Quality of Life of Medical Students during Clinical Clerkship / 한국의학교육

PURPOSE: This study examined the stress, resilience, social support, and quality of life (QOL) of medical students during a clinical clerkship and identified the factors that affected their QOL. METHODS: The subjects were 53 medical college students and 43 postgraduate medical school students of D medical school in Korea. They completed a demographic questionnaire and self-rated questionnaires on stress, resilience, social support, and QOL. Frequency and descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were performed. RESULTS: The level of students' QOL was moderate. QOL correlated negatively with stress and positively with resilience and social support. Stress correlated negatively with resilience and social support. By regression analysis, stress and resilience affected the QOL of medical students. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that stress negatively affects the QOL of medical students during clinical clerkship, which can be mitigated by resilience. Therefore, it is advisable to develop measures to ease stress and enhance resilience.

Assessment of parental understanding of epilepsy and effects of educational programs in an epilepsy camp / 소아과

PURPOSE: To assess parental knowledge and understanding of epilepsy including social stigma and evaluate the effects of educational programs on parents in an epilepsy camp. METHODS: We conducted an epilepsy camp on August 23-24, 2008, at Gyeongsan. Twenty families with an epileptic child each participated in the camp. We performed a survey before and after the camp to obtain data concerning parental understanding of epilepsy and the effects of the camp-based educational programs on the parents. The data were analyzed with SPSS 14.0 using frequency analysis. RESULTS: The parents were sufficiently knowledgeable about epilepsy before the camp, and their knowledge and understanding of epilepsy improved further after the camp. Both perceived stigma and enacted stigma against epilepsy were found in 30.0% of the parents. The perceived stigma decreased to 15.0% after the camp. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that social approaches such as epilepsy camps are effective in improving parental knowledge and understanding about epilepsy as well as decreasing their perceived social stigma.

Assessment of parental understanding of epilepsy and effects of educational programs in an epilepsy camp / 소아과

PURPOSE: To assess parental knowledge and understanding of epilepsy including social stigma and evaluate the effects of educational programs on parents in an epilepsy camp. METHODS: We conducted an epilepsy camp on August 23-24, 2008, at Gyeongsan. Twenty families with an epileptic child each participated in the camp. We performed a survey before and after the camp to obtain data concerning parental understanding of epilepsy and the effects of the camp-based educational programs on the parents. The data were analyzed with SPSS 14.0 using frequency analysis. RESULTS: The parents were sufficiently knowledgeable about epilepsy before the camp, and their knowledge and understanding of epilepsy improved further after the camp. Both perceived stigma and enacted stigma against epilepsy were found in 30.0% of the parents. The perceived stigma decreased to 15.0% after the camp. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that social approaches such as epilepsy camps are effective in improving parental knowledge and understanding about epilepsy as well as decreasing their perceived social stigma.

Mediating effect of perceived stigma against epilepsy on quality of life among parents with epileptic child / 소아과

PURPOSE: Epilepsy of child may cause high level of psychosocial difficulties for parents including stigmatization and stress and therefore worsen their quality of life (QOL). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mediating effect of perceived stigma against epilepsy on QOL among parents with epileptic child. METHODS: Two hundred and sixty parents of epileptic child recruited from five separated university hospital child neurology clinics specializing in epilepsy completed a demographic questionnaire, a medical questionnaire, a perceived stigma questionnaire and the Ro's Quality of Life Inventory, a popular tool for evaluating QOL of adults in Korea which is composed of 6 domains and 47 questions. Data was analyzed with SPSS 14.0 program using frequency analysis and descriptive analysis and with AMOS 7.0 program using Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis. RESULTS: The level of parents' QOL was relatively fair. SEM analysis on the quality of life level of parents showed that all variables (especially having religion, the monthly income, employment state, age of child, the leisure time, the perceived stigma level against epilepsy, and seizure frequency) directly affect the quality of life level of parents and that diseaserelated variables also affect the quality of life level of parents indirectly through the mediating factor (the perceived stigma), where the indirect effect is large with the existence of combined disabilities. The total effect on the quality of life level of parents is large with the existence of combined disabilities, the perceived stigma level, the leisure time, having religion, and the monthly income. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicated that many factors including parents' perceived stigma may affect the quality of life of parents with epileptic children directly, and that some disease-related factors may affect indirectly through a mediating factor, the perceived stigma. Multidisciplinary collaboration would be imperative for their welfare.

Mediating effect of perceived stigma against epilepsy on quality of life among parents with epileptic child / 소아과

PURPOSE: Epilepsy of child may cause high level of psychosocial difficulties for parents including stigmatization and stress and therefore worsen their quality of life (QOL). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mediating effect of perceived stigma against epilepsy on QOL among parents with epileptic child. METHODS: Two hundred and sixty parents of epileptic child recruited from five separated university hospital child neurology clinics specializing in epilepsy completed a demographic questionnaire, a medical questionnaire, a perceived stigma questionnaire and the Ro's Quality of Life Inventory, a popular tool for evaluating QOL of adults in Korea which is composed of 6 domains and 47 questions. Data was analyzed with SPSS 14.0 program using frequency analysis and descriptive analysis and with AMOS 7.0 program using Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis. RESULTS: The level of parents' QOL was relatively fair. SEM analysis on the quality of life level of parents showed that all variables (especially having religion, the monthly income, employment state, age of child, the leisure time, the perceived stigma level against epilepsy, and seizure frequency) directly affect the quality of life level of parents and that diseaserelated variables also affect the quality of life level of parents indirectly through the mediating factor (the perceived stigma), where the indirect effect is large with the existence of combined disabilities. The total effect on the quality of life level of parents is large with the existence of combined disabilities, the perceived stigma level, the leisure time, having religion, and the monthly income. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicated that many factors including parents' perceived stigma may affect the quality of life of parents with epileptic children directly, and that some disease-related factors may affect indirectly through a mediating factor, the perceived stigma. Multidisciplinary collaboration would be imperative for their welfare.