• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.508-516
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• 2007

Purpose: This study was to examine the effects of electric stimulation therapy on chronic knee pain, exercise self-efficacy, and quality of life in Korean elderly women. Methods: The design was an unequivalent control pretest-posttest study. Samples were total of 60 (experimental: 30, control: 30) elderly women with healthy cognitive and communication abilities aged 65 years old and above. The experimental treatment involved was the electric stimulation of both thigh quadriceps muscles for 15 minutes per treatment, 3times per a week, for a total of 12 weeks. Measurements taken were S-F MPQ and AIMS for chronic knee pain, exercise self-efficacy measurement for exercise self-efficacy, and S-F 36 scale for quality of life. Data were analyzed using SPSS PC+ 12. Results: Chronic knee pain according to the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (t=43.563, p=.000) and Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale (t=31.364, p=.000) were significantly decreased in the experimental group by the application of electrical stimulation therapy. Exercise self-efficacy (t=107.116, p=.000) and quality of life (t=76.429, p=.000) were significantly increased in the experimental group by the application of electrical stimulation therapy. Conclusion: Electrical stimulation therapy could be a more effective primary nursing intervention in decreasing chronic knee pain, and on increasing exercise self-efficacy and quality of life for Korean elderly women.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.530-540
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify factors related with demographic and work characteristics that affect musculoskeletal pain and quality of life among personal assistants for people with severe disabilities. Methods: The subjects were recruited among personal assistant for people with severe disabilities who participated in refresher training held in K-si, Gyeonggi-do Province through convenience sampling. Using a survey instrument developed by the authors, subjects responded to questionnaires concerning muscluloskeletal pain and quality of life. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS 21.0. Basically, collected data was analyzed in terms of frequency, t-test or ANOVA and multiple regression analysis. Results: Total years of work experience and subjective physical workload were associated with the number of pain sites and intensity. Additionally, for quality of life, subjective physical workload was related in the regression model. Conclusions: Based on this study, we identified that characteristics of work affected the musculoskeletal pain and quality of life of personal assistants for the severely disabled, and suggested improvement of the working environment, including musculoskeletal pain prevention education programs during the refresher education for assistants to the severely disabled.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.293-299
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• 2023

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the potential benefits of microcurrent stimulation as a non-invasive therapeutic approach for managing pain and improving the quality of life in women suffering from primary dysmenorrhea. Design: A case study. Methods: This study was conducted, involving a cohort of 6 women diagnosed with primary dysmenorrhea, aged between 20 to 30 years. Participants were received microcurrent stimulation using low-intensity microcurrents for 30 minutes every day for 4 weeks. The intensity of microcurrent stimulation was 25 μA and the frequency was 8 Hz. The intervention was administered between the menstruations, with pain intensity and quality of life being assessed at baseline, and then at the end of menstrual cycle. Pain intensity was evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS) and menstrual symptom questionnaire (MSQ), while the quality of life was assessed through the stress response inventory (SRI), state trait anxiety inventory (STAI), center for epidemiologic studies depression (CES-D), and menstrual distress questionnaire (MEDI-Q). Results: After the intervention, participants demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in pain intensity, as evidenced by improved VAS scores (p<0.05). However, the changes in MSQ scores did not reach statistical significance. Regarding quality of life measures, no statistically significant differences were found in the SRI, STAI, CES-D, and MEDI-Q scores after the intervention (p>0.05). Conclusions: This study suggest that microcurrent stimulation holds promise as a potential treatment option for alleviating pain associated with primary dysmenorrhea.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.56-63
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• 2014

Cancer pain is one of the most serious undesirable and unsolved complications for the cancer patients. Despite significant improvements in the management of cancer pain through past decades, it is still perceived as insufficient. Effective management of pain starts on a comprehensive assessment to identify the origin and characteristics of the pain. Then, appropriate multidisciplinary medical and surgical interventions could provide optimal treatments. With intensive attentions, complete or partial pain relief with tolerable side effects of the medication will be obtained and it will improve the quality of life of cancer patients.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.139-155
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• 2021

The quality of subgroup analyses (SGAs) in chronic non-cancer pain trials is uncertain. The purpose of this study was to address this issue. We conducted a comprehensive search in MEDLINE and EMBASE from January 2012 to September 2018 to identify eligible trials. Two pairs of reviewers assessed the quality of the SGAs and the credibility of subgroup claims using the 10 criteria developed by Sun et al. in 2012. The associations between the quality of the SGAs and the studies' characteristics including risk of bias, funding sources, sample size, and the latest impact factor, were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. Our search retrieved 3,401 articles of which 66 were eligible. The total number of SGAs was 177 of which 52 (29.4%) made a subgroup claim. Of these, only 15 (8.5%) were evaluated as being of high quality. Among the 30 SGAs that claimed subgroup effects using an appropriate method of performing interaction tests, the credibility of only 5 were assessed as high. None of the subgroup claims met all the credibility criteria. No significant association was found between the quality of SGAs and the studies' characteristics. The quality of the SGAs performed in chronic pain trials was poor. To enhance the quality of SGAs, scholars should consider the developed criteria when designing and conducting trials, particularly those which need to be specified a priori.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.83-90
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• 2017

PURPOSE: Central post-stroke pain (CPSP), a chronic pain condition of stroke patients, can impair activities of daily living and worsen the quality of life (QOL), thereby negatively influencing the rehabilitation process. However, CPSP remains an underestimated complication of stroke. This study aimed to describe the prevalence and types of new-onset chronic pain and to identify the relation between pain and QOL in stroke patients. METHODS: All patients hospitalized because of a diagnosis of stroke were included. Questionnaire was used. Pain intensity was measured using Numerical rating scale (NRS), and pain characteristics were assessed using DN4. QOL was measured using SF-36. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the characteristics and pain data, and chi-square test was used to compare QOL categorical data between the nociceptive and neurological pain groups. RESULTS: CPSP development was reported by 34% of the post-stroke pain patients. Perceived QOL was low in both groups, especially with respect to the physical functioning, bodily pain, physical-role functioning, emotional-role functioning, and mental health domains. However, no significant difference was observed in QOL between the nociceptive and neurological pain groups (p<.05). CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that CPSP is a common and disabling complication that is difficult to treat, often decreases QOL, and may negatively affect rehabilitation treatment.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.1907-1913
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• 2019

Background: The prevalence of neck pain and neck dysfunction is high in general population. However, there is little literature on the relationship and factors affecting neck pain and neck dysfunction. Objective: To investigate the correlation between neck and shoulder pain, headaches, neck and shoulder dysfunction, and sleep quality in adults with chronic neck pain, and factors affecting neck pain and neck dysfunction. Design: Cross-sectional study Methods : The sample included 114 subjects, who had complained of chronic neck pain for more 12 weeks. We conducted a Pearson's correlation between neck and shoulder pain, headaches, neck and shoulder dysfunction and sleep quality and a regression analysis of the related variables, thereby analyzing factors affecting neck pain and neck dysfunction. Results : In the present study, in adults with chronic neck pain, neck pain was positively correlated with the Neck Disability Index (NDI), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI)-Pain score, and SPADI-Total score (p<.05). The NDI was positively correlated with neck pain, SPADI-Pain score, and SPADI-Total score, as well as with Pittsburgh Sleep Qulity Index(PSQI-K) (p<.05). Among the factors affecting neck pain, shoulder disability as assessed by the SPADI was a significantly associated with neck pain, while shoulder pain and shoulder disability determined by the SPADI were identified as significant variables among the factors affecting neck disability. Conclusion : These results indicated that as neck pain worsened, shoulder pain and neck and shoulder dysfunction also increased, which suggested that shoulder disability affected neck pain. In addition, as the neck dysfunction increased, neck pain and shoulder pain and shoulder dysfunction increased, and sleep quality deteriorated, which suggested that shoulder pain and shoulder disability affected neck disability.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.136-152
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• 1999

The purposes of this study were to identify the prevalence of fatigue. and factors influencing fatigue in women with rheumatoid arthritis. The subjects were 124 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Most of all patients felt fatigue and mean score measured by Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue was relatirely high. Fatigue was positively correlated with pain intensity, the number of pain sites, functional disability, depression. and sleep quality. A hierachical regression model was used to determine the variance which accounts for fatigue. Pain intensity, depression. sleep quality accounted for fatigue significantly. This finding indicates that pain influences fatigue through depression and sleep quality ; depression through sleep quality. The causative factors could be identified by further study of structural eqation model.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.7-15
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• 2017

Purpose: This randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare the effectiveness of global postural reeducation to segmental stretching in subjects with neck and shoulder pain. Methods: Sixteen subjects with neck and shoulder pain were randomized into two intervention groups, a global posture reeducation group (n=8) that performed muscle chain stretching, and a segmental stretching group (n=8) that performed conventional static muscle stretching. The intervention program consisted of two 40 minutes individual sessions per week for four weeks. Subjects were evaluated pre-intervention, two-week after intervention and at a four-week follow-up appointment for pain intensity, disability and health-related quality of life. Two-way repeated analysis of variance was used for between-time and between-group comparisons. The significance level was 0.05. Results: Significant pain relief and decreasing discomfort of the neck and shoulder were observed after intervention in both groups, and there was an interaction between time lapse and groups (pain, F=10.31, neck disability, F=25.45, shoulder disability, F=12.82, p<0.05). Quality of life also improved after intervention in both groups. Moreover, the physical components score improved, and a significant interaction was observed between time and groups (F=4.85, p<0.05). However, no significant improvement in mental component score of quality of life and no significant interaction between time and groups were observed (p>0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that a GPR intervention in subjects with neck and shoulder pain induces greater improvement of pain and disability and quality of life than segmental stretching.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.29-37
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• 2015

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between psychosocial factors and the severity of musculoskeletal pain in veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHODS: A total of 60 subjects were recruited from among the veterans with musculoskeletal pain at D Veterans Hospital. PTSD was evaluated by using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition; severity of pain was measured by using the short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ); depression and anxiety were measured by using the Symptom Checklist-90-Revision; and the quality of sleep was measured by using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. All data were analyzed using SPSS 18.0 software for Windows. RESULTS: The averages cores of pain intensity ($7.48{\pm}1.67$), SF-MPQ-sensory ($13.84{\pm}7.52$), SF-MPQ-affective ($4.41{\pm}3.79$), depression ($19.30{\pm}11.37$), anxiety ($13.39{\pm}7.99$), and quality of sleep ($10.05{\pm}5.89$) were obtained in veterans with PTSD. SF-MPQ-sensory measures sleep quality (r=0.346, p<0.01), SF-MPQ-affective measures depression (r=0.318, p<0.01) and anxiety (r=0.404, p<0.01), and these showed a statistically significant positive correlation in veterans with PTSD. Pain levels were observed to be higher in veterans with PTSD. Moreover, in these subjects, physical pain had a significant influence on the anxiety variable among the psychosocial factors. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that musculoskeletal pain provides meaningful information about depression, anxiety, and sleep disorder in veterans with PTSD. Our data suggest that musculoskeletal pain may need to be addressed as part of the health management process of veterans.