The Effect of Structured Music Therapy Program on Emotional Function in the Dementia Patients

Objective@#The effectiveness of music therapy programs for the elderly with dementia has been verified through several studies, but there is a limitation in that most of them are compared with a single group, no treatment group or waiting group. In this study, to overcome this problem, the two groups that performed similar interventions were selected and compared retrospectively. @*Methods@#For 37 people who participated in the treatment programs for the elderly with dementia at Dongdaemun Center for De-mentia and its branch center, we retrospectively analyzed the changes in Korean version of Geriatric Depression Scale and GeriatricQuality of Life Scale-Dementia scores measured before and after treatment. @*Results@#Prior to treatment, there is no significant difference between the groups in the demographic variables and the depression and quality of life scores. The difference between pre- and post-scores was not significant in the group at the branch center without a music therapy, but depression was significantly reduced and quality of life had improved in the group at Dongdaemun center with the music therapy program. @*Conclusion@#It was confirmed that participation in the structured music therapy program had a positive effect on the improve-ment of depression and quality of life in the elderly with dementia compared to other similar interventions.

The Effect of Structured Music Therapy Program on Emotional Function in the Dementia Patients

Objective@#The effectiveness of music therapy programs for the elderly with dementia has been verified through several studies, but there is a limitation in that most of them are compared with a single group, no treatment group or waiting group. In this study, to overcome this problem, the two groups that performed similar interventions were selected and compared retrospectively. @*Methods@#For 37 people who participated in the treatment programs for the elderly with dementia at Dongdaemun Center for De-mentia and its branch center, we retrospectively analyzed the changes in Korean version of Geriatric Depression Scale and GeriatricQuality of Life Scale-Dementia scores measured before and after treatment. @*Results@#Prior to treatment, there is no significant difference between the groups in the demographic variables and the depression and quality of life scores. The difference between pre- and post-scores was not significant in the group at the branch center without a music therapy, but depression was significantly reduced and quality of life had improved in the group at Dongdaemun center with the music therapy program. @*Conclusion@#It was confirmed that participation in the structured music therapy program had a positive effect on the improve-ment of depression and quality of life in the elderly with dementia compared to other similar interventions.

Factors Related to Noncompliance in Screening and Tracking Mild Cognitive Impairment Patients in a Single Community

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the cumulative conversion rates (CCR) from minor cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia among individuals who failed to participate in annual screening for dementia. Additionally, we analyzed the reasons for failing to receive follow-up screening in order to develop better strategies for improving follow-up screening rates. METHODS: We contacted MCI patients who had not visited the Dongdaemun-gu Center for Dementia for annual screening during the year following their registration. We compared the CCR from MCI to dementia in the following two groups: subjects registered as having MCI in the Dongdaemun-gu Center for Dementia database and subjects who failed to revisit the center, but who participated in a screening test for dementia after being contacted. The latter participants completed a questionnaire asking reasons for not previously visiting for follow-up screening. RESULTS: The final diagnoses of the 188 subjects who revisited the center only after contact were 19.1% normal, 64.9% MCI and 16.0% dementia. The final diagnoses of the 449 subjects in the Dongdaemun-gu Center for Dementia database were 25.6% normal, 46.1% MCI and 28.3% dementia. The CCR of the revisit-after-contact group was much lower than anticipated. The leading cause for noncompliance was “no need for tests” at 28.2%, followed by “other reasons” at 23.9%, and “I forgot the appointment date” at 19.7%. CONCLUSION: Considering the low dementia detection rate of the group who revisited only after contact and the reasons they gave for noncompliance, there appears to be a need for ongoing outreach and education regarding the course and prognosis of MCI.

Review on Advance Directives / 간호학회지

Rapid progress in modern medical technology has made it possible to sustain life and/or delay death using 'heroic' treatments. The availability of life-sustaining treatment brings several issues in end-of-life care such as 'dying with dignity' and an radical increase in health care costs. The use of Advance Directives(AD) have been widely heralded by health care providers, gerontologists, and advocacy groups as means of protecting patients' right to accept or refuse life-sustaining treatment in end-of-life care. The use of AD can not only improve patients' autonomy and quality of life but also bring efficiency in distributing health care resources. The proportion of older persons in Korean population has been increasing. Those 65 years of age or over were about 7 percent of the population. Death and dying is not limited to older persons, but it is more prevalent among them. In conjunction with an aging population and the increasing prevalence of death, the issues of death and dying will become crucial in near future in terms of 'dying with dignity', 'autonomy', and 'self-control'. This paper attempts to explode and establish the concept of advance directives (AD) based on literature review. Data sources are computer searches with the MEDLINE database. Due to the lack of prior study on AD for a Korean cases, studies abroad are reviewed. This paper suggests the need for future study on the possibility of the use of AD in Korea.

A Study on the Food Behaviors and Nutritional Status of Industrial Workers / 대한지역사회영양학회지

This study inrestigated the dietary behavior, nutritional intake, and health status of industrial workers. Two hundred seventy workers(165 men and 105 women) in Masan, who were provided food services were selected as survey subjects. They were given questionnaires on nutrition knowledge, food frequency questionnaires, and blood analysis were conducted through an annual health examination from May to August 1998. The average age of the subjects was 35.7+/-11.8 years, and 80% the of women were in their teens and 20's and 80% of men were in their 30's and 40's. The nutrition knowledge score was higher in women than in men, while food habit score was higher in men than in women. As age increase, the degree of life stress became lower and food habit score was higher in men than in women. As age increases, the degree of life stress became lower and food habit was improved. In women, all nutrient intakes were avobe the recommended dictary allowances(RDA), and in men intakes of only vitamin E and calcium were under RDA. Levels of serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood glucose, blood pressure, body mass index were positively related to age. The number of subjects suspected of havins chronic disease was the highest for those in their 40's. The results indicate that nutritional status of industrial workers in the present study was fairly good probably due to food services, but their health status should be supervised as their age increases.