Tai chi for management of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Tai chi has been recommended for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate evidence from controlled clinical trials testing the effectiveness of tai chi in treating type 2 diabetes mellitus.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Systematic searches were conducted on 14 electronic databases without restrictions on either population characteristics or language of publication. The outcome measures considered for inclusion were changes in fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycosylated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and quality of life (QOL).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Eight randomised clinical trials (RCTs) and two controlled clinical trials (CCTs) met all inclusion criteria. Three RCTs from 1 trial compared the effects of tai chi with sham exercise and failed to show effectiveness of tai chi on FBG, HbA1c, or QOL. The other 3 RCTs tested the effects of tai chi compared with other types of exercise on FBG. The meta-analysis failed to show an FBG-lowering effect of tai chi [n=118, weighted mean difference (WMD): -0.14 mmol/L, 95% CI: -0.86 to 0.58, P=0.70]. Four studies (2 RCTs and 2 CCT) compared tai chi with no treatment or self-management programme and failed to report significant differences between the experimental and control groups except for QOL from 1 RCT and 1 CCT.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The existing evidence does not suggest that tai chi is an effective therapy for type 2 diabetes. Currently, there are few high-quality trials on which to make definitive judgements.</p>

The Effect of Health Promotion Program in Vulnerable Women with Osteoarthritis

PURPOSE: This study was to develop and evaluate a health promotion program for women with osteoarthritis. METHODS: The research adopted the nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The subjects were 34 in the experimental group and 34 in the control group sampled among vulnerable women aged over 40. The independent variable was the health promotion program, and the dependent variables were perceived health status, balance, K-WOMAC, depression, life satisfaction and health promoting behavior. The health promotion program was performed for 50minutes each session, twice a week and for 8 weeks. Data were collected from July 1 to September 11, 2010. RESULTS: The experimental group showed significant differences in perceived health status, balance, WOMAC pain, WOMAC difficulty of performing activity, depression, and health promoting behavior compared to the control group. There was no significant difference in WOMAC stiffness, waist, weight, and life-satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the health promotion program can be applied in degenerative arthritis education to improve self-care.

Factors Related to Health Promoting Behaviors of Young-Old and Old-Old Elderly in Rural Areas / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of health promoting behaviors and the significant factors in rural elderly(young-old vs old-old). METHODS: The data was collected using structured questionnaires from June 22th to Sep. 18th, 2009. A total of 556 elderly aged 65 years or over were selected from 14 rural districts in C province, South Korea. Age was divided into two groups as below 65-74 and 75 or older. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain information on the demographic characteristics, their perceived health status, the difficulty of activities of daily living, quality of life, self-efficacy and health promoting behaviors. The health promoting behaviors included nutrition, stress management, interpersonal support, exercise, health responsibility and self-actualization. The scores for health promoting behaviors were used mean and standard deviation. The data was analyzed using SPSS Win 12.0. RESULTS: Of the 556 subjects, we found that the young-old(65-74 aged) were 359 and the old-old elderly(over 75 aged) were 197. We found that the level of health promoting behavior was higher for young-old (2.75+/-0.374) compared to old-old elderly people (2.67+/-0.399). In multiple linear regression, quality of life, self-efficacy, living with spouse, and number of generation living together for the young-old, and quality of life for old-old elderly were significantly associated with health promoting behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings indicate that there are age differences in associated factor of health promoting behaviors. Therefore our findings may provide useful assistance in developing effective intervention programs to improve health promoting behavior of the elderly in rural areas according to their age differences.

The Effect of a Health Diary Program in Solitary Elderly / 간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was to develop and to evaluate a health diary program for solitary elderly. METHODS: The research design was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. There were 30 subjects the experimental group and 54 in the control group among solitary elderly over age 65. The independent variable was the health diary program, and the dependent variables were perceived health status, ADL, IADL, Blood pressure, blood sugar, quality of life, self efficacy and health promoting behaviors. The health diary program was performed for 50minutes, twice a week for 8 weeks. Data was collected from April 3 to June 23, 2006. RESULTS: The experimental group showed a significant difference in perceived health status, blood sugar, ADL, IADL, quality of life, self efficacy, and health promotion behaviors than the control group. There were no significant differences in systolic & diastolic blood pressure. CONCLUSION: A health diary program showed good effects on improving health status, quality of life, self efficacy, and health promotion behaviors. Therefore, we recommend this program be utilized as a health promoting program for the solitary elderly in the community.

A Comparative Study of Knowledge and Attitude on Oral Contraceptive between Korean and Japanese University Students / 여성건강간호학회지

The purpose of this study was to investigate knowledge and attitude about oral contraceptive between Korean and Japanese university students in order to provide better sex education programs and direcrion.Korean subjects of this study were 337 university students in M city, during the period from April 1 to April 20, 2001 and Japanese subjects 245, during the period from June to August, 2001. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, Pearson correlation coefficients with SPSS package. The results from this study were summarized as follows :1. The mean age of Koreans and Japanese students was 21.0+/-3.2 and 19.6+/-3.2 years old. The number of Japaneses youths having the parter with sexual intercourse was larger than that of Korean university students. 2. Comparison of knowledge and attitude about oral contraceptives between Korean and Japanese university students ;1) Comparison of sexual differences : Oral contraceptives related knowledge of Korean university students marked 55.7+/-7.5 of male students and 56.7+/-6.2 of females with a range of 15 to 75. The level of female students' knowledge was higher than that of male's but there is not statistically a significant difference (p= .080). Oral contraceptives related attitude of Korean university students marked 81.1+/-12.2 of male students and 76.9+/-10.3 of female's with a range of 24 to 120. The level of male students' attitude was higher than that of female's and there is statistically a significant difference(p= .002). Oral contraceptives related knowledge of Japanese university students marked 55.3+/-6.7 of male students and 57.0+/-6.3 of female students. The level of female students' knowledge was higher than that of male's but there is not statistically a significant difference (p= .159). Oral contraceptives related attitude of Japanese university students marked 80.3+/-10.1 of male students and 80.4+/-9.9 of female students. The level of female students' attitude was higher than that of male's and there is not statistically a significant difference(p= .928).2) Comparison between the country : Oral conceptives related knowledge of Korean university students marked 56.2+/-6.8 and 56.7+/-6.4 of Japanese university students with a range of 15 to 75. The level of Japanese university students' knowledge was higher than that of Korean's but there is not statistically a significant difference(p= .361). Oral conceptives related attitude of Korean university students marked 78.9+/-11.4 and 80.4+/-9.9 of Japaneses with a range of 24 to 120. The level of Japanese university studentss' attitude was higher than that of Korean's and there is not statistically a significant difference(p= .100). 2. Wanted age of oral contraceptives taking medicine and age was correlated positively (r=.178, p=.004) and total knowledge score of oral contraceptives and total attitude score were correlated positively(r=.467 p= .000) in Korean university students. Wanted age of oral contraceptives taking medicine and age was correlated positively (r=.289, p=.004), age and total attitude score were correlated positively(r=.196 p=.002) and total knowledge score of oral contraceptives and total attitude score were correlated positively (r=.671 p=.000) in Japanese university students. 3. Korean university students lifted side effect by the greatest factors in investigation about leading person that disturb work oral contraceptive, and the following appeared by knowledge insufficiency, sexual feeling inflammation worry, social prejudice, sexual morality decline, supernumerary prescription being not right, other person reverse and economical burden. Japanese university students can know that it is appearing by side effect, supernumerary prescription being not right, knowledge insufficiency, sexual feeling inflammation worry, economical burden, social prejudice, sexual morality decline and other person reverse. Think that this is result by dissimilar health medical system and cultural difference between two countries.

The Effects of Exercise Therapy on Joint Mobility, Daily Activity, pain and Depression in patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis / 간호학회지

This study was designed to investigate the effects of exercise therapy on joint mobility, daily activity, pain and depression of patients with ankylosing spondylitis. 25 persons with the experimental group and 25 persons with the control group were conveniently sampled among out-patients diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis at the rheumatism center of H University Medical Center. The control patients were matched to the experimental group and they were selected considering sex and age. The exercise therapy was developed by the author with the assistance of exercise specialists. The program includes muscle relaxation, flexibility, muscle strengths, breathing strengths and straight posture exercises. The 20-minute exercise therapy was carried out to the experimental group once a day for eight weeks from October, 1997 to February, 1998. Before and after the experiments, joint mobility, daily activity, pain and depression were measured respectively. Data were analyzed by x2-test, t-test, paired t-test and unpaired t-test. The results were as follows : Joint mobility(cervical flexion, extension, shoulder flexion, abduction, hip abduction, knee flexion and fingertip to floor distance) and daily activity in the experimental group after the exercise were significantly increased than that in the control group. The pain and depression score in the experimental group after the exercise were significantly decreased than that in the control group. These findings may indicate that the exercise therapy is effective in increasing the joint mobility and daily activity, and also effective in decreasing pain and depression in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Accordingly, the exercise therapy can be adopted as an effective nursing intervention for ankylosing spondylitis.

Pain, Family Support and Quality of Lefe in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis / 간호학회지

This study was designed to identify the relationship between perceived pain, family support and quality of life in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. The purpose of this study was to contribute to the theoretical understanding of the relationship of these three variables and eventually to more effective adaptation of patients to their situation. The subjects for this study were the 68 patients who had been diagnosed with ankylsing spondylitis and registered as out-patients in the Rheumatism Center of one university hospital in Seoul. The data were collected during the period from October 10, 1997 to December 20, 1997. Pain was measured using the perceived pain scale(VAS: Visual Analog Scale)developed by Calin(1993), family support using the scale developed by Kang Hyun Suk(1985) and Quality of Life using the scale developed by Ro Yoo Ja(1988). The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Frequencies, Pearson correlation, using the SPSS program. The results of this can be summarized as followings. 1. The mean perceived pain score was 5.13 with a range of 2 to 10. 2. The mean perceived family support score was 41.08+/-5.34 with a range of 20 to 50. 3. The mean perceived quality of life score was 134.07+/-19.82 with a range of 83 to 176. 4. Significant statistical difference was found between family support and quality of life(r=.331, p<0.001). A significant negative statistical difference was found between the family support and quality of life and pain(r=-.250, p<0.05, r=-.460, p<0.001). 5. General characteristics related to pain were exercise(t=4.72, p<0.0006). 6. General characteristics related to family support were age(F=2.65, p<0.0246), educational level(F=2.84, p<0.0282) and exercise(t=3.24, p<0.0452). 7. General characteristics related to quality of life were educational level(F=3.03, p<0.0392) and exercise(t=3.12, p<0.0465). It was found that the higher the level perceived pain, the lower the degree of perceived family support and the quality of life. It was also fund that the higher the degree of perceived family support the higher the degree of perceived quality of life. Accordingly, the conclusions from this study are that reduction of pain is achieved through the family support. Therefore, it is proposed that family support is an appropriate nursing intervention to improve the quality of life of patients with anklosing spondylitis.