• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.22 no.8
• /
• pp.1077-1084
• /
• 2012

This study investigated the effects of Origanum majorana essential aroma therapy on electrical activity in the brain as evaluated by an electroencephalogram (EEG). The subjects were 29 healthy female young adults, and their sleep quality was assessed by using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. EEG electrodes were attached at the frontal, temporal, occipital, and parietal lobes according to the international 10-20 system. Subjects were exposed to organic Origanum majorana essential aroma (50 ${\mu}l$) for a period of 3 minutes each before, during, and after aromatherapy. Subjects with good sleep quality showed that Origanum majorana essential aroma increased the theta power at the frontal and temporal lobes of both cerebral hemispheres, the left parietal lobe, and the right occipital lobe. Furthermore, Origanum majorana essential aroma decreased the alpha power at the left occipital lobe and the beta power at the right temporal lobe. On the other hand, subjects with poor sleep quality showed an increase in the theta power at the temporal lobe of both cerebral hemispheres and a decrease in the alpha power at the left parietal lobe by Origanum majorana essential aroma therapy. It is concluded that Origanum majorana essential aroma therapy diminishes the state of wakefulness in the brain; alpha and beta powers were both decreased in the subjects with good sleep quality, but only alpha power was decreased in the subjects with poor sleep quality. Moreover, Origanum majorana essential aroma therapy has a sleep-inducing effect in both subjects with good sleep quality and poor sleep quality.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.192-199
• /
• 2012

This study investigated the effects of Lavandula angustifolia (L. angustifolia) aroma on the brain electrical activity evaluated by electroencephalogram (EEG) in female adults with sleep disorders. The subjects were 28 healthy female adults and their sleep disorders were classified by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. EEG electrodes were attached at the frontal (F3, F4), temporal (T3, T4), occipital (O1, O2), parietal (P3, P4), reference, and ground regions according to the International 10-20 system. Subjects were exposed to the L. angustifolia aroma for 3 min. Results showed that L. angustifolia aroma decreased the occipital and parietal alpha powers, and increased the frontal theta power and occipital beta power in subjects with good sleep quality. On the other hand, L. angustifolia aroma increased the theta power in the all cranial regions after aroma treatment in subjects with poor sleep quality. In conclusion, L. angustifolia aroma diminishes a state of wakefulness in the brain and helps individuals to fall asleep. Therefore, L. angustifolia aroma may have beneficial effect for female adults with sleep disorders.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.81-87
• /
• 2011

Purpose: Incidents of suicide attempt and acute poisoning in the elderly population is rising. This study investigated the clinical nature of acute poisoning and differences between the survival and mortality groups in the elderly. Methods: We retrospectively investigated 325 patients with acute poisoning who visited the emergency department. Patients were divided into two groups, one survival and one death group. Information regarding patient sex, age, root cause of poisoning, time of year of poisoning, type of intoxicant, duration of time between intoxicant ingestion and arrival at the emergency department, total length of hospital stay, and any previous suicide attempts and subsequent hospitalization were collected. An initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and an initial and final Poison Severity Score (PSS) for each patient was calculated. Results: The survival rate for men was higher than for women in this study. The most common reason of drug intoxication was suicide, with accidental ingestion and substance abuse occurring in descending frequency. Seasonal factors were reflected in the data with the highest number of incidents occurring in spring and the lowest number in winter. Compared with the mortality group, the survival group had a lower initial PSS with a higher GCS. Conclusion: We conclude that being female, having suicide as a root cause, agrochemicals as an intoxicant, low initial Glasgow Coma Scale and high initial Poisoning Severity Score, are all associated with poor prognosis.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.180-192
• /
• 2002

The purpose of this study was to survey basic data for management of elderly day care centers. In this study, occupation, leisure life, and food, clothing and habituation, as well as social relationship, health state and behavior, and general characteristics of subjects were examined to identify the factors affecting their cognition, need and preference of the day care centers. The subjects of this study were 392 elderly, aged 60 years or over, living in Gangnung and neighboring districts. Data were collected by educated interviewers from November 4 through November 22, 2002. The subjects were interviewed face to face, one for one after the interviewee's agreements on the survey. The collected data were analysed with logistic regression analysis by SAS (statistical analysis system). Logistic regression analysis was done to identify affecting factors for cognition, need and preference of the elderly day care centers. The major findings are as follows: 1. The factors affecting cognition for the day care centers were analysed. The subjects with an occupation and a lower satisfaction level of living environment and friendship, who were economically secure enough to manage a sudden accident, showed a higher level of cognition of the day care centers. The subjects with a higher level of mental health state and a lower level of IADL also showed a higher level of cognition. On the general characteristics younger female subjects showed a higher level of cognition. 2. The subjects with a lower level of perceived economic condition who did not own their housing and were not economically safe enough to manage a sudden accident, had showed a higher level of need for the day care centers. It showed that the subjects with a high level of mental health state, a bad eye sight and dental condition, a good perceived health condition, and a lower level of IADL, needed the centers. 3. The subjects who had an occupation, however, not capable of making their own daily expenses, and a low occupation satisfaction level, and who did not own their housing, and were economically poor not enough to manage a sudden accident, showed a higher preference for the day care centers. The subjects with higher levels of friendship satisfaction and perceived health condition, not living with their spouse, and a higher education level, showed a higher preference for the centers. In conclusion, the common factors affecting their cognition, need and preference of the day care centers were occupation, economic security enough to manage accidents, and friendship satisfaction level. Especially, the subjects who had an occupation, however, not economically secure enough to manage accidents, and who did not live in their own housing with a good perceived health condition, showed high levels of need and preference for the day care centers. These results can be used as basic data to develop the efficient elderly day care centers, thus contribute to the elderly welfare in a local community.

• International Journal of Heart Failure
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.28-33
• /
• 2024

Background and Objectives: Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is a form of reversible cardiomyopathy often preceded by mental or physical stressors and predominantly affects elderly women. Several cardiac and inflammatory biomarkers are involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. We aimed to investigate the correlation of C-reactive protein (CRP) level with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and clinical outcomes in patients with TTS. Methods: The study included patients with discharge-diagnosis of Takotsubo through 2017-2022 from the cardiology department. Demographic, laboratory, echocardiographic, and clinical outcomes were retrospectively obtained. We investigated the relation between CRP and LVEF, length of stay (LOS), in-hospital complications, and recurrence. Results: A total of 86 patients (93% female, mean age 68.8±12.3 years) were included in the study. The median CRP level was 17.4 (interquartile range [IQR], 6.1-40.1) mg/L, and the mean LVEF was 41.5%, (IQR, 38-50%). Complications occurred in 24 (27.9%) of the patients, and the median LOS was 3 (IQR, 3-5) days. The level of CRP was associated with lower LVEF (r=-0.39, p<0.001), longer hospital stay (r=0.25, p=0.021), and recurrence. There was no correlation between CRP and in-hospital complications. In multivariate logistic regression, poor LVEF was associated with TTS recurrence (odds ratio, 1.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.37; p=0.001). Using linear regression, only CRP was correlated with longer LOS and lower LVEF (p<0.001). Conclusions: Among patients hospitalized with TTS, CRP level was associated with poor LVEF and prolonged hospital stay but not with in-hospital complications. Poor LVEF was also associated with TTS recurrence.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.2002-2011
• /
• 2015

This study was performed to determine the levels of physical function (ADL, IADL) and to reveal its association with the related factors in the elderly people. The study subjects were 1,756 (male 872, female 884) people aged over 70 who received medical check-ups and long-term care services between 2009 and 2012 from the National Health Insurance Corporation. As a result, the distribution of impaired ADL and IADL increased significantly with age. Logistic regression showed that the risk ratio of impaired ADL was increased significantly in the following groups: female, urban, low weight, stroke history group, smoking, alcohol drinking, and not regular exercise group. The risk ratio of an impaired IADL were increased significantly in the group of females, low weight, smoking, alcohol drinking. On the other hand the risk ratio of an impaired ADL and IADL was similar in each age group. As above results, the levels of ADL and IADL in the study subjects are closely related to the socio-demographic characteristics and health related behaviors. In particular, they suggested that the levels of ADL and IADL were lower in the poor group of the health-related behaviors, such as smoking, alcohol drinking, and regular exercise.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.43 no.9
• /
• pp.1431-1438
• /
• 2014

This study assessed the risk and prevalence of anorexia as well as associated factors among home-dwelling elderly adults. The subjects were 419 elderly men (116) and women (303) aged 65 years and older ($76{\pm}5.6yr$) living in Korea. Data were collected by personal interviews using questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation. The prevalence of anorexia was 35.1% among participants. Male elders (74.1%) had higher proportions of anorexia than female elders (20.1%) (P<0.001). Significant differences in the appetite were observed according to type of disease, depression, and activities of daily living (ADL) index. In the poor appetite group, central nervous system diseases were the primary illness in male elders (P<0.01), whereas endocrine diseases were the primary illness in female elders (P<0.01). Elders with good appetites had less symptoms of depression (P<0.001) and greater independence in ADL (P<0.001). These results explored the high prevalence of anorexia in geriatric populations in Korea and its impact on elderly nutritional status and health. Further research should be performed to identify the causes of anorexia and establish an intervention protocol allowing the early diagnosis of anorexia.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
• /
• v.16 no.6
• /
• pp.954-960
• /
• 2014

This study surveyed high school girls in the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam areas to study how they wear school uniforms along with their satisfaction levels and demands in regards to functional school uniforms. This study presents data on the requirements for the development of winter school uniforms for high school girls with improved warmth functions. The findings are: First, high school girls purchased school uniforms of different brands and the purchase rates for three brands were 25% to 30% approximately. Most of them spent more than 300,000 KRW and less than 400,000 KRW on school uniforms purchases. Second, the greatest complaints by students about winter school uniforms were the ability to conduct routine activities and poor thermal insulation. The most popular bottom underwear for girls was underpants and leggings. The most popular top underwear was half-sleeved round neck t-shirts and running shirts. Third, a survey about uniform functionality showed that most students used and 'arm pit sweat absorbing pad', 'Waist size adjusting function, and 'inside pockets with zippers'. Satisfaction with functional uniforms was low: less than 3.5 in all questions. Fourth, students were favorable to develop functional uniforms to keep warm in the winter. The bottom needs to be warmer than the top and it is necessary to keep legs warm, especially the thighs and calves.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.256-268
• /
• 1992

This survey was conducted from January 1991 to May 1991. Two hundred arid eight residents in 4 government supported homes for the aged and two hundred and eleven living in the community in Taegu, Korea, were examined to evaluate the depression and the anxiety of the aged with combined anxiety and depression scale(CADS) and somatization symptom check list(SCL). There are no significant differences between residents in the home for the aged and those living in the community on the total scores of CADS and SCL. However, in the case of total score of CADS of the female subjects in the home for the aged were significantly higher than those of the community residents. The elderly in the home for the aged tended to have pure depression, while community residents were likely to have anxiety and depression. Fifty-two subjects of home for the aged and sixty-nine of the community scored over 50 points of CADS, which indicates considerable depression or anxiety. In psychosocial factors, the subjects who in the following situations had statistically significant higher scores than others. The results were as follow. Poor health, unhappiness, unsatisfaction to the past occupation, pessimistic thought in future view for both group and un satisfaction of the relationship with familiar people for the elderly in the community. The SCL scores of two groups subgrouped by under 49 and 50 on CADS showed significant differences between each subgroup on all of the SCL items. It could be suggested that somatic symptoms for the aged is a sign of depression.

• 한국노년학
• /
• v.39 no.4
• /
• pp.959-976
• /
• 2019

The purpose of this study was to understand socio-demographic factors related to older adults' participation patterns in lifelong education. For the purpose, this study used the raw data of 2017 Survey of the Living Conditions of the Elderly (SLCE) conducted by The Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs. From the data of 10,073 older adults, their lifelong education participation, participating program types, participating organizations, and participating frequency were analyzed by their sex, age, educational level, household income, the longest job status, and health status. This study found that female, age of 70-74 and 75-79, educational levels of high school and higher, the longest job status of regular employees and unpaid family workers, and decent health status of older adults more participated in lifelong education. According to lifelong education program types, significant differences were found between education groups of middle school/lower and groups of high school/higher and between 1, 2 quintile income groups and 3, 4, 5 quintile income groups. In relation to the participating organizations, groups of 70 years and older, middle school and higher education level, under 3 quintile income, and poor health tended to participate in lifelong education at the elderly welfare center, senior citizens, and elderly classrooms. In terms of participation frequency, high school and college/higher than 0 year of school education, and regular workers than unpaid family workers were more frequently participated in lifelong education. This study showed the inequality in lifelong education participation according to older adults' demographic characteristics; finally, this study suggested necessary policies and academic discussions for future older adults' lifelong education.