A Comparision on Frailty, Health Promotion Behavior, and Perceived Health Status in the Elderly according to the Type of Residency / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to classify frail and non-frail elderly and to investigate health promoting behaviors and perceived health status in the elderly according to the type of residency. METHODS: This was a descriptive study. Data collection was performed from June 15th, 2009 to August 2nd, 2009. The subjects were selected at D city in Korea. Data was analyzed by descriptive statistics, chi-square -test, and ANCOVA test with SPSS/Win 15.0 program. RESULTS: 20.8% of the elderly living at home and 49.2% of those living in institution were frail. Frailty of the elderly living in institution was severer than those living at home. Non-frail elderly according to the type of residency showed higher scores of health promotion behavior and perceived health status than frail elderly. The elderly living at home showed higher scores of health promotion behavior than those living in institution. CONCLUSIONS: In the comparison study between the elderly living at home and institution, ratio of frail elderly among the elderly living in institution is high and health promotion behaviors are deficient as well. Frail preventive program for the elderly is needed to develop and apply in consideration of these findings.

The Effects of a Safety Management Program on Safety Accident-related Knowledge, Attitude and Behavior of Elementary School Students in Korea

PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was to determine the effects of a safety management program on safety accident-related knowledge, attitude and behavior of elementary school students in Korea. METHODS: This study adopted nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The number of subjects was 34 in the experimental group and 31 in the control group. The safety management program was performed for approximately 50 minutes each session, once a week for 8 weeks. Data were collected from March 14th to June 23th, 2006, and analyzed by chi2 test and independent t-test with SPSS WIN 16.0. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences in safety-related knowledge (t=3.010, p=.006) and behavior (t=18.833, p=.001) between the experimental group and the control group. The score of attitude was different between the experimental group and the control group but the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The safety management program used in this study was appropriate for elemental school students and affected safety-related knowledge and behavior of elementary school students. Therefore safety education should be provided systematically for elementary schools over the whole country.

Health Promotion Behavior, Health Problems, Perceived Health Status and Farmers' Syndrome of Rural Residents / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to identify the health promotion behavior, health problem, perceived health status and farmers' syndrome of rural residents. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 637 adults of 19 primary health care post extracted from 1.875 primary health care post in Korea by quota sampling method. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation. RESULTS: The average score of health promotion behavior was 2.23. In the sub-scales, the highest degree of performance was 'nutrition', followed by 'spiritual growth' and the lowest degree of performance was 'physical activity'. The most prevalent health problem was ailments in 'musculoskeletal system', followed by 'fatigue', 'eyes and ears', 'cardiovascular system'. The mean score of perceived health status was 8.54. The prevalence of farmers' syndrome was 98.4%. Health promotion behavior showed a significant positive correlation health status and perceived health status showed a significant negative farmers' syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: With the above findings, rural residents' physical activity is less than urban residents', and the rural resident's score of perceived health status, musculoskeletal system and fatigue are lower than urban residents'. The farmers' syndrome of the rural people is high. A tailored health promotion program for rural community is needed to develop in the consideration of these findings.

Comparision of Anterior Segment Parameters in Angle-Closure Glaucoma Using Scheimpflug Camera

PURPOSE: To compare anterior segment parameters in angle-closure glaucoma (ACG), primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), and normal subjects (N) using a Schiempflug camera. METHODS: Central corneal thickness (CCT), lens thickness (LT), axial length (AL), anterior chamber angle (ACA), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and anterior chamber volume (ACV) were measured in ACG (93 eyes of 92 patients), POAG (90 eyes of 87 patients), and normal (91 eyes of 88 subjects) with Pentacam(R) and A-scan. All of the results and measurements were then compared. RESULTS: Compared to normal and POAG patients, ACG patients presented with significantly different measurements of CCT, LT, AL, and ACA, ACD, and ACV (p<0.05). Further, correlations were high between three measurements (ACA, ACD, ACV) in ACG, and the best correlations were found in acute angle-closure glaucoma (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: By using a Schiempflug camera it was possible to assess the correlation between anterior segment parameters (ACA, ACD, ACV) in glaucoma patients. The best correlations were found in acute angle-closure glaucoma, and thus anterior segment parameters can offer reciprocally complementary information.

Three Cases of Corneal Tattooing for the Treatment of Traumatic Iris Defect

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of corneal tattooing on patients with a traumatic iris defect. CASE SUMMARY: Corneal tattooing operation was performed on three patients (3 cases) with a traumatic iris defect. In case 1, the cornea was dyed with Davidson(R) marking dyes (Bradley Products Inc., MN, US) and the amniotic membrane with the central incision was permanently transplanted. In case 2, both corneal dyeing and permanent amniotic membrane transplantation were performed on the area of partial iris loss. In case 3, corneal dyeing was performed after the intrastromal cornea was dissected. Corneal reepithelization was found in the first 2 cases 12 and 9 days after amniotic membrane transplantation, respectively. Three months after the transplantation, all three cases showed an improvement in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), with an increase of one or more lines on the Snellen Chart. Simultaneously, preoperative monocular contrast and glare were also found to beimproved in all three cases. In both cases 1 and 2, 60% of the initially used dyes still remained in the cornea 6 months after the surgery, and in case 3, 90% of the initial dye remained. Except for the moderate astigmatism found earlier after the surgery in case 3, no serious complications developed. CONCLUSIONS: Corneal tattooing can improve the visual acuity and reduce glare in eyes with a traumatic iris defect and is cosmetically pleasing. Furthermore, corneal tattooing can be performed more easily and repeatedly than black diaphragm intraocular lens implantation.

Power Vector and Aberrations Using Corneal Topographer and Wavefront Aberrometer Before and After Pterygium Surgery

PURPOSE: To determine the power vector and aberrations before and after surgery for pterygium using a corneal topographer and a wavefront aberrometer. METHODS: The study group consisted of 34 eyes of 31 patients with pterygium, and were divided into two groups by pterygium size ( or = 3 mm, group II). Power vector and wavefront aberrations were evaluated using a corneal topographer (Oculus inc., Germany) and a wavefront aberrometer (LADARWAVE(R), Hartmann shack aberrometer, Alcon inc., US) at pre- and postoperative 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months. RESULTS: The preoperative blurring strength (B) and high order aberrations significantly decreased at postoperative 3 months in all groups (P or = 3 mm). To reduce aberrations and astigmatism effectively, we suggested surgical intervention in eyes with pterygia sized < 3.0 mm.

Effect of an On-line Health Promotion Program connected with a Hospital Health Examination Center on Health Promotion Behavior and Health Status / 간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of an On-line health promotion program connected with a hospital health examination center. METHODS: Based on contents developed, the www.kmwellbeing.com homepage was developed. The research design was a one group pretest-posttest design. Seventy-three clients participated in this study. The data were collected from January 3 to June 30, 2005. As a way of utilizing the homepage, this paper attempted to measure the change of pre and post program health promotion behavior and health status (perceived health status, objective health index-blood pressure, pulse, total cholesterol, blood sugar, waist flexibility, grip strength and lower extremity strength). Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and paired t-test with the SPSS/Win 12.0 program. RESULTS: There were significant differences of perceived health status, systolic BP, waist flexibility and grip strength. However, there were no significant differences in health promotion behavior, diastolic BP, pulse, lower extremity strength, blood sugar and total cholesterol between pre program and post program. CONCLUSION: It is expected that an on-line health promotion program connected with a hospital health examination center will provide an effective learning media for health education and partially contribute to client's health promotion. A strategy, however, is needed to facilitate the continuous use of the on-line health promotion program for adult clients.

The Effects of a Tailored Health Promotion Program on Self Efficacy, Health Problems and Quality of Life of Rural Residents

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to identity the effects of a tailored health promotion program on rural residents' self efficacy, health problems and quality of life. METHOD: Data were collected from May 13th, 2006 to July 29th, 2006. The subjects were selected at Gajo-myeon, Geochang-gun, Gyeonsangbuk-do, Korea. Forty three residents were included in the experimental group and 39 in the control group. The 12-week health promotion program was given to the experimental group. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, chi2-test, t-test and ANCOVA test with the SPSS/Win 12.0 program. RESULT: The experimental group showed higher scores of self efficacy and quality of life than the control group, and a lower score of health problem than the control group. CONCLUSION: From the above results, it can be concluded that the tailored health promotion program for rural residents is an effective intervention for improving their self efficacy and quality of life and reducing their health problems. Therefore, it is necessary to spread the tailored health promotion program for residents in other rural areas in Korea.

Characteristics of the Doppler Myocardial Imaging in Patients with Myocardial Hypertrophy

BACKGROUND: Myocardial Doppler imaging has allowed the quantification of regional myocardial motion. The aim of this study was to characterize regional left ventricular systolic and diastolic function by myocardial Doppler imaging (velocity and deformation) in patients with normal, concentric hypertrophy due to hypertension and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). METHOD: In forty-five patients (normal 15, concentric hypertrophy 15, HCM 15), we assessed the time velocity integral (systolic, early and late diastolic), systolic strain and strain rate (SR) (systolic, early and late diastolic) at apical 4 chamber view (basal septum, mid-septum, apical setum, apex, apico-lateral, mid-lateral, and basal lateral wall). RESULT: The mean interventricular septal dimensions of normal, concentric hypertrophy and HCM were 0.96 cm, 1.31 cm and 1.73 cm, respectively (p<001). Patients with HCM reduced peak systolic strain, systolic SR, early diastolic SR and late diastolic SR at mid-septum (-0.58%, -0.92/sec, 0.37/sec, 1.06/sec, respectively) compared with that in normal and concentric hypertrophy (-20.27%, -1.71/sec, 1.58/sec, 1.94/sec, p<0.01and -14.37%, -1.01/sec, 1.31/sec, 1.73/ sec, p<0.01). In the patients with HCM, peak systolic strain in mid-septum (-0.58%) was significantly less than that in the basal, and apical septum and apical, mid, and basal lateral wall (-14.21%, -18.47%, -8.81%, -9.00%, -8.58%, respectively, p<0.05). In the concentric hypertrophy group, the average peak systolic strain of septal and lateral wall (-16.88%, -5.82%) were reduced compared with that in normal group (-2119%, -14.40%, respectively, p<0.05). The interventricular septal dimension was significant correlation between mid-septal systolic strain, systolic SR, early diastolic SR, and late diastolic SR (r=0.707 p<0.01, r=0689 p< 0.01, r=-0.687 p<0.01, r=-0.554 p<0.01) in all 45 patients. CONCLUSION: Hypertrophied myocardium had abnormality of myocardium deformation related to the degree of hypertrophy. Myocardial Doppler imaging offer a approach to quantify regional systolic and diastolic dysfunction.

The Change of Arterial Stiffness According to Dialysis in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In dialysis patients, the cardiovascular mortality is 10 to 20 times higher than that in the general population. The increased arterial stiffness in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality. The arterial stiffness and atherosclerotic markers were evaluated in patients with ESRD treated with and without hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD). SUCJECTS AND METHODS: 14 hemodialysis (mean dialysis duration 19.6 months), 14 peritoneal dialysis (mean dialysis duration 26.1 months) and 14 patients with ESRD prior to initiation of dialysis, and 27 age-sex matched controls were enrolled. The calculated central pulse pressure, plasma homocysteine, serum C-reactive protein, left ventricular mass index and aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) were measured. RESULTS: Patients with ESRD treated with and without dialysis had greater increases in their arterial stiffness and advanced atherosclerosis compared with the controls. However, there was no difference in the arterial stiffness and atherosclerotic markers before and after the dialysis treatment, or in the dialysis modality (HD, PD) of patients with ESRD. In a multiple regression model, PWV in patients with ESRD was explained by the level of plasma homocysteine (beta=0.396;p=0.027). CONCLUSION: Atherosclerosis and arterial stiffness in patients with ESRD may not be affected by dialysis treatment or modality. In patients with ESRD, the level of plasma homocysteine is independently associated with arterial stiffness.