• 대한토목학회논문집
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.203-211
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• 2014

터널은 이동시간을 최소화 시킬 뿐만 아니라 친환경적인 도로건설을 위한 필수적인 시설물이라 하겠다. 최근에는 보다 높은 서비스수준의 제공을 위하여 터널 건설이 가속화 되고 있다. 그러나 터널을 주행하는 운전자는 좁고 어두운 터널의 특성상 심리적 불안감과 시야의 제약을 받게 된다. 더욱이 1,000m 이상의 장대터널을 통과하는 운전자는 단조로운 형태의 터널 내부를 장시간 통과함에 따라 졸음 등이 발생할 수 있으며, 보다 큰 심리적 압박감을 느껴 운전자 부하가 가중되게 된다. 이러한 운전자 부하는 장대터널 내부의 주행안전성을 크게 저하시키며 높은 사고위험성을 내포시키게 된다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 장대터널 교통안전 특성을 고려하여 장대터널의 적정길이를 제시하고자 한다. 이를 위해 본 연구에서는 장대터널의 교통안전에 영향을 미치는 교통안전변수를 분류하고 선정하였다. 교통안전변수는 교통사고변수와 속도변수로 분류하며, 해당 변수는 교통사고건수, 교통사고율, 주행속도, 개별차량 주행속도 차등으로 세부적인 분류를 하였다. 이상과 같이 분류된 교통안전변수가 장대터널길이에 미치는 영향을 검토하기 위하여 상관관계분석을 실시하였다. 분석결과 교통사고율이 유의한 결과를 나타냄에 따라 교통사고율을 교통안전변수로 선정하였다. 터널 길이에 따라 교통안전변수가 큰 폭으로 증가하는 지점은 사고발생가능성이 높은 지점으로 볼 수 있다. 따라서 해당 지점을 선정하기 위해 교통안전변수의 분포표를 작성하였으며, 교통안전변수가 크게 증가하는 구간을 임계점으로 설정하였다. 그리고 해당 임계점에 도달하기 이전의 길이를 장대터널의 적정길이로 설정하였다. 본 연구에서 제시한 장대터널의 적정길이를 통해 향후 장대터널에서 발생하는 교통사고 감소에 기여할 수 있을 것으로 판단된다.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.711-734
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• 1994

Among chemical agents in herbicides, dioxin (2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachloro dibenzo-$\rho$-dioxin : TCDD), a chemical contaminant in herbicides sprayed during the Vietnam War has been known to be the major agent causing toxic effects. Approximately 320,000 korean soldiers participated the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1974. Although the potential hazards of the herbicides among Korean veterans exposed were implicated, the problem had not been a public issue until 1991 when Korean veterans were informed U.S. companies, the herbicides manufacturer payed fund, from which a trust fund for New Zealand and Australian Class members were established in 1985. After a series of appeals and demonstration by the Korean Veterans demanding medical care and compensation for their serious health damages, a bill of medical care and compensation for herbicides victims was promulgated in March 1993 and become effective from May 1993, This study was carried out with two major objectives : the first to understand the health problems caused from the herbicides by reviewing literatures published, and the second to examine the nature and extent of health impacts among Korean veterans exposed and to develop valid study methods for the major study by interviewing and reviewing records on a part of veterans (638 persons) registered and completed medical examination in Seoul Veterans Administration Hospital from June to October 1993. The results obtained are as followings: 1. The literature review of 107 papers revealed that 1) Dioxin is teratogenic, carcinogenic and affects almost all organs including nervous, endocrine, and reproductive systems in animal experiments. 2) The diseases showing evidence of causal association were Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's disease, lung cancer, lymphoma, soft tissue sarcoma, chloroacne and polyneuropathy when judged on the basis of consistency in study results and biological plausibility. 2. Interview and medical record review study on 638 veterans, though limited validity owing to lack of control group, crude estimates of dioxin exposure levels (no biomarkers measurable), and uncertainty of diagnosis, showed that: 1) Most of the study subject's were in their 40's of age and had been dispatched to Vietnam during the period from $1965{\sim}1970$ around one year. 2) Most frequently complained symptoms in medical examination were motor weakness (32%), sensory abnormalities in extremities (23%), skin diseases (22%), and pain in extremities (20%) whereas in Interview they were more frequent in order of skin problem (44%), motor weakness (38%), sensory abnormalities and pain in extremities(17% and 19% each). Kappa indices on the same category of complaints between two sources of information were variable and relatively low. 3) On medical examination, only a part of the 638 subjects had initial impression (442 pts) and final diagnosis (218 pts) suggesting decision making on diagnosis appeared to be difficult even with all available modern medical technologies: in initial impression disorders from peripheral and central neuropathy were predominant whereas in final diagnosis various types of skin disorder were most frequent 4) When dose-response relationship between several conditions (from questionnaire) and arbitrary exposure scores were examined by CMH linear trend test, spontaneous abortion, sexual problems and health problem of offsprings showed statistically significant linear trends. However, pregnancy, accident and suicidal attempts did not show any relationship in this study capacity. 5) Among complaints, psychosis and neurosis (anxiety, phobia) in interview study, and memory disorder and psychosis in medical record study revealed linear trend. 6) Skin disorder was the only condition showing linear trend in initial impression and none in final diagnosis on medical examination. Even though objective to select out dioxin-related disease or group of diseases from this study was not achieved the research experiences provided firm basis for developing various methodological approaches. 3. From this preliminary study we concluded that a larger scale major epidemiologic study on health impacts of herbicides among Korean veterans exposed is not only Indispensible but also well designed study with more valid exposure information and diagnosis may be able to establish causal relationship between certain groups of diseases and exposure to the herbicides among Korean veterans.

• 지역사회간호학회지
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.127-145
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• 2000

The objectives of this study are to identify health behaviors and health problems. and the relations between health behaviors and health problems of female workers in the retail business. The number of subjects were 200 female workers of 6 department stores in Seoul and Kyonggi area, whose jobs last more than 6 months as retail employees. The data was collected during 2 months from July 1 to August 30, 1998. The Cornell Medical Index Health Questionnaire(CMI) was used to measure their health problems, while health behaViorn were investigated in terms of 'smoking', 'alcohol', exercise', 'diet', and 'sleeping'. The data were analyzed with frequency. percentage, t-test, ANOVA test, and $X^2-test$ by SPSS PC+ program. The results of this study are as follows: 1. Out of health problems. Digestive symptoms occupied the highest percent number. nervous ones the second and cardiovascular ones the third among physical health problems of retail female workers. The most frequent mental health problem was 'adequacy' and the next, 'tension' and 'anger', 2, Health problems according to general characteristics of subjects were shown that the younger or the unmarried complained more than the older or the married, especially in the items of 'eye and ear', 'respiratory system', 'cardiovascular system', 'digestive tract', 'nervous system', 'adequacy', and 'depression'. The longer working duration they have had, the more they complained of 'respiratory system' and 'adequacy'. The lower academic careers complained of 'nervous' than the higher ones with statistical significance. 3. The analysis of daily health clinic notes showed that respiratory complaints were the highest percent, successively followed by digestive tract, nervous one, external injury, musculoskeletal system, urinary-reproductive system and others. 4. The level of their health practice was generally low in smoking, diet habit and alcohol intake, exercise, sleeping, very low especially in smoking, diet, alcohol intake, and exercise among them all. 5. Present smokers and ones with past experience complained of physical and mental health problems of 'respiratory system', 'digestive tract', 'skin', 'nervous', 'urinary-reproductive system', 'fatigability', adequacy', 'depression', 'anxiety', 'anger' and 'tension', than non smokers, with statistical difference. Workers without having breakfast and with irregular diet had more complaints on 'digestive tract', 'adequacy' and 'tension', than those who had regular dietary habit. The less the subjects slept, the more they complained of eye and ear, cardiovascular system. The subjects who drank alcohol complained more digestive problem. However, whether they exercise or not did not affect physical and mental health problems in a significant manner. 6. The subjects' age and marital status were statistically significant relating to health behaviors, as the younger or unmarried recorded a low level of health practice in smoking, drinking, dietary habit. Based on the results, the suggestions are made as follows: 1. Health education program on smoking, alcohol intake, diet habit is needed to improve health problems and health behavior of female retail workers. 2. The unmarried workers of late teen and twenties, who are transitional period from teenagers to adulthood are important targets for health promotion program especially for maternal health. 3. Better working environment with sufficient time and facilities for workers to relax is required to promote female sales workers' health. 4. Further research is required to identify the relation between workers' visual fatigue and intense lights for the display of goods.

• 대한핵의학회지
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.17-23
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• 1984

For nearly a century it has been known that chemical activity accompanies mental activity, but only recently has it been possible to begin to examine its exact nature. Positron-emitting radioactive tracers have made it possible to study the chemistry of the human mind in health and disease, using chiefly cyclotron-produced radionuclides, carbon-11, fluorine-18 and oxygen-15. It is now well established that measurable increases in regional cerebral blood flow, glucose and oxygen metabolism accompany the mental functions of perception, cognition, emotion and motion. On May 25, 1983 the first imaging of a neuroreceptor in the human brain was accomplished with carbon-11 methyl spiperone, a ligand that binds preferentially to dopamine-2 receptors, 80% of which are located in the caudate nucleus and putamen. Quantitative imaging of serotonin-2, opiate, benzodiazapine and muscarinic cholinergic receptors has subsequently been accomplished. In studies of normal men and women, it has been found that dopamine and serotonin receptor activity decreases dramatically with age, such a decrease being more pronounced in men than in women and greater in the case of dopamine receptors than serotonin-2 receptors. Preliminary studies in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders suggests that dopamine-2 receptor activity is diminished in the caudate nucleus of patients with Huntington's disease. Positron tomography permits quantitative assay of picomolar quantities of neuro-receptors within the living human brain. Studies of patients with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, acute and chronic pain states and drug addiction are now in progress. The growth of any scientific field is based on a paradigm or set of ideas that the community of scientists accepts. The unifying principle of nuclear medicine is the tracer principle applied to the study of human disease. Nineteen hundred and sixty-three was a landmark year in which technetium-99m and the Anger camera combined to move the field from its latent stage into a second stage characterized by exponential growth within the framework of the paradigm. The third stage, characterized by gradually declining growth, began in 1973. Faced with competing advances, such as computed tomography and ultrasonography, proponents and participants in the field of nuclear medicine began to search for greener pastures or to pursue narrow sub-specialties. Research became characterized by refinements of existing techniques. In 1983 nuclear medicine experienced what could be a profound change. A new paradigm was born when it was demonstrated that, despite their extremely low chemical concentrations, in the picomolar range, it was possible to image and quantify the distribution of receptors in the human body. Thus, nuclear medicine was able to move beyond physiology into biochemistry and pharmacology. Fundamental to the science of pharmacology is the concept that many drugs and endogenous substances, such as neurotransmitters, react with specific macromolecules that mediate their pharmacologic actions. Such receptors are usually identified in the study of excised tissues, cells or cell membranes, or in autoradiographic studies in animals. The first imaging and quantification of a neuroreceptor in a living human being was performed on May 25, 1983 and reported in the September 23, 1983 issue of SCIENCE. The study involved the development and use of carbon-11 N-methyl spiperone (NMSP), a drug with a high affinity for dopamine receptors. Since then, studies of dopamine and serotonin receptors have been carried out in over 100 normal persons or patients with various neuropsychiatric disorders. Exactly one year later, the first imaging of opitate receptors in a living human being was performed [1].

• 한국학교ㆍ지역보건교육학회지
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• 제3권
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• pp.35-58
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• 2002

This research attempted to investigate the real state of adolescent smoking and drinking, and to study how stress influences on smoking and drinking of high school students. This data was collected from 837 first and second grade students in a vocational high school in Go-yang city, Gyeonggi province. Data analysis consisted of frequency, percentage, Chi-square, T-test, step-wise regression analysis, using SPSSWIN. The results of analysis were as follows: First, 51.7% of the students have never smoked, while 48.3% have experienced smoking. Most students started smoking in the second year of the middle school, though 17.6% of the smokers already started in the elementary school. The strongest motive of initial smoking was curiosity, next the inducement of friends, and 10.9% of them smoked to get rid of stress. Their favorite place for smoking was in the order of the entertainment centers, schools, and private academies. They personally purchased cigarettes mostly at the store. Most of them smoked less than 5 cigarettes a day, but 3.7% smoked more than a pack of cigarettes a day, usually with friends rather than alone. Second, the ratio of drinking was relatively high 78.1%, and their initial drinking experience was most frequent at the third year of the middle school. The initial motive of drinking was mostly curiosity and the inducement of friends, but 10.7% of them started drinking to reduce stress and anxiety. The places for buying alcohol and drinking were bars or restaurants. The ratio of habitual drinking was 45.1%, and the ratio of irregular drinking was 53.3%. 1.8% of the drinking students enjoyed drinking everyday. The amount of drinking varied from half a bottle to two bottles of Soju, and the drinking problem was serious to see that 11% of them drank more than two bottles at a time. Because 84.4% drank in groups with friends, a thorough and systematic supervision and education of the peer group drinking is essential. Third, as for the relationship between personal matters and smoking, it was found that there was a positive relation between smoking and sex, but there was no correlation between smoking and school years. Adolescent smoking was also related with scholastic achievement, the number of friends, and the existence of parents. Fourth, as for the relationship between personal matters and drinking, it was found that there was no correlation between drinking and sex, but there was a positive relation between drinking and school years. Fifth, the average index of stress was students themselves(2.58), school life(2.53), family life(2.19), friends(2.00), and the total index of stress was 2.33. Sixth, there appeared a marginal negative correlation between stress and 'drinking and smoking' in Pearson coefficient of correlation r to see the influence of stress on smoking and drinking. The difference of the average index of stress according to smoking and drinking bears meaningful difference for all students, smokers and non-smokers, drinkers and abstainers in students themselves, school life, family life, friends, and total stress. Smoking has an effect on family life most, school life next, and drinking has an effect on school life most, family life next, with the explanation power of 11% and 9% respectively, in a regression analysis to analyze the factors influencing on smoking and drinking among the factors of stress.

• 정신신체의학
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.26-41
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• 1999

본 연구의 목적은 4가지 스트레스반응 즉 감정적 신체적, 인지적, 행동적 반응들을 측정할 수 있는 스트레스반응지각 척도를 개발하고자 하는데 있다. 일차로 성인 193명(정신과외래 내원환자 84명, 정상인 109명)을 대상으로 스트레스반응지각 척도 예비설문을 시행하여 109문항을 추출하였다. 2차로 이 문항들이 포함된 설문을 환자군 242명(불안장애 71명, 우울장애 73명, 신체형장애 47명, 정신신체장애 51명)과 정상대조군 215명을 대상으로 실시하였다. 이 자료들을 감정, 신체, 인지, 행동 4가지 영역에서 요인 분석한 결과 8개의 하위요인 즉 부정적 감정, 일반적 신체증상, 특정 신체증상, 인지기능저하 및 일반적 부정적 사고, 자기비하적 사고, 충동공격적 사고, 수동반응적 및 부주의 행동, 충동공격적 행동이 추출되었다. 상기 척도의 신뢰도는 130명(환자군 68명, 정상대조군 62명)에게 2주 간격으로 검사 재검사를 시행, 분석한 결과 8개 하위척도 점수와 척도 전체 점수 간의 상관계수가 .83~.93으로 모두 유의한 상관성을 보였다. 한편 내적 일치도는 8개 하위척도의 Cronbach' s alpha가 .79~.96. 척도 전체의 Cronbach's alpha가 .98이었다. 공존타당도는 global assessment of recent stress(GARS) scale, perceived stress questionnaire(PSQ). symptom checklist-9D-R(SCL-9D-R)의 전체지표 각각의 총점과 본 척도의 8개 하위척도의 점수 및 척도 전체점수 간의 상관성을 각각 비교한 결과 모두 유의하게 높은 것으로 나타났다. 변별타당도는 환자군과 정상군 간에 척도의 총점과 8개 하위척도 점수를 비교한 결과 충동공격적 행동을 제외한 7개 하위척도 점수와 총점에서 각각 유의한 차이를 보였다. 이상의 결과들은 스트레스반응지각 척도가 신뢰도 및 타당도가 모두 유의한 수준으로 정신신체의학을 비롯한 스트레스에 관련된 분야의 연구에 효과적으로 이용될 수 있는 도구임을 시사해 준다.

• 정신신체의학
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.68-75
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• 2018

연구목적 암 환자에게 있어 통증은 삶의 질과 예후에 큰 영향을 주는 중요한 요소로 통증을 줄이기 위한 시도가 활발히 이루어지고 있다. 이러한 관점에서 위종양 환자에게 많이 시행되는 내시경 점막하 박리법 후 통증을 줄이기 위한 노력이 계속되고 있는데, 시술 후 통증에 영향을 미치는 생물학적 요인이 많이 알려진 것에 비해 심리적 요인에 대해서는 연구가 거의 이루어지지 않았다. 본 연구의 목적은 내시경 점막하 박리법을 시술 받은 위종양 환자가 시술 후 겪는 통증에 영향을 미치는 심리적 요인을 알아보고자 하였다. 방 법 본 연구는 2015년 5월부터 2016년 6월까지 국민건강보험 일산병원에 내원하여 내시경 점막하 박리법을 시술 받은 91명의 위종양 환자를 대상으로 시행되었다. 내시경 점막하 박리법을 시술 받기 전에 사회인구학적 요인과, 불안, 우울, 회복탄력성을 평가하였다. 환자들이 호소하는 통증의 정도가 시각적 유추척도 3점 이상인 군(고통증군)과 3점 미만인 군(저통증군)으로 나누었고, 시술 후 통증에 영향을 주는 요인에 대해 독립표본 T검정 및 카이제곱 검정을 시행 후 유의한 차이를 보인 요인에 대해 로지스틱 회귀분석을 시행하였다. 결 과 고통증군이 저통증군에 비해 음주량이 낮았고 우울 점수가 높게 나타났다. 또한 고통증군이 저통증군에 비해 회복탄력성 점수가 낮았으며, 회복탄력성의 하위 항목 중 자기조절능력, 긍정성 항목에서 점수가 낮았다. 다변량 로지스틱 회귀분석 결과 회복탄력성 중 자기조절능력(OR, 0.911 ; 95% CI, 0.854-0.971, p=0.004)이 낮을수록 내시경 점막하 박리법 시술 후 겪는 통증이 큰 것으로 나타났다. 결 론 본 연구 결과 내시경 점막하 박리법을 시술 받는 환자의 회복탄력성 하위 항목인 자기조절능력이 낮을수록 시술 후 더 큰 통증을 호소하는 것을 확인하였다. 따라서 본 연구에서 대상으로 한 심리적 요인 중 개인의 회복 탄력성이 통증에 영향을 주는 것을 확인하였다.

• 한국콘텐츠학회논문지
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• 제14권6호
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• pp.108-118
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• 2014

본 연구의 목적은 사회안전망 측정도구를 개발하여 타당도와 신뢰도를 검증하고 이를 적용 하여 지역사회주민의 안전생활만족과의 관계를 규명하는데 있다. 이 연구는 2013년 서울시 시민들을 모집단으로 설정하여 집락무선표집법을 이용해 최종분석에 사용한 자료는 203명이다. 사회안전망 측정도구는 문헌고찰, 개념적 정의 및 설문지 초안 작성, 전문가 회의, 예비검사 및 본 조사, 설문지의 타당도 및 신뢰도 검증 등의 과정을 통하여 개발되었다. 이 연구에서는 설문지의 타당도를 검증하기 위해 전문가 회의를 하였으며, 탐색적 요인분석을 통해 범죄예방설계, 거리 CCTV시설, 지역자율방범활동, 지자체안전교육, 경찰치안서비스, 민간경비서비스 등의 6개 요인을 추출 하였다. 통계처리는 SPSSWIN 18.0 프로그램을 활용하여 빈도분석, 일원변량분석, 요인분석 및 신뢰도 분석, 상관분석, 다중회귀분석 등을 실시하였다. 결론은 다음과 같다. 첫째, 사회안전망 척도의 타당도는 매우 높다. 즉, 사회안전망 구성 요인은 범죄예방설계, 거리 CCTV시설, 지역자율방범활동, 지자체안전교육, 경찰치안서비스, 민간경비서비스 등으로 탐색되었으며, 범죄예방설계 요인의 설명력이 가장 높다. 둘째, 사회안전망 척도의 신뢰도는 매우 높다. 즉, 사회안전망은 문항과 영역간, 문항과 전반적 사회안전망간의 상관정도가 매우 높으며, 내적일관성 신뢰도 Cronbach's ${\alpha}$값이 .865 이상이다. 셋째, 사회안전망은 지역사회주민의 안전생활만족에 영향을 미친다. 즉, 범죄예방설계, 경찰치안서비스가 체계적으로 구축 된다면 시민들의 사회불안감은 감소한다.

• 수면정신생리
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.11-19
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• 2015

목 적 : 폐쇄성 수면무호흡 증후군(obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, 이하 OSAS)의 특징적 임상양상으로 주간졸림이 있다. 주간졸림과 수면무호흡의 심각도가 비례하는지에 대해서는 이론이 있다. 이러한 이론에는 불면증 정도가 두 변수의 상관관계에 영향을 줄 수 있다는 가정하에 본 연구자들은 피츠버그수면질지수(Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, 이하 PSQI) 정도가 주간졸림과 수면무호흡의 심각도의 연관관계에 어떠한 영향을 주는 지에 관해 연구하고자 하였다. 방 법 : 임상병력 및 야간수면다원검사(nocturnal polysomnography, 이하 NPSG)를 실시하여 OSAS로 진단된 235명의 남자 환자를 선정하였다. 전체 대상군의 수면 및 기분 관련 자가보고척도, 수면다원검사지수, 인구학적 척도를 조사하고 이들 사이의 단순상관분석을 시행하였다. 이후 전체 대상군을 PSQI가 5 이하인 A군(n = 75)과 5 초과인 B군(n = 160)으로 나누었다. 각 군에서 제어변수로 벡우울척도(Beck depression inventory, 이하 BDI) 및 벡불안척도(Beck anxiety inventory, 이하 BAI)를 설정하고 엡워스졸림척도(Epworth sleepiness scale, 이하 ESS)와 다른 척도들 간의 편상관관계분석을 시행하였다. 마지막으로 A군에서 주간졸림에 영향을 주는 요소를 알아보기 위해 ESS에 대해 다중회귀분석을 시행하였다. 결 과 : 전체 대상군에서 단순상관분석에서는 ESS와 수면무호흡 심각도 지수들인 무호흡-저호흡 지수(apnea-hypopnea index, 이하 AHI ) (r = 0.148, p = 0.023), 무호흡 지수(apnea index, 이하 AI) (r = 0.137, p = 0.036), 저호흡 지수(hypopnea index, 이하 HI) (r = 0.058, p = 0.377), 산소탈포화도지수(oxygen desaturation index, 이하 ODI)(r = 0.149, p = 0.022), 각성 총지수(arousal total index, 이하 ATI) (r = 0.129, p = 0.048) 간에 미약한 상관관계를 보이거나 상관관계가 없었다. A군에서 ESS와 AHI ($r_p=0.313$, p = 0.008), AI ($r_p=0.339$, p = 0.004), ODI ($r_p=0.289$, p = 0.015), ATI ($r_p=0.256$, p = 0.031) 간에 양의 유의한 상관관계를 보였다. B군에서는 ESS와 수면무호흡의 심각도 척도 간에 유의한 상관관계를 보이지 않았다. A군에서 다중회귀분석 결과 ESS에 통계적으로 유의한 영향을 끼치는 요인으로 AI (t = 2.996, p = 0.004), BAI (t = 2.721, p = 0.008)가 있었다. 결 론 : 주간졸림 정도와 수면무호흡 중증도 간의 유의한 연관성은 A군에서만 관찰되었다. 이 결과는 OSAS 환자가 호소하는 주간졸음을 평가할 때 불면 증상에 대해 고려해야 한다는 것을 시사한다.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.224-239
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• 2000

This descriptive study was conducted to understand the contents and degree of parental stress level in the NICU patients, and to give a baseline data in developing nursing intervention program. Subjects were the 62 mother of hospitalized newborn in NICU of 1 University Hospital in Taejon City from May 1st, 1999 to November 30th, 1999, who agreed to take part in this study. The instrument used in this study were Parental Stressor Scales : NICU(PSS:NICU) developed by Miles et al. and validated by 3 NICU practitioners and 3 child health nursing faculties. The questionnaire has 4 dimensions and 45 items; sight and sounds of NICU(5 items), babies' appearance and behavior(19 items), parental role alteration and relationship with their baby(10 items), communication with health team(11 items). The questionnaire asks parents to rate each item on a five-point Likert type scale that ranges from (1) to (5). Total scores representing overall stress from the NICU environment are calculated by summing response to each item. A high score indicates high stress. A subscale score is calculated by summing the responses to each item in the subscale. Cronbach's α coefficients were .93. The data was analyzed as average, Frequency, Standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient by use of SPSS/PC+. The results of this study is summarized as follows ; 1. The total perceived stress level score of mothers was slightly high(3.6±.7). The highest scored dimension was 'appearance and behavior of the baby'(3.9±1.5), and next were 'relationship with their baby and parental role change'(3.5±1.4), 'communication with health team'(3.4±.9), 'sight and sounds of NICU'(3.2±.8). 2. Two variables were statistically significant with PSS:NICU total scale ; mother's perceived severity of the baby's condition (r=.482, P=.002) and mother's religious attendance(t=2.83, P=.01). The more the mother perceive their baby's condition severe, the higher the total stress score. There were high stress score noted in the mother of no religious attendance. 3. Four variables were statistically significant with NICU environment subscale ; mother's educational background(F=3.45, P=.04), religious attendance(t=2.28, P=.04), sex of the baby(t=2.83, P=.01) and NICU patients' hospital day(r=.359, P=.004). That is mother with high educational background and girl baby were high NICU environment subscale score. 4. Four variables were statistically significant with appearance and behavior of the baby subscale ; when first saw baby(F=3.52, P=.04), incubator care(t=2.83, P=.01), mother's perceived severity of the baby's condition(r=.303, P=.017), number of NICU visit(r=.441, P=.002). That is, seeing the baby first in the NICU and recieved incubator care was very stressful. Also, the more the mother perceive their baby's condition severe and more NICU visit, the higher the appearance and behavior of the baby subscale stress score. 5. Four variables were statistically significant with relationship with their baby and parental role change subscale ; when first saw baby(F=3.37, P=.04), sex of the baby(t=2.36, P=.03), incubator care(t=5.60, P=.00), mother's perceived severity of the baby's condition(r=.401, P=.001). That is, seeing the baby first in the NICU and girl baby was very stressful. Also, the more the mother perceive their baby's condition severe, the higher the relationship with their baby and parental role change subscale stress score. 6. Three variables were statistically significant with communication with health team subscale ; mother's educational background (F=3.63, P=.04), incubator care(t=4.24, P=.00), gestational age(r=-.394, P=.047), and birth weight(r=-.460, P=.004). That is, mother with high educational background and receiving incubator care were high communication with health team subscale score. Also, the shorter the gestational age and smaller the baby's birth weight, the higher the communication with health team subscale score. In conclusion, information about physical environment of NICU, the mother's perceived severity of baby's illness state, maternal role change related variables and the knowledge of characteristics of NICU patients must be included in nursing intervention program of mother's of NICU patients in reducing the maternal stress and anxiety level.