Influence of Knowledge and Attitude of Cancer on Cancer Prevention Health Promoting Behavior in General Hospital Nurses

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to find factors affecting hospital nurses' cancer prevention health promoting behavior METHODS: The subjects were 308 nurses working in general hospitals with over 300 beds. Knowledge of cancer was assessed with 36 question items for six major cancers, and the attitude toward cancer was assessed with 10 items for cancer prevention and early detection. Cancer prevention health promotion behavior was assessed by 21 questions about diet, health life, and exercise. The collected data were analyzed using frequency and percentage, t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The score for knowledge of cancer was 25.12±3.33. The average score for attitude towards cancer was 30.41±4.08. The score of cancer prevention health promoting behaviors on cancer was 70.60±10.90. Cancer prevention health promoting behaviors were not correlated with cancer knowledge, and were positively correlated with cancer attitude (r=0.44, p < .001). There was a positive correlation with the cancer prevention attitude (r=0.49, p < .001) among the sub-areas of cancer attitude. CONCLUSION: The nurses' knowledge, attitude, and preventive health promotion behaviors of cancer were important for the health of individuals, patients and the general public, I think it is necessary to search for ways to actively promote cancer prevention health promoting behaviors in various directions and to confirm their effects.

Effects of Hippotherapy on Gross Motor Function and Functional Performance of Children with Cerebral Palsy

PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to investigate the effects of hippotherapy on gross motor function and functional performance in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We recruited 34 children (M:F=15:19, age: 3-12 years) with spastic CP who underwent hippotherapy for 45 minutes twice a week for 8 weeks. Twenty-one children with spastic CP were recruited for control group. The distribution of gross motor function classification system level and mean age were not significantly different between the two groups. Outcome measures, including the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM)-66, GMFM-88 and the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory: Functional Skills Scale (PEDI-FSS), were assessed before therapy and after the 8-weeks intervention as outcome measures. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between intervention and control groups in mean baseline total scores of GMFM-66, GMFM-88 or PEDI-FSS. After the 8-weeks intervention, mean GMFM-66 and GMFM-88 scores were significantly improved in both groups. However, the hippotherapy group had significantly greater improvement in dimension E and GMFM-66 total score than the control group. The total PEDI-FSS score and the sub-scores of its 3 domains were significantly improved in the hippotherapy group, but not in the control group. CONCLUSION: The results of our study demonstrate the beneficial effects of hippotherapy on gross motor function and functional performance in children with CP compared to control group. The significant improvement in PEDI-FSS scores suggests that hippotherapy may be useful to maximize the functional performance of children with CP.

Inhibition of Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation on composite resins containing ursolic acid

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the inhibitory effect of ursolic acid (UA)-containing composites on Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) biofilm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Composite resins with five different concentrations (0.04, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 wt%) of UA (U6753, Sigma Aldrich) were prepared, and their flexural strengths were measured according to ISO 4049. To evaluate the effect of carbohydrate source on biofilm formation, either glucose or sucrose was used as a nutrient source, and to investigate the effect of saliva treatment, the specimen were treated with either unstimulated whole saliva or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). For biofilm assay, composite disks were transferred to S. mutans suspension and incubated for 24 hr. Afterwards, the specimens were rinsed with PBS and sonicated. The colony forming units (CFU) of the disrupted biofilm cultures were enumerated. For growth inhibition test, the composites were placed on a polystyrene well cluster, and S. mutans suspension was inoculated. The optical density at 600 nm (OD600) was recorded by Infinite F200 pro apparatus (TECAN). One-way ANOVA and two-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni correction were used for the data analyses. RESULTS: The flexural strength values did not show significant difference at any concentration (p > 0.01). In biofilm assay, the CFU score decreased as the concentration of UA increased. The influence of saliva pretreatment was conflicting. The sucrose groups exhibited higher CFU score than glucose group (p < 0.05). In bacterial growth inhibition test, all experimental groups containing UA resulted in complete inhibition. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of the experiments, UA included in the composite showed inhibitory effect on S. mutans biofilm formation and growth.