Functional Outcomes After Critical Pathway for Inpatient Rehabilitation of Total Knee Arthroplasty

OBJECTIVE: To investigate functional outcomes after the application of a critical pathway for inpatient rehabilitation of total knee arthroplasty (TKA).METHODS: A total of 184 patients (57 males and 127 females; average age, 71.5±5.9 years) who underwent unilateral or bilateral TKA were included. The critical pathway included early, intensive individualized rehabilitation exercises. Patients completed the following performance-based physical function tests: the stair climbing test (SCT), 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and Timed Up and Go test (TUG) as well as measurement of isometric knee flexor and extensor strength of the operated knee, gait speed, and range of knee flexion and extension. Self-reported physical function and pain were measured using the Western Ontario McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and visual analog scale (VAS), respectively, and self-reported quality of life was measured using the EuroQoL 5 dimension (EQ-5D) questionnaire. These evaluations were performed preoperatively and at 1 month and 3 months postoperatively.RESULTS: Performance-based and self-reported physical function and quality of life measures improved nonlinearly over time. Specifically, the 6WMT, TUG, gait speed, WOMAC-pain, WOMAC-function, VAS, and EQ-5D scores showed a significant improvement at 1-month post-TKA, whereas SCT, peak torque of the knee extensors and flexors, and WOMAC-stiffness scores showed gradual, but substantial, improvements over 3 months. There were between-group differences (unilateral and bilateral TKA groups) in the time course of the SCT, 6MWT, TUG, VAS, WOAMC-stiffness, and WOMAC-function results.CONCLUSION: Patients who underwent critical pathway rehabilitation after TKA showed significant improvements in functional measurements during the first 3 months post-surgery.

Analysis of Vision Statements in 6th Community Health Plan of Local Government in Korea / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we analyzed vision statements of the 6th community health plan of local government in Korea. METHODS: We examined vision statements letters, missions and strategy plans, and long-term missions of 6th community health plans of 229 local government in Korea. We also analyzed the numbers of vision letters, sentence examination, word frequency, each vision statement with frequency analysis, chi-square test, and one-way ANOVA. RESULTS: Among 229 local government, 172(75.1%) of local government had the number of letters (Korean) less than 17 of vision statements, and there were a significant differences according to type of community health centers (p<0.05). Figuration (37.1%) were the most used in an expression of vision statement sentence, and special characters (43.2%) were the most used language except Korean. The most commonly used words of vision statement in order of frequency were ‘health’, ‘happiness‘, ‘with’, ‘citizen’, ‘city’, ‘100 years old’ etc. Chungcheong provinces and Daejeon metropolitan city had a highest score in directionality on phrase evaluation, and there were a significant differences according to regional classes of local government (p<0.01). Gyeongsang provinces, Ulsan, Daegu, and Busan metropolitan cities had a highest score in future orientation and sharing possibilities on phrase evaluation, and there were a significant differences according to regional classes of local government (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Vision is one of the most important component of community health plan. We need more detailed ‘vision statement guideline’ and the community health care centers of local government should effort to make more clear and complete their vision.