Effects of the Knowledge, Health Belief, and Self-Efficacy about Osteoporosis on Calcium Intake Behavior for Postmenopausal Osteoporosis Patients / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSE: To identify the predictors of calcium intake behavior and examine the relationships among bone mineral density, osteoporosis knowledge, osteoporosis health belief, osteoporosis self efficacy and calcium intake behavior of postmenopausal osteoporosis patients. METHODS: The subjects consisted of 94 patients. The measurement tools were osteoporosis knowledge test, osteoporosis health belief scale, osteoporosis self-efficacy and calcium intake frequency questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the SPSS WIN 11.0 program. RESULTS: The bone mineral density of the lumbar were .75g/cm2, T-score -2.67 and the femur neck were .67g/cm2, T-score -2.30. There was statistically a significant correlation between calcium intake behavior and health motivation (r=.449, p=.000) among the osteoporosis health belief. In hierarchial multiple regression analysis, current spouse(12.8%) and health motivation(19.9%) of the osteoporosis health belief explained the 32.7% of variance in calcium intake behavior. CONCLUSION: Nursing intervention should be developed for increasing the calcium intake behavior through promoting health motivation for the postmenopausal osteoporosis women having no spouse currently.

A Case of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Induced by Crocidolite / 대한산업의학회지

Asbestos exposure may cause asbestosis, pleural plaques and benign pleural disease, and may give a predisposition to malignant mesothelioma in occupationally exposed workers. This case report describes a 50-year-old man, dying from histologically confirmed, diffuse, malignant mesothelioma after asbestos exposure. As a young man, he had been exposed at the workplace to crocidolite for 2 years, but he had no other known history of occupational or environmental asbestos exposure. The patient presented with chest pain and general weakness. Computed tomography showed bilateral irregular pleural thickening along both lower lateral chest walls and a low attenuating mass in the anterior portion of the left lobe. Pathological examinations revealed that it was an epithelial type with tubulopapillary structures and it tested immunohistochemically positive for antibodies against cytokeratin, calretinin and vimentin. The patient was started on chemotherapy but he died to the disease at ten months after the first onset of the symptoms. Mesothelioma is a rare neoplasm in the general population. Nevertheless, the importance of close medical surveillance of the high-risk population is emphasized, because of increased asbestos exposure.

Psychological Characteristics of the Patients with Myofascial Pain Syndrome in Shipyard Work

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to analyze the psychological factors which influence myofascial pain syndrome and to evaluate whether the electromyographic study on the myofascial trigger point in shipyard workers satisfied the diagnostic criteria of myofascial pain syndrome. METHOD: We studied 61 patients who were employed in the shipbuilding industry and diagnosed myofascial pain syndrome. We investigated them using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the visual analogue scale (VAS) and also obtained spontaneous electrical activity (SEA) by electromyographic study on myofascial trigger point. RESULTS: Mean VAS of subjects was 5.88. On the MMPI profile, the patients scored highest in psychopathic deviate, and then in hypochondriasis, depression and hysteria, in that order. The correlation of the VAS with results of electromyographic study and with the MMPI were not significant. In the electromyographic study, 19 patients out of 61 (31%) showed initial positive deflection on spontaneous electrical activities. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that considering the psychosocial aspect of myofascial pain syndrome, as well as organic aspects in hard manual labor such as shipyard work might be useful for treatment.

The occupational hazards of interns & residents during training / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTS: Residents are exposed to various hazards and harassed by sleep deficiency due to overwork. This study was performed to outline the health condition of residents and develop the ways of improving it. METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed to 881 army doctors who enrolled at the Korea Third Military Academy and The Armed Force Health Service School in 2000 with the exception of medical doctors who joined the armed service without going through intern and resident periods , dental and oriental medical doctors. 784 (89.0%) of the 881 questionnaires were returned of which 704 cases (79.9%). This should actually be 89.0% were regarded for analyses as being reliable data. RESULTS: More than 20% of residents were exposed to radiation, laser, disinfectants, anesthetic gas, and anticancer drugs during their training periods with preventive measures for each of these hazards taken in about 10% of the cases of the lesser hazards but in about 35% for the hazards from radiation and laser. 91.1% of residents had experience of needlestick injuries during their training periods with over 36.3% being exposed to patients with infection during that time. The cases contracting HBV and HCV diseases due to pricking are 2.3 and 0.6% respectively. The average number of night duties per month during a one-year resident's period was about 19. The average sleeping time on duty during a one-year residents was less than 4 hours .28.4% of respondents were not satisfied with their occupation, 96.5% felt tired from overwork and 69.5% wanted to change their occupation to another that would pay the same salary. CONCLUSION: Residents are exposed to harmful physical , chemical and biological factors, but the preventive care seldom undertaken. In addition, their overwork brings about lack of sleep which causes them problems when giving medical treatment to patients during their training periods. Despite the resident's interest in an occupation as a doctor, many intend to select other occupations if they can receive the same salary. According to the above results, preventative systems and measures should be prepared with environmental improvements for residents, and proper rewards for their overwork should be accomplished.