• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.7
• /
• pp.3195-3201
• /
• 2012

Aims: This study was designed to describe the personal life experiences of breast cancer survivors regarding their efforts to recover and preserve their health in Taiwan. Method: The study utilized a qualitative research method, wherein purposive sampling, one-on-one, face-to-face, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted. The data were then analyzed using content analysis. Data were saturated after interviewing 15 cancer survivors. Results: Three common themes emerged: introspection on the cause of the cancer, realization of a harmonized lifestyle, and reflecting on the strong will to survive. Conclusions: These findings are helpful in understanding the relationship between breast cancer survival and individual efforts to restore and preserve health.

• Child Health Nursing Research
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.298-309
• /
• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and develop a deeper understanding of the experiences of mothers of premature children receiving rehabilitation therapy. Methods: The participants were 12 mothers with premature children who had received rehabilitation therapy for over 1 year. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted from July to August 2017. The data were analyzed through the phenomenological research method. Results: The participants' experience was structured into five thematic clusters: 'Regret and guilt that premature birth led to rehabilitation therapy', 'Burden of life in an endless tunnel', 'Changes in personal relationships surrounding me and my child', 'Meaning of new life through my child', and 'Desire to expand the rehabilitation of premature infants'. Conclusion: The results of this study will be helpful for developing family-centered care programs for premature infants at high risk of developmental disorders.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.303-314
• /
• 2019

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of parents with amblyopic children. The data were collected from August 2018 to May 2019. This study involved semi-structured in-depth individual interviews and was analyzed in terms of Giorgi's phenomenological methodology. The participants of this study were 7 mothers with amblyopic children. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed. Four themes-clusters were identified: passing without realizing the clues of action, experiencing emotional distress, enduring the long and tough process of treatment, and making every effort to escape from amblyopia. The findings from this study provide a deep understanding of mothers'experiences of caring for amblyopic children. Based on the findings, health care providers need educational programs that include a step-by-step eye health program. In addition, compliance needs to be improved.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.71-90
• /
• 2022

Objective: This study examined the experiences of pre-service Early Childhood teachers who participated in major-associated autonomous club activities. Methods: Participants were 31 students of the Department of Child Care at A University located in Gyeonggi-do, who participated in a major-associated autonomous music club activity. A content analysis was conducted to examine the meaning of the participation experience of pre-service Early Childhood teachers. Qualitative content analysis was the best method to analyze the meaning of their experience while participating in the activities. Results: The meaning of the experience of music club activities was organized into three categories: "enjoying abundant college life," "growing as a competent childcare teacher," and "being a responsible member of a community." Conclusion/Implications: The results show that pre-service Early Childhood teacher's participation in the activities of major-associated autonomous clubs has a positive impact on desirable changes in college life and adaptation to the department and on the growth of future professional Early Childhood teachers.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.103-111
• /
• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics of life-sustaining treatment and attitudes towards advance directives among geriatric patients. Methods: The elderly participants (N=146) were recruited from a university hospital from October 30, 2012 to March 31, 2013. A questionnaire for collecting data of participants' characteristics, their experiences related to life-sustaining treatment, and attitudes towards advance directives was used. The data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 17. Results: Most participants (84.9%) were in favor of advance directives. Although most of participants wanted to receive CPR for sudden cardiac arrest (78.8%) and pain control medication (74.0%), most preferred to refuse life-sustaining treatments such as tracheostomy (96.6%) or ventilator (87.0%). Participants who had a family or acquaintances with CPR experiences (U=852.00 p=.038), had discussed with their family and acquaintances regarding end-of-life sustaining treatment (t=2.91, p=.004), or made decisions about refusing the life sustaining treatments (t=3.19, p=.002) preferred to have advance directives than those who did not. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggested the potential benefits of educational programs about advance directives for the end-of-life for geriatric patients to make decisions for life-sustaining treatments in advance.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.389-398
• /
• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to understand and describe the overcoming experiences of family members caring for elderly patients with dementia at home. Methods: Data came from autobiographies on the overcoming experiences of caregiving from 31 participants, who had submitted the autobiographies to a public contest held by the Seoul Metropolitan Center for Dementia in 2012. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Four overcoming stages emerged from the analysis: confronting stage; challenging stage; integrating stage; and transcendental stage, representing transformation of experiences from frustration and suffering to happiness and new hope in life. The confronting stage illustrates severe negative feelings and exhaustion occurring after the diagnosis of dementia. The challenging stage signifies major driving forces in taking good care of their patients. It includes tender loving memories about the patients as well as family and social supports. The integrating stage shows genuine empathy for the patients' situation and the happiness of 'here and now', while the transcendental stage represents new hope in the future. Conclusion: Health professionals need to support caregivers to find true meaning of caring and happiness in everyday life, while providing specific information on dementia care and relieving various negative feelings.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
• /
• v.65 no.1
• /
• pp.33-58
• /
• 2013

This study aims to explore the lived experiences of middle-aged people with disabilities after a stroke. Using van Manen's phenomenological qualitative method, this study obtained information through interviews with middle-aged people with disabilities after a stroke. The following main themes were extracted from the lived experiences of middle-aged people with disabilities who were interviewed: 'a life broken in half', 'discontinuity and isolation of life', 'being born again', 'fear of stroke relapse', and 'overcoming all difficulties through harmony in a family'. Therefore, the core theme on the lived experiences of middle-aged people with disabilities after a stroke is a shadow of relapse over lives that have to protect families. The implication of this study's results on policy making and actual practices are discussed focusing on the well-being of people with disabilities and their families.

• Korean Journal of Family Social Work
• /
• no.62
• /
• pp.141-169
• /
• 2018

This study was a qualitative case study of mother's experiences chidult in South Korea focusing on North Korean single mom defector with children in their 20s. The purpose of the present study was to explores the mother's experiences of North Korean single mom defector without their spouses. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were arranged with 3 North Korean refugee mothers without their spouses who met the criteria for the present research purpose. As a result of the analysis, the mother's experiences into five main clusters of themes which may be labeled as (1) The presence of more meaningful children in a strange land, (2) Everyday life, such as the superwoman, (3) The rigor of a care to too cumbersome, (4) Gratitude and value discovery in our daily lives, (5) To find new life. In all there are ten sub categories to consider. On the basis of these results, we presented some conclusions on the mother's experiences of North Korean single mom defector. We also presented some implications of these results on welfare services and future research.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.627-638
• /
• 1997

Most patients having leukemia suffer severely from emotional turmoil due to the generalized perception that cancer will be fatal. The conventional chemotherapy results in side effects such as severe bone marrow depression which interfere with self-care management, vital for improvement in their condition. Bandura's theory of the self-efficacy suggests that self- efficacy can be enforced by performance attainments, vicarious experiences, verbal per-suasion and the release of emotional arousal. Self-efficacy can be enforced by a program of vicarious experiences and verbal persuasion, while the emotional arousal can be relieved through a hope promotion program, If once self-efficacy increases, the patient's self-care behaviors and the quality of life will also increase. The purpose of this study was to empirically test the effects of a program, to promote self-efficacy and hope, on self-care behaviors and quality of life in patients having leukemia. In this study, three types of approaches to enhance self-efficacy and hope were used : 1) a 20-minute long slide /tape for vacarious experiences : 2) a 10-minute long telephone call coaching for verbal persuasion ; and 3) two booklets for information about the symptoms of leukemia and treatment modalities and hope promotion. Thirty one patients were recruited in the experimental group and 29 in the control group with a nonequivalent pretest-posttest design. The subjects were patients with leukemia undergoing chemotherapy. Sherer and Maddux's self-efficacy scale, Nowotny's hope scale, and Padilla's quality of life scale were employed with some modifications. A self-care behavior scale was developed by the researchers. Statistical analyses including paired t-test, Chi-square, ANCOVA and ANOVA, were used. The results are as follows : The levels of self-efficacy, self-care behavior and quality of life were higher in the experimental group than in the control group after four weeks of intervention(F=28.71, P=.0001 ; F=63.35, P=.0001 F=16.57, P=.0001). After ten weeks of intervention, all of the dependent variables(self-efficacy, self-care behavior, hope & quality of life) in the experimental group were higher than in the control group (F=74.12, P=.0001 ; F=108.34, P=.0001 ; F=13,11, P=.001 : F=43.52, P=.0001). In conclusion, self-care behavior and quality of life increased mainly through an increase in self-efficacy, while increases in hope took more time and effort.

• 한국노년학
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.1297-1315
• /
• 2008

Elderly males in retirement experiencing a change in their social status and role in the family are likely to develop negative perception toward the elderly and the elderly life. The purpose of this study is to examine how the experiences of age discrimination affect elderly male's perception and his attitude towards the elderly life, and to verify the mediation effects of the family and peer relations, which would necessitate the need for social welfare intervention. 215 participants, the elderly men registered at the welfare centers in Seoul Metropolitan area, participated in this research utilizing the structural equation modeling to verify the mediation effect. The findings are as follows. First, the elderly males's experiences of age discrimination is found not to have a significant effect on their perception towards the elderly. Second, the elderly males' discrimination experience has a significant effect on their attitude towards the elderly life. Third, it is found out that family function and peer relationship has complete mediation effect on the perception on the elderly experiencing discrimination in their perception towards the elderly life. Fourth, the family function and peer relationship has partial mediation effect on the elderly male experiencing discrimination in their attitude toward their life after retirement. This shows that more efforts are needed to reduce discrimination towards the elderly, and that strong family function and peer relations help the elderly to develop more positive perception and attitude towards the elderly life. In conclusion, it proposes an institutional approach towards the problem as well as increased support for elderly welfare service including family counseling intended to strengthen family function and alternative family, and more active social activities aimed at strengthening of peer relationship.