Digital Biomarkers in Living Labs for Vulnerable and Susceptible Individuals: An Integrative Literature Review

Purpose@#The study aimed to identify which digital biomarkers are collected and which specific devices are used according to vulnerable and susceptible individual characteristics in a living-lab setting. @*Materials and Methods@#A literature search, screening, and appraisal process was implemented using the Web of Science, Pubmed, and Embase databases. The search query included a combination of terms related to “digital biomarkers,” “devices that collect digital biomarkers,” and “vulnerable and susceptible groups.” After the screening and appraisal process, a total of 37 relevant articles were obtained. @*Results@#In elderly people, the main digital biomarkers measured were values related to physical activity. Most of the studies used sensors. The articles targeting children aimed to predict diseases, and most of them used devices that are simple and can induce some interest, such as wearable device-based smart toys. In those who were disabled, digital biomarkers that measured location-based movement for the purpose of diagnosing disabilities were widely used, and most were measured by easy-to-use devices that did not require detailed explanations. In the disadvantaged, digital biomarkers related to health promotion were measured, and various wearable devices, such as smart bands and headbands were used depending on the purpose and target. @*Conclusion@#As the digital biomarkers and devices that collect them vary depending on the characteristics of study subjects, researchers should pay attention not only to the purpose of the study but also the characteristics of study subjects when collecting and analyzing digital biomarkers from living labs.

Impact of Wildfire Smoke Exposure on Health in Korea

Purpose@#The characteristic topography and climate often affect the occurrence of large-scale wildfires in the Eastern Gangwon-do region of Korea. However, there are no studies on the health effects of these wildfires in Korea. This study aimed to analyze the differences in medical use between a wildfire-affected area and an adjacent non-affected area before and after a wildfire in 2019 in Gangwon-do, Korea. @*Materials and Methods@#We used medical usage data from the Korean National Health Insurance Corporation. Rates of medical use were determined for citizens of a wildfire-affected area in the Eastern Yeongdong region and a non-affected area in the Western Yeongseo region. Logistic regression analysis was performed considering an increase in medical use per individual as a dependent variable; age, sex, income, smoking, drinking, and exercise were included as confounding variables. @*Results@#The odds ratio for medical use in Yeongdong region increased significantly after 3 days, 3 months, and 1 year after a fire occurred, compared with Yeongseo region. @*Conclusion@#The results of this study confirmed that the use of medical care increased for residents of a wildfire-affected area, compared with those of an adjacent non-affected area. This is the first study on the relationship between wildfires and inpatient medical use in Korea.

Age-Adjusted Prevalence and Characteristics of Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in Korea: A Nationwide Population-Based Study (2010–2019)

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age and is associated with an increased risk of obesity, compensatory hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, and endometrial cancer. This study analyzed 544619 women using the Korean Informative Classification of Disease, version 10, codes E28.0–E28.9 in the population-based National Health Information Databases from 2010 to 2019. The age-adjusted incidence and prevalence rates of PCOS over 10 years among Korean women were 2.8% and 4.3%, respectively; and they increased in the late teens, peaked in the 20s, and began to decrease at the age of 30. We also found that the body mass index, levels of fasting blood glucose, and high-density lipoprotein values in the recent two years (2018–2019) were higher in women with PCOS compared to the general population. This is the first study to investigate the prevalence of PCOS in a nationwide population of reproductive-aged Korean women. Further research is needed to examine the short- and long-term health risks and psychological problems associated with PCOS.

A Prediction Model of Drug Misuse Behaviors in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

PURPOSE: This study was designed to construct a model which explains drug misuse behaviors in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: The design of this research is a cross-sectional study using structure equation modeling. The hypothetical model consisted of two types of variables: the exogenous variables of health status, cognitive ability, and negative emotion, and the endogenous variables of number of drugs, and drug misuse behaviors. The data collection was conducted from September 2 to September 21, 2013 through self-report questionnaires. Participants were 320 community-dwelling adults over the age of 65 living in J city. Data were analyzed with SPSS 21.0 program and Amos 18.0 program. RESULTS: The results of the model fitness analysis were satisfied. The predictor variables for the hypothetical model explained 62.3% of variance regarding drug misuse behaviors. Drug misuse behaviors were directly affected by health status, cognitive ability, negative emotion and number of drugs and indirectly affected by health status, and negative emotion through number of drugs. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate factors that should be used in developing effective nursing interventions for safe and proper drug use and the prevention of drug misuse behaviors in community-dwelling older adults.

The Effects of Foot Reflexology on Arthralgia, Ankylosis, Depression, and Sleep in Community-dwelling Elderly Women with Osteoarthritis

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine the effects of foot reflexology on arthralgia, ankylosis, depression and sleep in community-dwelling elderly women with osteoarthritis. METHODS: The research adopted a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Participants were 47 elderly women: 22 in the experimental group and 25 in the control group. The experimental group received foot reflexology twice a week for 4 weeks. The results were analyzed using chi2-test, t-test, and ANCOVA with the SPSS/WIN 21.0 program. RESULTS: The results showed that foot reflexology was statistically significantly effective in reducing arthralgia, ankylosis, and depression and in improving the quality of sleep as evidenced by differences between two groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicated that foot reflexology is an effective nursing intervention in reducing arthralgia, ankylosis, and depression, and improving the quality of sleep. Therefore, it is necessary to develop foot reflexology as an independent nursing intervention for elderly women with osteoarthritis in community.

The Effects of Foot Reflexology on Sleep, Depression and Skin Temperature of the Female Elderly at Home

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of foot reflexology on sleep, depression and skin temperature of the female elderly at home. METHODS: This research used the non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The participants were 45 elders residing at home: 23 in the experimental group and 22 in the control group. The experimental group received 30-minute foot reflexology 8 times for 2 weeks. The results were analyzed using chi2 test, t-test with the SPSS/WIN 12.0 program. RESULTS: The results showed that foot reflexology was significantly effective in improving the quality of sleep, reducing depression, and raising the temperature of both feet. However, the temperature of both palms was not statistically significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicated that foot reflexology is an effective nursing intervention in improving the quality of sleep, reducing depression, and raising the temperature of both feet. Therefore, it is recommended to use foot reflexology as a complementary nursing intervention for elderly women at home in community.

The Effects of Foot Reflexology on Sleep, Depression and Skin Temperature of the Female Elderly at Home

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of foot reflexology on sleep, depression and skin temperature of the female elderly at home. METHODS: This research used the non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The participants were 45 elders residing at home: 23 in the experimental group and 22 in the control group. The experimental group received 30-minute foot reflexology 8 times for 2 weeks. The results were analyzed using chi2 test, t-test with the SPSS/WIN 12.0 program. RESULTS: The results showed that foot reflexology was significantly effective in improving the quality of sleep, reducing depression, and raising the temperature of both feet. However, the temperature of both palms was not statistically significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicated that foot reflexology is an effective nursing intervention in improving the quality of sleep, reducing depression, and raising the temperature of both feet. Therefore, it is recommended to use foot reflexology as a complementary nursing intervention for elderly women at home in community.

Needs of Hospice Care and Quality of Life for Cancer Patients / 한국호스피스완화의료학회지

PURPOSE: This study investigated the relationship between the needs for hospice care and quality of life in cancer patients. METHODS: Data were collected from 127 cancer patients hospitalized at a university hospital in Chonbuk between October, 2006 to March, 2007. Two instruments were used: cancer patients' need for hospice care, developed by Kang and Kim and quality of life developed by Tae et al. RESULTS: The mean scores were 3.11 out of 4 for hospice care needs, and 5.25 out of 10 for quality of life. The correlation between needs for hospice care and quality of life was moderate and negative (r=-0.395, P<0.01). Among the four groups of needs, physical need was the most strongly correlated with quality of lifer (r=-0.388, P<0.01). The need for hospice care was significantly different according to participants' religion (t=6.02, P<0.05), and duration of disease (F=3.45, P<0.05). Quality of life was significantly different according to participants' monthly income (F=3.38, P<0.05). cancer stage (F=8.10, P<0.01) and chemotherapy (t=6.09, P=0.015). CONCLUSION: The results suggested that the cancer patients' hospice care needs should be answered in order to improve their quality of life. While doing so, participants' characteristic need should also be considered.