Experience of Peer Supporters for Patients with Schizophrenia / 정신간호학회지

Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to understand the experience of peer supporters for patients with schizophrenia and identify the meanings of their experiences. @*Methods@#Eleven participants were included in this study. Giorgi’s phenomenological research methodology was used. The data were collected between August, 2022 and January, 2023 through in-depth individual interviews. @*Results@#Four clusters of themes were identified. “Overcoming fear and managing one’s own life”, “A lot of mountains to overcome, but I'm going over them”, “A confident appearance in the world”, and “Being part of the treatment team”. @*Conclusion@#Individuals with schizophrenia and peer supporters should be integrated into the treatment team by implementing appropriate policies. Education programs should also be provided accordingly. In addition, it is very important to develop a program that can train peer supporters among schizophrenic patients and expand patient management services that can help them recover from the disorder. These efforts will help patients with schizophrenia achieve vocational and social rehabilitation.

Factors influencing suicidal ideation among female late adolescents from a Korean rural province

Purpose@#This study aimed to examine factors affecting suicidal ideation among female late adolescents from a Korean rural province. @*Methods@#A descriptive cross-sectional design involving self-reported questionnaires was used. The data were collected from 18- to 22-year-old female adolescents at high schools, universities, churches, and local community centers. The sample consisted of 197 female adolescents from three rural areas in Korea. The Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale and the Suicidal Ideation Scale were used to measure depression and suicidal ideation, respectively. @*Results@#Suicidal ideation was correlated with having a specific suicide plan (r=.65, p<.001), depression (r=.39, p<.001), and subjective well-being (r=–.46, p<.001). Factors affecting suicidal ideation among rural female adolescents were having a specific suicide plan (β=.56, p<.001), subjective well-being (β=–.23, p=.001), and suicide of a close person (β=.12, p=.035). These factors explained 48.0% of the variance in suicidal ideation (F=37.62, p<.001). @*Conclusion@#This study demonstrated that affective factors and personal experiences regarding suicide were critical indicators for preventing suicidal ideation among female adolescents. These factors should be managed among female adolescents, and tailored nursing interventions should be offered to enhance their psychiatric health status.

Effects of 'Happy Plus Program' for Family Caregivers of Patients with Demenia on Sleep, Depression, Burden, and Quality of Life of Caregivers / 정신간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to verify how a program for family caregivers can affect the negative effects of loss of sleep, depression, burden of caring and poor quality of life in people who care for a family member suffering from dementia. METHODS: This was a quasi-experimental study using a single-group pre-test-post-test design. This study was conducted between March 28, and May 30, 2013 in A city. The program was provided for 9 weeks. Eleven caregivers with a family member suffering from dementia participated in this study. RESULTS: The second hypothesis on lowering the depression index (Z=-2.93, p=.003) and fourth hypothesis on improving quality of life (Z=2.02, p=.044) were supported. CONCLUSION: The results of the study indicate that the program for family caregivers is effective in lowering the depression index and improving quality of life of people who care for a family member who is a patient with dementia. More programs for caregivers are needed and should be developed and provided for family caregivers in the near future.

Effects of an Education Program on Knowledge about Environmental Health and Allergy Symptoms among Elementary School Students / 기본간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of a health education program to improve knowledge about environmental health and allergy symptoms among elementary school students. METHODS: This study has nonequivalent control group pre-post test design. Participants of this study were 60 elementary students (30 experimental and 30 control) who agreed to participate in the study. The education program consisted of information on environmental health and allergies, the atmosphere, indoor environments, food and allergies, and activities with parents. The program was carried out one time (50 minutes) per week during 6 weeks. Knowledge and symptoms of allergies were recorded before and after the program among both groups. The collected data were analyzed by ANCOVA and t-test using SAS program. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in knowledge about allergies in the experimental group compared to the control group, but allergic symptoms were similar in the two groups. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that environmental health education programs are effective in the area of school health nursing for increasing knowledge about environmental health and allergies. Further research is needed to develop programs for reducing allergic symptoms as an environment health problem among children.

A Comparative Study of the Prevalence of Allergic Disease between Rural and Urban Elementary School Students

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence of allergic disease among elementary school students in rural and urban areas. METHODS: In this study, 1,513 elementary students (1,163 in urban areas, 350 in rural areas) were surveyed. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage of allergic symptoms and chi2 test was used to identify differences in the prevalence of allergic symptoms between urban and rural area students. The SAS program was used in the data analysis. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the prevalence of allergic disease according to whether there was a family member with a prior history of allergy symptoms. 48.7% of surveyed students (49.4% in urban, 46.3% in rural) had allergic symptoms. Allergic rhinitis was the most frequent allergic symptom in both urban and rural students. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that there is a need to prevent and manage allergies among elementary students. The family history should be considered an important factor when a program for allergy prevention and management is developed. Interventions are needed in both areas, especially for students with allergic rhinitis.