Suicidal Ideation of Elderly Living Alone in Urban and Rural Areas, its Related Factors / 農村醫學 地域保健

OBJECTIVES: This study used data of urban and rural elderly living alone to compare the general characteristics of the elderly who have had suicidal ideation, and to investigate the suicidal ideation of urban-rural elderly with varying degrees of emotional support status, health status, and health behavior. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The research participants included 2,750 elderly aged 65 or above, of which 1,487 were from dong unit and 1,263 were from eup·myeon units according to the raw data of 2011 Survey on Elderly Status. All collected data were analyzed using cross tabulation of SPSSWIN(ver 21.0) program and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: The results were as follows. First, the factors that influenced the suicidal ideation of urban and rural elderly living alone included degree of depression, experience of abuse, and nutritional management status. Second, the suicidal ideation of urban elderly living alone was affected by the emotional support of their children who live apart and their grandchildren. Third, the suicidal ideation of rural elderly living alone was affected by the emotional support of their kin (including siblings).

Investigation of Children with No Vaccinations Recorded on the National Immunization Registry Information System

PURPOSE: To improve the quality of the vaccination program, analyze the cause and identify the influencing factors for not being registered in the National Immunization Registry Information System even once. METHODS: We conducted one-on-one household visit interview surveys after, using a list supplemented with addresses from the Ministry of the Interior. We identified the basic respondent information, information on relevant children (those born in 2012), the reasons for omission from computerized vaccination registration, and the actual residence of the registered children. RESULTS: The total number of unvaccinated children born in 2012 was 1,870. The final contact result of the household surveys was 1,254 successful contacts, 51 refused to be interviewed, and 565 were not found. The reason for missed vaccination registration was 928 cases of long-term stay overseas, 241 cases of missing registration owing to intentional refusal of vaccination, and 57 cases of illness. A comparison of complete vaccination rates between non-registrants and those of computerized registrants revealed rates of 17.9% and 96.3% for the 3 doses hepatitis B vaccine, 14.9% and 95.6% for the 4doses DTaP vaccine, 16.1% and 97.4% for the 3 doses polio vaccine, and 3.9% and 92.5% for the 3 (or 2) doses Japanese encephalitis vaccine, respectively. CONCLUSION: Vaccination is the most effective national health policy and one of the most remarkable accomplishments in medical history. Through great effort, Korea has started to transcribe vaccination records since 2000, and the records are now reaching a considerable level. However, there is an unregistered population of around 0.3%. Several measures can be taken to improve the registration rate in the vaccination records, such as managing non-registrants through education and interviews, and sharing vaccination data with foreign countries. The non-registrant management plan should include periodically compiling a list of children who are not registered in the National Immunization Registry Information System, conducting of household visits using survey forms, and data analysis to establish appropriate measures.

Fixation of Greater Trochanteric Fracture Using Double Strands and Double Loops with Figure of 8 Wiring in Non-cement Total Hip Arthroplasty for Unstable Intertrochanteric Fracture / 대한고관절학회지

PURPOSE: Non-cement total hip arthroplasty for unstable intertrochanteric fracture in elderly patients is regarded as another surgical technique preventing complications such as non-union, long term limitation of weight bearing, pressure sore, pulmonary thromboembolism after open reduction or closed reduction with intramedullary nailing, or plate fixation. We would like to announce the short-term results of primary non-cement total hip arthroplasty with double strands and double loops figure of 8 wiring for unstable intertrochanteric fracture in elderly patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All of the 20 patients admitted to the hospital between April 2010 and February 2012 who underwent non-cement total hip arthroplasty with double strands and double loops figure of 8 wiring for unstable intertrochanteric fractures were evaluated. The mean age was 71.1(57-86), there were nine males, and 11 females, with an average follow up period of six months. The post-operative state was evaluated by Harris hip score. RESULTS: The mean operation time was 95 min, and the average blood loss was 800 cc. Mean Harris hip score at the last available follow-up was 92.7, and, among the patients, 15 had all functions of daily life without limitation of walking distance, one had hip dislocation, one had breakage of strands. Pressure sore, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary thromboembolism were absent. Radiography at the last available follow-up showed no loosening of the femoral stem in any of the patients, and 13 patients had osteogenesis around the fracture site, and there was no osteolysis. CONCLUSION: Primary non-cement total hip arthroplasty with double strands and double loops figure of 8 wiring in elderly patients with unstable intertrochanteric fractures showed satisfactory results. These results are expected to be useful for further studies with a long-term follow-up and in development of a reduction method.

Hallux Valgus and Cartilage Erosion in First Metatarsal Head: Correlation between Intraoperative Cartilage Erosion and Preoperative Parameters / 대한족부족관절학회지

PURPOSE: To analyze relation between age or parameters measured before operation and cartilage erosion of the first metatarsal head measured during operation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was targeted at 56 patients and 79 feet, who underwent Scarf osteotomy or Scarf and Akin osteotomy from November 2009 through November 2010, and whose cartilage lesion of the first metatarsal head referred to the cartilage grade III or IV of the International Cartilage Repair Society. The measurement parameters were age, hallux valgus angle, intermetatarsal angle (1~2), tibial sesamoid position, proximal articular set angle and distal articular set angle. The cartilage erosion of the first metatarsal head was measured by one surgeon using cellophane. Occupancy rate and frequent involved sites of the cartilage erosion were recorded using AutoCAD(R) and adobe Illustrator CS4 program. SPSS correlation test and T-test were used for statistical analysis of the parameters and the cartilage erosion. RESULTS: The cartilage erosion was incurred frequently in the sagittal groove and the site where subluxation or dislocation of the tibial sesamoild bone occurred but frequent involved sites had no statistical significance with cartilage erosion. The age showed a statistical significance with the cartilage erosion in the correlation test (p=0.003). Especially, the group of over 51 year old patients was turned out to have association with the cartilage erosion, compared to the group of below 51 (p=0.007). But, hallux valgus angle, intermetatarsal angle (1~2), tibial sesamoid position, proximal articular set angle and distal articular set angle were no statistical significance with the cartilage erosion. CONCLUSION: We found the more the age of patients increased (especially above 51), the more cartilage erosion increased. And it is thought that we pay attention to reduce tibial sesamoid bone.

Epidural Arteriovenous Fistula in the Cervical Spine Associated with Unilateral Upper Extremity Pain: A Case Report / 대한척추외과학회지

We experienced a rare case of an epidural arteriovenous fistula, which presented with symptoms similar to those of cervical radiculopathy. An 18-years-old woman suffered from neck pain, which radiated to the left upper extremity for 4 months. On neurologic examination, there were sensory impairments of the left C4 to C8 dermatomes and intermittent weakness in both lower extremities after exercise. An MRI of the cervical spine demonstrated a mass, which produced a serpentine-like signal void within the spinal canal from C1 to C7. The feeding artery of the fistula and the arterialized epidural venous plexus within the spinal canal were found on vertebral angiography. One year after an endovascular embolization with platinum coils, the clinical symptoms resolved and complete resolution of the arteriovenous fistula was confirmed by angiogram and MRI scan.