Effects of Electrical Stimulation Therapy on Chronic Knee Pain, Exercise Self-Efficacy, and Quality of Life in Korean Elderly Women / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was to examine the effects of electric stimulation therapy on chronic knee pain, exercise self-efficacy, and quality of life in Korean elderly women. METHODS: The design was an unequivalent control pretest-posttest study. Samples were total of 60 (experimental: 30, control: 30) elderly women with healthy cognitive and communication abilities aged 65 years old and above. The experimental treatment involved was the electric stimulation of both thigh quadriceps muscles for 15 minutes per treatment, 3times per a week, for a total of 12 weeks. Measurements taken were S-F MPQ and AIMS for chronic knee pain, exercise self-efficacy measurement for exercise self-efficacy, and S-F 36 scale for quality of life. Data were analyzed using SPSS PC+ 12. RESULTS: Chronic knee pain according to the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (t=43.563, p=.000) and Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale (t=31.364, p=.000) were significantly decreased in the experimental group by the application of electrical stimulation therapy. Exercise self-efficacy (t=107.116, p=.000) and quality of life (t=76.429, p=.000) were significantly increased in the experimental group by the application of electrical stimulation therapy. CONCLUSION: Electrical stimulation therapy could be a more effective primary nursing intervention in decreasing chronic knee pain, and on increasing exercise self-efficacy and quality of life for Korean elderly women.

A Study on the Relationship among Family Support, Morale, and Quality of Life in the Elderly / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study examined the correlations among family support, morale, and quality of life in the elderly. METHODS: Descriptive correlational study design was used. The subjects were 131 elderly people 65 and older who have lived in Seoul and other three cities. The data were analyzed with mean, SD, t-test, ANOVA, and pearson's correlation by using the SPSS 11.0 program. RESULTS: First, the mean of family support was 3.71, morale 3.25, and quality of life 3.02 respectively. Second, the correlation between quality of life and family support was statistically significant(r=.264, p=.00), the correlation between quality of life and morale was also statistically significant(r=.484, p=.00), and the correlation between family support and morale was also statistically significant(r=.430, p=.00). CONCLUSION: Family support for the elderly in the study was confirmed as the primary important concept which can positively maintain and promote the quality of their life. Also, the correlation between morale and family support was verified as significant. Further study is needed to develop a nursing intervention program for morale improvement with a network of family support with their children, ultimately for quality of life among the elderly.

The Effect of Electrical Muscle Stimulation Therapy on Chronic Knee Pain and Depression for Aged / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was to examine the effect of electrical muscle stimulation therapy on chronic knee pain and depression for the aged. METHOD: Design was one-group pretest-posttest design. Samples were 32 elderly of 60 years old and above with chronic knee pain and depression. Measures were the S-F McGill Pain Questuionnaire for chronic knee pain and the Korean Elderly Depression Scale for depression. Electrical muscle stimulation therapy, experimental treatment, was applied for 12 weeks, 3 times/week, 15 min/time. Data were collected from January 2005 to May 2005. Data were analyzed using SPSS PC+ 12 version. RESULTS: After receiving electrical muscle stimulation therapy, chronic knee pain (t=-88.034, P=.000) and depression (t=-114.659, P=.000) were significantly decreased. CONCLUSION: Electrical muscle stimulation therapy can be a better effective primary nursing intervention on chronic knee pain and depression for community dwelling elders.

The Effect of auricular acupuncture pressure therapy on insomnia of elderly people / 성인간호학회지

This study was conducted with a purpose to evaluate the effect of auricular acupuncture pressure therapy on insomnia of elderly and to suggest the auricular acupuncture pressure therapy as an independent nursing intervention. The study was unequvalance control group pretest-posttest experimental design and the data collection was done from 37 samples of experimetal group and 37 samples of control group which were random-assigned as 60 years-over elderly people who lived in seoul. Data were collected from November, 1999 to February, 2000. The tools used in the study were the auricular acupuncture pressure therapy for decreasing of insomnia, the scale of sleepness and self-satisfaction scale. The auricular acupuncture pressure therapy used in this study is a sort of the auricular acupuncture to decrease insomnia and self-satisfaction of sleep by pressured on applied auricular acupncture of upper auricular blood acupuncture site of insomnia. Data was analied by SPSS stastistics program. Conclusively, sleepness and self-satisfaction of sleep were measured higher in experimental group which applied this auricular acupuncture pressure therapy than control group which not applized(p=.000). Therefore, the auricular acupuncture pressure therapy can decrease frequent insonmia of elderly and increase self satisfaction of sleep, processingly can improve quality of life in the late stage. Futhermore, it can be developed as independent oriental nursing intervention.

An Analyses of Research Trend and Proposition Related to Self-care / 간호학회지

This study was performed to analyse the tendency of the self-care studies, to investigate the variables related to self-care, which could be applied for the data establishing the theory of self-care. to accomplish the objectives of this study, the researchers analyzed 83 studies, available that contained the area of self-care, which was published in local and foreign areas between 1981 and Feb. 1997. The findings of this study are as follows: 1) Studies published in Korea were about twice more than foreign studies. According to the statistics, the number of studies in this study tended to increase year by year. Between 1991 and 1995 were most. Analysis on the subject of this studies showed, that they were most dealt with chronic diseases an adults. 2) The theoretical definition of self-care were most referred to Orem's self-care. For the main concept of studies, self care performance was the most. 3) The correlational study was most often used design and experimental study is tended to increase. The questionnaires were the most often used data collection method. There was lots of different variable measuring technique to evaluate main concepts. 4) In the results of analysis on the propositions related to the self-care performance, a client's education, social support, self-efficacy, and level of knowledge as a causal variable were found. Also, the physiological index improved and quality of life were fond to be significant effective variables.

The Effects of Ward Exercise Program on the Improvement of Activity of Daily Living in Patients Who have Stroke / 기본간호학회지

This study was conducted with the subject of showing the importance of early rehabilitation and exercise therapy in patients who have stroke, of confirming the advantage of ward exercise conducted by nurse, which had been conducted mainly by physical therapist only in physical therapy room and of developing the exercise program as the independent rehabilitation nursing intervention. A total of 62 patients were selected as object from April, 5th, to May, 17th, 1995, who had been hospitalized in K medical center, and the half of them were assigned to Experimental group in random assignment using a coin. It was ADL check list tool developed by Kang and Ward Exercise Program developed by the researcher that were used as a treatment. Ward Exercise Program was conducted by the researcher and the physical therapist measured ADL score before and after Ward Exercise program. The data were analyzed using ANOVA, pearson correlation, Chi-Square test and the effect of Ward Exercise Program was analyzed by t-test. The result of this study is as follows : 1. The experimental group showed eminent improvement of ADL compared with the counter group with statistical significance. In eating(t=6.10, p=.000), personal hygiene performing(t=4.86, df=60, p=.000), wearing(t=5,86, df=60, p=.000), elimination(t=7.89, df=60, p=.000), mobility on the bed(t=13.36, df=60, p=.000), moving(t=9.11, df=60, p=.000), walking(t=7.45, df=60, p=.000) 2. There was no qualitative difference between experimental group and control group with the significance of p< or =.05. 3. There was no relation between the general condition and the difference of ADL, while there was significant relation between the starting point of exercise and the difference of pre-exercise and post exercise ADL. As a result, it should be emphasized that the early rehabilitation and exercise therapy are important in patients who have stroke, and that it is necessary to extend the exercise therapy to the ward. Therefore, this Ward Exercise Program could be recommended as a independent clinical exercise nursing intervention in rehabilitation nursing of patients who have stroke.