The Determinants of the Quality of Life and Pain of Back Pain Patients / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: Because of the changing life style of Koreans, we have witnessed an increase of patients with back pain. The development of medical knowledge and technology has resulted in more numerous and better treatment methods. However, the outcomes of diverse treatments have been examined by using a few medicine-oriented measures like pain. This study aims at identifing the factors that influence the outcomes of back pain treatments by using two outcome measures (e.g., quality of life and pain). METHODS: We used the questionnaire survey method for data collection. The questionnaires contained 5 categories(treatment methods, clinical conditions, exercise, quality of life and, socio-demographic characteristics). We interviewed 188 back pain patients. We used the regression analysis method to predict the quality of life or pain. RESULTS: Surgery showed a statistically significant effect on the quality of life as well as pain. The illness period, age and exercise were turned out to be significant factors for both of the dependent variables. The social class and surgery methods showed a statistically significant effect solely on the quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: In choosing the surgical methods, doctors need to provide detailed explanations on the quality of life outcomes for each of the surgical methods to the patients.

Factors Affecting on the Quality of Life in Stroke Patients under Rehabilitation and Family Caregivers

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the factors affecting on the level of the quality of life of stroke patients and their family caregivers. METHOD: Among the stroke patients receiving rehabilitation treatment at forty three out patient clinic in university hospitals, 289 stroke patients who scored over 24 out of 30 points in MMSE-K and their family caregivers were interviewed using questionnaires. RESULTS: The main contributory variable on the quality of life (QOL) of caregivers was the socio-demographic factor and QOL of caregivers was improved with decreasing age, the higher level of education, the less burden of care and the better condition of patient. High correlation coefficients were showed between QOL of stroke patients and ADL, QOL of caregivers and burden of care, and the burden of care and the neurological impairment. The main contributory variable on the QOL of stroke patients was clinical characteristics factor and QOL of stroke patients was improved with increasing the levels of cognitive function and ADL performance, decreasing the level of neurological impairment, the more social support from friends and the less burden of caregivers. CONCLUSION: In order to improve the QOL of stroke patients, not only patients' physical factors, but psychological factors, socio-demographic factors and QOL of caregivers should also be considered.

Development of Stress Measurement Tools in Korean Dental Laboratory Technicians / 한국역학회지

PURPOSE: This study was performed to develop a proper self-administered survey instrument which can be used to measure psychiatric stress symptoms in Korean dental laboratory technicians, and to investigate the relationship between the symptom dimensions and stress inducing factors, such as psychological distress, stress inducing overload, work demand, work procedure and so forth in them. METHODS: Prepared questionnaires were mailed to 1,000 dental laboratory technicians who were systematically selected. There were 786 responses to the questionnaires. All the data obtained were analyzed with SAS program. RESULTS: Fifty items for the stress symptom checklist for dental technician(SCLD) were selected after a pilot test, interviews and literature reviews. Stress symptoms were classified into the following 6 categories, i.e, somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, and hostility symptom. Factor analysis for validity was carried out for corroboration, using the SCL-90-R as a standard. CONCLUSION: SCLD had the reasonable reliability and validity. We believe that this study provides validity and reliability for new self-report questionnaire, it will make a significant contribution to assessment of stress symptoms.

AIDS-related perceptions and condom use of prostitutes in Korea

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of AIDS-related knowledge and attitudes of prostitutes on condom use from diverse 'sex markers' in Korea. The data were collected by interviewers at five different 'sex markets'. During March 1993, research assistants at the Institute of Health Services Research interviewed 371 prostitutes visiting sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics. Multiple regression method was used in identifying the determinants of condom use. The level of condom use was regressed on personal characteristics of prostitutes, AIDS-related perceptions, and market type. Prostitutes' level of condom use turned out to be different across the markets featuring diverse types of services and fees. Neither perceived vulnerability nor perceived seriousness of AIDS had significant effects on condom use. Our findings suggested that the many AIDS-preventive educational efforts by STD clinics are ineffective. Hence, individual STD clinics need to develop AIDS-preventive education programs which are suitable for the unique circumstances of their respective 'sex markets'.

Factors influencing weight control behavior and intention of obese children and adolescents / 예방의학회지

This study was undertaken to explain weight control behavior and intention of obese children and adolescents as measured by the elements of the health belief model. A total of 732 obese students from 28 schools in Seoul metropolitan area and their mothers were assessed with a self-administered questionnaire. The analyzed results are as follows; l. Among obese students, 45.3% of male students and 57.2% of female students, a significantly higher portion than male students, reported that they had tried to lose weight within the recent year. Exercise was the most frequently used method to lose weight followed by diet control, drug use, and specialized clinic visits, in descending order. 2. Male students were more likely to try to lose weight if they perceived a low threat level and their mother had a job, and female students were more likely to try to lose weight if they were younger in age, perceived a low threat level and had strong external motivating factors. 3. Female students showed a significantly higher level of intention to obesity control than male students, and the intention level of their mothers also showed the same trend. 4. In male students, the degree of weight dissatisfaction, weight control experience, the level of obesity related beliefs of students, the educational level of the mother and economic status of the family were significant predictors of intention to obesity control, and in females, age, the level of obesity related beliefs of students and intention of their mothers were significant. In the mothers of male students, obesity index of students, age of the mother and the level of obesity related beliefs of the mother were significant predictors of intention of the mother, and in the mothers of female students, obesity index of students, occupational status of the mother and obesity related beliefs of the mother were significant. 5. According to the path model of intention to obesity control, the degree of weight dissatisfaction had the most powerful effect in male students, and perceived net benefit level was the most important variable in female students. Since the weight control behavior and intention of obese students were more predictable by the degree of weight dissatisfaction than the obesity index, we can conclude that only the students dissatisfied with their weight are well motivated for obesity control. There can be a discrepancy between the mother and her child's beliefs and intention status(especially in male students), so the therapists should also assess the student's opinion as well as the mother's. In female students, the perceived net benefit level was the most important predictor of intention to obesity control, therefore the intervention program should pay particular attention to the positive benefits of weight control rather than negative aspects(threats) of obesity.

Determinants of Patient Satisfaction : Allergic Rhinitis Patients Treated with Laser Therapy / 예방의학회지

The purpose of this study is to examine the factors influencing the allergic rhinitis patients' satisfaction with laser surgery. The data were collected by telephone interviews with 211 patients who visited E university hospital. The statistical methods used for the analysis were factor analysis, reliability test, and hierarchical multiple regression. We find that satisfaction level is a function of not only the surgery outcome but also the socio-psychological experience during treatment. With the improvement in nasal allergic condition, patients were more likely to be satisfied with medical services. And patients who had positive experience with physicians and facilities reported higher satisfaction level. While the surgery outcome explained 68% of the variation of satisfaction level, socio-psychological experience explained 23% of it. This result clearly shows that physicians need to pay attention to the socio-psychological aspect as well as the technical aspect of medical services.

A Variation of Health Service Utilization in Wonju City / 예방의학회지

This study intends to examine the behavioral pattern and small area variations of health service utilization within Wonju city. We selected three small areas in Wonju city as the study site: Haksung-dong(central area of the city), Moonmak-myun (industrial area which is located 25km away from the center of the city), and Gure-myun (agricultural area which is located 32km away from the center). The data were collected by administering questionnaire interviews with 526 people in three areas. The questionnaire include the items on health service utilization behaviors, sociodemographic characteristics, health status, and perceptions. The statistical methods used for the analysis were ANOVA and hierarchical logistic regression. From the analysis, it was found that there was a variation of health service utilization by areas. Compared to those of other areas, the respondents from agricultural area showed a high probability of using health services. When respondents' personal characteristics were taken into account, the effect of dummy variables representing areas disappeared. Instead, the perceived health status became the prime factor of health service utilization. This result showed that the small area variations of health service utilization is due to the demand factor rather than the supply factor.

A Study on Image Difference between University Hospitals and Corporation Hospitals / 예방의학회지

The objectives of this research are 1) to access different images held by three consumer groups (patients in university hospital, patients in corporation hospital, persons who are not currently visiting hospitals) on two types of hospitals(university hospitals and corporation hospitals), and 2) to investigate the personal factors affecting images of two types of hospitals. The data for this analysis were collected by questionnaire survey. A total of 403 interviews were conducted. Of these cases, 43 percent are male and 57 percent are female. The major statistical methods used for the analysis are paired t-test, factor analysis and multiple regression. The three consumer groups show a consensus that corporation hospitals are better than university hospitals in some aspects, such as kindness, facilities, and equipments. However, these groups disagree in certain images on two types of hospitals, such as popularity, credibility, and readiness for emergency. The images on two types of hospitals are varied by the respondents' sociodemographic characteristics such as age, sex, and by the type of hospital they are currently visiting.