Physical Activity, Sedentary Habits, Sleep, and Obesity are Associated with Asthma, Allergic Rhinitis, and Atopic Dermatitis in Korean Adolescents

PURPOSE: Since pathophysiologic evidence has been raised to suggest that obesity could facilitate an allergic reaction, obesity has been known as an independent risk factor for allergic disease such as asthma. However, the relationship between sedentary behavior and lifestyle which could lead to obesity, and those allergic diseases remains unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the relations between physical activity, including sitting time for study, sitting time for leisure and sleep time, and obesity, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis using the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, which was conducted in 2013. Total 53769 adolescent participants (12 through 18 years old) were analyzed using simple and multiple logistic regression analyses with complex sampling. RESULTS: Longer sitting time for study and short sitting time for leisure were associated with allergic rhinitis. High physical activity and short sleep time were associated with asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. Underweight was negatively associated with atopic dermatitis, whereas overweight was positively correlated with allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis. CONCLUSION: High physical activity, and short sleep time were associated with asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis.

Analysis of Predisposing Factors for Hearing Loss in Adults

We aimed to estimate the effects of various risk factors on hearing level in Korean adults, using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We examined data from 13,369 participants collected between 2009 and 2011. Average hearing thresholds at low (0.5, 1, and 2 kHz) and high frequencies (3, 4, and 6 kHz), were investigated in accordance with various known risk factors via multiple regression analysis featuring complex sampling. We additionally evaluated data from 4,810 participants who completed a questionnaire concerned with different types of noise exposure. Low body mass index, absence of hyperlipidemia, history of diabetes mellitus, low incomes, low educational status, and smoking were associated with elevated low frequency hearing thresholds. In addition, male sex, low body mass index, absence of hyperlipidemia, low income, low educational status, smoking, and heavy alcohol consumption were associated with elevated high frequency hearing thresholds. Participants with a history of earphone use in noisy circumstances demonstrated hearing thresholds which were 1.024 dB (95% CI: 0.176 to 1.871; P = 0.018) higher, at low-frequencies, compared to participants without a history of earphone use. Our study suggests that low BMI, absence of hyperlipidemia, low household income, and low educational status are related with hearing loss in Korean adults. Male sex, smoking, and heavy alcohol use are related with high frequency hearing loss. A history of earphone use in noisy circumstances is also related with hearing loss.

The Effect of Tele-Health Service on Knowledge and Family support of Hypertension patients / 대한의료정보학회지

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of tele-health service on knowledge and family support of hypertension patients. METHODS: The subjects were two hundred thirty seven primary hypertension patients who were enrolled at health care center located at the cities of Chunchon, Wonju, and Kangreung, Kwangwon-Do. Tele-health system were located health care center of each cities and the service had been provided for three months. Tele-health system called patients every morning to remind them of taking the prescribed medicine by a 12.5 second pre-recorded message. In addition, tele-health system informed the patients of knowledges on hypertension(medication, exercise, nutrition, regular examination) by 18.4 through 25.3 second pre-recorded message during weekend. Data were collected using a questionnaire before and after the service. RESULTS: The differences of knowledge on hypertension before and after tele-health service was significant(t=-7.908, p=.000). Family support before and after the service was statistically significant as well(t=-7.550, p=.000). CONCLUSION: Tele-health service was effective to manage hypertension.

Reliability and Validity of an Instrument for Adolescents Meaning in Life Scale(AMIL) / 간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of an MIL instrument for adolescents. METHOD: The research design was a three-phase, methodological study. 1) The original 46 items of the Meaning in Life (MIL) Scale were reviewed and corrected partially by 20 adolescents. 2) The content was validated by an expert panel (n=15) and adolescents (n=5). 3) The instrument was validated by survey (n=468). Finally, 33 items were chosen for the adolescents meaning in life(AMIL) scale. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the 33 items was .92, confirming the high internal consistency of the instrument. 2) Eight factors were extracted through factor analysis: 'experience of love', 'making efforts for goal', 'awareness of essential being', 'awareness of self limitation', 'feeling of satisfaction', 'relation experience', 'positive thinking', and 'hope'. These factors explained 58.26% of the total variance. CONCLUSION: AMIL Scale was identified as a tool with a high degree of reliability and validity. The tool can therefore be effectively utilized to assess the degree of meaning of life in caring areas for adolescents. Studies on AMIL of different adolescent subjects are needed for further verification.

Development of a Tool to Measure the Need for Child Hospice Care in Families of Children with Cancer / 아동간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a tool to assess the need for child hospice care in families of children with cancer. METHOD: The research design was a methodological study. The tool was developed in 4 stages : first, preliminary items were developed based on a questionnaire about the needs for child hospice care that was given to 20 families of children with cancer; second, a panel of specialists reduced the number of preliminary items using 3 validity tests for the content; third, final items were selected from the results of a pre-test. Finally, from February to July 2004, reliability and validity were tested with a sample of 104 families who had a child with cancer. RESULTS: The final tool on the need for child hospice care consisted of 22 items and Cronbach's alpha coefficient for internal consistency was .93. Using factor analysis, 5 factors were extracted and these factors explained 69% of the total variance. CONCLUSION: The instrument, for assessing the need for child hospice care in families of children with cancer, developed in this study was identified as a tool with a high degree of reliability and validity. In this sense, this tool can be effectively utilized for implementing and improving hospice care for children with cancer.