Health Literacy and Health Status of Korean-Chinese Elderly People Living in Yanbian, China

PURPOSE: This descriptive study was done to identify the relationship between health literacy and health status and to provide basic data for developing nursing interventions for Korean-Chinese elders living in Yanbian, China. METHODS: For data collection, intentional sampling of 300 elders was used. The questionnaire was composed of 5 items based on "Ministry of Health, the People's Republic of China (2008)" to measure health literacy, 33 health status items from the "Korean Health Status Measure for Elderly People" developed by Shin (2002), revised for use in China, and 9 general characteristics. Data were analyzed using SPSS Win 13.0 program. RESULTS: Total level of health literacy was relatively high (68.7%). Elders had high scores for taking medicines according to doctor's instruction, but lower ones for full comprehension through communication with doctors. Health status was high for emotional, physical, and social function in that order. There were significant differences between general characteristics and health status for gender, age, marital status, education, family, smoking, and alcohol consumption in that order. Results of multiple regression analysis for factors influencing health status showed that self-report health level was the most influential, followed by health literacy, age, gender. CONCLUSION: Health literacy is the main factor affecting health promotion among minority elders indicating a need to develop health promotion programs for elders who have low health literacy.

Effect of DHEA Administration before, during and after Dexamethasone Treatment on Body Weight and Mass of TypeI, II Muscles in Rats / 간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was to determine the effect of DHEA administration before, during, and after dexamethasone treatment on body weight and TypeI,II muscle weight of rat receiving dexamethasone treatment. METHOD: Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups: control(C), dexamethasone(D), DHEA administration for 3days after dexamethasone treatment for 7days(7D+3DH), dexamethasone treatment for 7days after DHEA administration for 3days(3DH+7D), DHEA administration during dexamethasone treatment for 4days after dexamethasone treatment for 3days(3D+4DDH), DHEA administration during dexamethasone treatment for 7days(7DDH). Dexamethasone was injected by subcutaneously daily at a dose of 5mg/kg. DHEA was orally administered daily at a dose of 5mg/kg for 7 days. Soleus(TypeI) muscle, and both plantaris and gastro- cnemius(TypeII) muscles were dissected on the 7th day of experiment. RESULT: Body weight of both 3DH+7D group and 3D+4DDH group increased significantly compared with that of 7D group. Body weight of 7D+3DH group decreased significantly compared with that of 7D group, 7DDH group, 3DH+7D group and 3D+4DDH group. Muscle weight of both plantaris and gastro- cnemius tended to decrease compared with that of 7D group. Muscle weight of 7DDH group, 3D+4DDH group and 3DH+7D group increased significantly compared with that of 7D+3DH group. Muscle weight of gastrocnemius of both 3DH+7D group and 3D+4DDH group increased significantly compared with that of 7D group. CONCLUSION: Based on these results, it can be suggested that DHEA administration before and during dexamethasone treatment can increase both body weight and mass of atrophied TypeII muscle induced by dexa- methasone treatment.

Effect of Regular Exercise during Recovery Period Following Steroid Treatment on the Atrophied Type II Muscles Induced by Steroid in Young Rats / 간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to determine whether low intensity regular exercise following dexamethasone treatment could attenuate steroid-induced muscle atrophy. METHOD: 36 Wistar-rats(90-110g) were divided into six groups: control group(C), dexamethasone treatment group(D), sedentary group after normal sedentary period(C+S), sedentary group after dexamethasone treatment period(D+S), exercise group after normal sedentary period(C+E), and excercise group after dexamethasone treatment period(D+E). D, D+S, and D+E groups received dexamethasone injection(5mg/Kg) for seven days whereas C, C+S, and C+E groups received normal saline injection. Both C+E and D+E groups ran on a treadmill for 60 minutes/day(20minutes/4hours) at 15m/min and a 10degreegrade for seven recovery days. RESULT: Post-weight(body weight before muscle dissection) of D group significantly decreased by 16.03%, and that of D+E group significantly increased by 15.51% compared with pre-weight(body weight before steroid treatment). Type II muscle(plantaris and gastrocnemius) weights of D group were significantly lower than those of C group. Myofibrillar protein contents of type II muscles of D group tended to decrease comparing with C group. In D+E groups, body weights and relative weights of typeII muscles(muscle weight(mg)/post-weight(g)) tended to increase comparing with D+S group. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that steroid- induced muscle atrophy can be ameliorated through low intensity regular exercise after dexamethasone treatment.

Objectives and Contents of Basic Medical Sciences in Nursing Education / 간호학회지

The purpose of this study was to investigate the objectives and contents of basic medical sciences at department of nursing in college of nursing, and junior college of nursing, thus ultimately providing the basic data to standardize the curriculum of the basic medical sciences in nursing education. Seventy eight professors who were in charge of teaching basic medical sciences to at 22 colleges of nursing/department of nursing, and 20 junior colleges of nursing responded to the questionnaires that consisted of the questions regarding objectives and contents, of basic medical sciences. Based on the description of objectives, the description related to nursing, nurse, nursing science was cathegorized as on objective applicable to nursing science, the description related to medicine or clinical medicine as medical model, the description without description related to medicine was cathegorized as knowledge acquisition. The number of schools corresponding to each category were summerized in descending order. The objectives of basic medical sciences were categorized by concepts and number of schools corresponding to the categorized concept. The findings of the study are as follows: 1. The subjects of basic medical science identified were physiology, anatomy, biochemistry, pathology, microbiology, and pharmacology in most colleges of nursing and junior colleges. Two colleges of nursing/department of nursing (9.1%) and 19 junior colleges of nursing(95%) did not offer biochemistry, 1 college of nursing /department of nursing(5%) did not offer pathology & pharmacology. 2 junior colleges of nursing (10%) did not offer pharmacology, 1 junior college of nursing(5%) did not offer pathology. The other 1 junior college of nursing did not offer microbiology. 2. Objectives of physiology were to acquire knowledge and understanding on human function in both 6 (50%) colleges and 5 junior colleges. Objectives of anatomy were to acquire knowledge on human structure in both 4 (57%) colleges and 2 (50%) junior colleges; knowledge applicable to nursing sciences in both 3 (42.8%) colleges and 2 (50%) junior colleges. Objectives of biochemistry was to obtain knowledge and understanding on biochemistry, and understanding of basic concepts about biochemistry. Objectives of pathology were to obtain knowledge and understanding on pathology in both 4 (57.1%) colleges and 5(62.5%) junior colleges. Objectives of microbiology were to acquire knowledge and understanding on microbiology in both 5(83.8%) colleges and 6(85.7%) junior colleges. Objectives of pharmacology were to acquire knowledge on pharmacology in both 7(100%) colleges and 8(100%) junior colleges. 3. Contents of physiology in 19 (100%) schools were membrane transport, digestion, circulation, nervous system and respiration. In 16(84.2%) were kidney and muscle, that in 13(68.4%) were endocrine physiology. In 11(57.9%) were introduction and that in 9(47.4%) were structure and function of cells. Contents of anatomy in 11(100%) schools were skeletal system, muscle system, digestive system, circulatory system, concepts regarding human structure. In 10(90.9%) schools were endocrine system and nervous system, and in 5(45.5%) schools were blood, urinary system and cell. Contents of biochemistry in 6(100%) schools were history of biochemistry, body regulating factor, bioenergy, health and nutrition, nutrition of cell, energy production system. In 5(83.3%) schools were metabolism of protein and carbohydrate and enzyme, and in 3(50%) schools were metabolism of energy and fat. Contents of microbiology in 13(100%) schools were environment and influenc of bacteria, virus, G(-) rods, purulent cocci, G(+) rods. In 10 (76.9%) were immunity, diphtheria, enterobacteria, and in 9(69.2%) were spirochete, rickettsia and clamydia, and that in 6(46.2%) were sterilization and disinfection. Contents of pathology in 14(100%) schools were cell injury and adaptation, inflammation, respiratory diseases, circulatory diseases. In 10(71.4%) were neurological disorders, in 8(57.1%) were immunity and disease, and in 7 (50%) were tumor and progressive changes. Contents of pharmacology in 15(100%) were cardivascular drugs, introduction to pharmacology, hypnotics, analgesics, local anesthetics, an ticonvulsants. In 12(80%) were drugs activity on sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, and in 11(73%) were sulfa drugs, antibiotics, drug abuse and addiction.