cases, there were synergistic effects induced by histamine on the parameters of TNF-induced acute lung injury, antihistamines(Sigma, mepyramine as a $H_1$ receptor blockade and ranitidine as a $H_2$ receptor blockade, 10 mg/kg in each)were co-administered intravenously to the rats treated TNF along with histamine($1.1\;{\mu}g/kg$) intratraeheally. Then after 5 h we measured lung lavage neutrophil numbers, lavage cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractants(CINC), lung myeloperoxidase activity(MPO) and lung leak. We also intratracheally insufflated TNF with/without histamine($11\;{\mu}g/kg$), then after 24 h measured lung leak in rats. Statistical analyses were done by Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric ANOVA test with Dunn's multiple comparison test or by Mann-Whitney U test. Results : We found that rats given TNF, histamine alone(11 and $55\;{\mu}g/kg$), and TNF with histamine(l.1, 11, and $55\;{\mu}g/kg$) intratracheally had increased (p<0.05) lung MPO activity compared with saline-treated control rats. TNF with histamine $11\;{\mu}g/kg$ had increased MPO activity (P=0.0251) compared with TNF-treated rats. TNF and TNF with histamine(1.1, 11, and $55\;{\mu}g/kg$) intratracheally had all increased (p<0.05) lung leak, lavage neutophil numbers and lavage CINC activities compared with saline. TNF with histamine $1.1\;{\mu}g/kg$ had increased (p=0.0367) lavage neutrophil numbers compared with TNF treated rats. But there were no additive effect of histamine with TNF compared with TNF alone in acute lung leak on 5 h and 24 h in rats. Treatment of rats with the $H_1$ and $H_2$ antagonists resulted in inhibitions of lavage neutrophil accumulations and lavage CINC activity elevations elicited by co-treated histamine in TNF-induced acute lung injury intratracheally in rats. We also found that rats given IL-1 along with histamine intratracheally did not have increase in lung leak compared with IL-1 treated rats. Conclusion : Histamine administered intratracheally did not have synergistic effects on TNF-induced acute lung leak inspite of additive effects on increase in MPO activity and lavage neutrophil numbers in rats. These observations suggest that instilling histamine intratracheally would not play synergistic roles in neutrophil-mediated acute lung injury in rats.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.356-364
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• 1999

Backgrounds: Previous reports have revealed a high morbidity and mortality in fatal asthma patients, especially those treated in the medical intensive care unit(MICU). But it has not been well known about the predictable factors for the mortality of fatal asthma(F A) with acute respiratory failure. In order to define the predictable factors for the mortality of FA at the admission to MICU, we analyzed the relationship between the clinical parameters and the prognosis of FA patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis of all medical records of 59 patients who had admitted for FA to MICU at a tertiary care MICU from January 1992 to March 1997 was performed. Results: Over all mortality rate was 32.2% and 43 patients were mechanically ventilated. In uni-variate analysis, the death group had significantly older age ($66.2{\pm}10.5$ vs. $51.0{\pm}18.8$ year), lower FVC($59.2{\pm}21.1$ vs. $77.6{\pm}23.3%$) and lower $FEV_1$($41.4{\pm}18.8$ vs. $61.l{\pm}23.30%$), and longer total ventilation time ($255.0{\pm}236.3$ vs. $98.1{\pm}120.4$ hour) (p<0.05) compared with the survival group (PFT: best value of recent 1 year). At MICU admission, there were no significant differences in vital signs, $PaCO_2$, $PaO_2/FiO_2$, and $AaDO_2$, in both groups. However, on the second day of MICU, the death group had significantly more rapid pulse rate ($121.6{\pm}22.3$ vs. $105.2{\pm}19.4$ rate/min), elevated $PaCO_2$ ($50.1{\pm}16.5$ vs. $41.8{\pm}12.2 mm Hg$), lower $PaO_2/FiO_2$, ($160.8{\pm}59.8$ vs. $256.6{\pm}78.3 mm Hg$), higher $AaDO_2$ ($181.5{\pm}79.7$ vs. $98.6{\pm}47.9 mm Hg$), and higher APACHE III score ($57.6{\pm}21.1$ vs. $20.3{\pm}13.2$) than survival group (p<0.05). The death group had more frequently associated with pneumonia and anoxic brain damage at admission, and had more frequently developed sepsis during disease progression than the survival group (p<0.05). Multi-variate analysis using APACHE III score and $PaO_2/FiO_2$, ratio on first and second day, age, sex, and pneumonia combined at admission revealed that APACHE III score (40) and $PaO_2/FiO_2$ ratio (<200) on second day were regarded as predictive factors for the mortality of fatal asthma (p<0.05). Conclusions: APACHE III score ($\geq$40) and $PaO_2/FiO_2$ ratio (<200) on the second day of MICU, which might reflect the response of treatment, rather than initially presented clinical parameters would be more important predictable factors of mortality in patients with FA.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.25 no.1 s.37
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• pp.88-100
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• 1992

This study was conducted to assess the effects of implementation of the patient referral system started July 1st, 1989. A comparison on the pattern of outpatient services of the Departments of Internal Medicine, General Surgery, and Pediatrics at the Yeungnam University Hospital was conducted for each one year period before and after implementation of the patient referral system. The pre-implementation period was from July 1, 1988 to June 30, 1989 and the post-implementation period was from July 1, 1989 to June 30, 1990. The information used for this study was obtained from official forms, prepared by the Yeungnam University Hospital, and submitted to the Korean Medical Insurance Cooperatives. After implementation of the patient referral system, the number of outpatient cases in the Department of Internal Medicine decreased 36.1% from 9,669 cases to 6,181 cases a year. Cases in the Department of General Surgery decreased 23.7% from 1,864 cases to 1,422 cases a year. The number of cases in the Department of Pediatrics decreased 36.9% from 3,372 cases to 2,128 cases a year. After implementation of the patient referral system, the average age of cases in the Departments of Internal Medicine and General Surgery was 52.5 and 49.7 years old, respectively. This was a significant increase in comparison with the pre-implementation period. After implementation of patient referral system, the proportion of new outpatients in the Department of Internal Medicine decreased from 24.1% to 14.6%, the Department of General Surgery from 36.0% to 23.4%, and the Department of Pediatrics from 15.5% to 8.3%. The number of visits per case decreased significantly in the Department of Internal Medicine(from 1.74 to 1.61), but there was no significant change in the Departments of General Surgery and Pediatrics. The length of treatment per case increased significantly in all three departments(from 16.1 days to 19.3 days in the Department of Internal Medicine, from 12.0 days to 15.2 days in the Department General Surgery, and 8.9 days to 11.2 days in the Department of Pediatrics). The number of clinical tests per case increased significantly in the Department of Internal Medicine (from 2.2 to 2.5), in the Department of Pediatrics(from 0.8 to 1.1) and increased in the Department of General Surgery(from 6.4 to 6.6). The average medical cost per case decreased from 43,900 Won to 42,500 Won in the Department of Internal Medicine, while the cost increased from 75,900 Won to 78,500 Won in the Department of General Surgery and from 12,700 Won to 13,500 Won in the Department of Pediatrics. In case-mix, the chronic degenerative disease(i. e. hypertension, diabetes mellitus, angina pectoris, malignant neoplasm, and pulmonary tuberculosis) ranked higher and acute infectious diseases and simple cases(i. e. gastritis and duodenitis, haemorrhoids, anal fissure, carbuncle, acute URI, and bronchitis) ranked lower after implementation of the patient referral system compared to before implementation.