[Effects of a Health Partnership Program Using Mobile Health Application for Male Workers with Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Small and Medium Enterprises: A Randomized Controlled Trial].

PURPOSE: This study aimed to apply a health partnership program using commercially available mobile health apps to improve cardiovascular risk factors in male employees and verify its effectiveness. METHODS: Using a randomized control group pretest-posttest design, male employees with cardiovascular risk factors from five small and medium-sized workplaces were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 32) and a control group (n = 31). The experimental group was encouraged to use three mobile health apps for 12 weeks to acquire the necessary cardiovascular disease-related information and practice strengthening training, walking, and diet management appropriate to their level. They also received feedback on their weekly activities and motivational text messages from health partners. Hypotheses were tested using the SPSS WIN 22.0. RESULTS: The experimental group showed a significant difference compared to the control group in terms of their perception of mobile health app (p < .05), self-efficacy for exercise and diet, self-management partnership, and cardiovascular disease prevention health behavior (p < .001). In particular, there were significant decreases in the body mass index, ratio, serum fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol, and triglyceride in the experimental group (p < .001); however, there was no significant difference in high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. CONCLUSION: Intervention using mobile apps based on partnership with health managers is effective in improving the objective cardiovascular risk index in male employees; therefore, such intervention should be continuously used as a useful lifestyle modification strategy in the workplace.

Ultraviolet Light-Assisted Decontamination of Chemical Warfare Agent Simulant 2-Chloroethyl Phenyl Sulfide on Metal-Loaded TiO2 /Ti Surfaces.

The application of ultraviolet (UV) light for the decontamination of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) has gained recognition as an effective method, especially for treating hard-to-reach areas where wet chemical methods are impractical. In this study, TiO2 /Ti was employed as a model catalyst, which was contaminated with 2-chloroethyl phenyl sulfide (CEPS), and subjected to photocatalytic decontamination using both UVB and UVC light. Additionally, photocatalytic decontamination efficiency by introducing Au, Pt, and Cu onto the TiO2 /Ti surface was explored. During the photodecomposition process under UVC light, at least eight distinct secondary byproducts were identified. It was observed that the introduction of overlayer metals did not significantly enhance the photodecomposition under UVC light instead overlaid Au exhibited substantially improved activity under UVB light. Whereas, photodecomposition process under UVB light, only five secondary products were detected, including novel compounds with sulfoxide and sulfone functional groups. This novel study offers valuable insights into the generation of secondary products and sheds light on the roles of overlayer metals and photon wavelength in the photodecontamination process of CWA.

Opening Direct Electrochemical Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis Path by Interfacial Engineering of Cu Electrode with P-Block Elements.

The electrochemical synthesis of syngas (CO and H2) has garnered considerable attention in the context of Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis employing thermal catalysts. Nonetheless, the need for a novel, cost-effective technique persists. In this investigation, we introduce a direct electrochemical (dEC) approach for FT synthesis that functions under ambient conditions by utilizing a p-block element (Sn and In) overlaid Cu electrode. Surface *CO and H* species were obtained in an electrolytic medium through the CO2 + H+ + e- → HOOCad → *CO (or direct CO adsorption) and H+ + e- → H* reactions, respectively. We have observed C2-7 long-chain hydrocarbons with a CnH2n+2/CnH2n ratio of 1-3, and this observation can be explained through the process of C-C coupling chain growth of the conventional FT synthesis, based on the linearity of the Anderson-Schulz-Flory equation plots. Thick Sn and In overlayers resulted in the dominant production of formate, while CO and C2H4 production were found to be proportional and inversely correlated to H2, C2H6, and C3-7 hydrocarbon production. The EC CO2/CO reduction used in dEC FT synthesis offers valuable insights into the mechanism of C2+ production and holds promise as an eco-friendly approach to producing long-chain hydrocarbons for energy and environmental purposes.

Effects of a remote physical activity improvement program on male office workers with metabolic syndrome in their 30s and 40s with sedentary behavior: A randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Sedentary office workers lack physical activity and have a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS). This study attempted to develop a remote physical activity improvement program for sedentary office workers and verify its effectiveness by applying it to male workers in their 30s and 40s with MetS. METHODS: This study used a randomized control group pretest-posttest design, and the study sample was 75 male workers recruited from an information and technology company. They were randomly assigned to either the intervention (n = 38) or control (n = 37) group. The remote physical activity improvement program was constructed based on the self-regulation theory emphasizing autonomy, and was conducted through non-face-to-face Zoom once a week for a total of 12 weeks. Health education, exercise training, small group meetings, and individual counseling were provided, and tailored text messages were sent to participants every day to encourage them to reflect on their lifestyle and practice exercise. RESULTS: The remote physical activity program significantly increased basic psychological needs (Z = -7.55, p< .001), intrinsic motivation (Z = -6.94, p< .001), health promotion behavior, (Z = -6.63, p < .001) and physical and physiological indicators (p<.05) in the intervention group compared to those in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: In managing MetS among office workers, it was found that remote education using the Zoom platform was effective, even during the coronavirus pandemic. As a strategy for health education in the workplace, remote education content needs to be developed and applied.

Effect of risk factor-tailored autonomy enhancement education in the first-time middle-aged patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: It is important for middle-aged patients who have undergone acute treatment for coronary artery disease to voluntarily improve their lifestyle and risk factors based on their recognition as patients with chronic diseases. This study conducted individual education to improve risk factors and tried to verify its effectiveness. METHODS: The hypothesis was verified by applying a randomized controlled pre- and post-test design through random assignment of two groups. Middle-aged (40-64 years) patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for the first time were recruited from a university hospital in Seoul, Korea. For the experimental group, based on the Self-Determination Theory, risk factor- tailored counseling and education were provided individually for one hour based on the education booklet, and telephone counseling was conducted twice for 12 weeks. Differences in autonomous motivation, resilience, self-care compliance and biochemical indicators measured after 12 weeks in the experimental group and the control group were compared. Data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN ver. 22.0. RESULTS: The autonomous motivation, resilience, and self-care compliance of the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group (p < .05). Body mass index (p = .005) and current smoking rate (p < .001) were also significantly decreased in the experimental group but there was no significant difference in other biochemical parameters. CONCLUSION: For middle-aged patients with first coronary intervention, risk factor-tailored education emphasizing autonomy by nurses should be provided early after discharge. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was retrospectively registered in the Clinical Research Information Service and the identification number is KCT0008698(11/08/2023).

Cardiovascular Health Behavior Prediction Model in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.

BACKGROUND: To prevent cardiovascular disease in adults with type 2 diabetes, it is necessary to identify the factors that affect cardiovascular health behavior. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to verify the causal relationship between illness perception and diabetes knowledge as cognitive representations, depression as emotional representations, self-efficacy as cognitive coping, and oral health and cardiovascular health behaviors as behavioral coping strategies. A hypothetical model was established based on a literature review and the self-regulation model. METHODS: In this study, a cross-sectional survey design was used, and the participants were adults 30 years or older who had been given a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes for more than 6 months and were recruited from South Korea. Data from 272 participants were collected through face-to-face interviews or Google surveys in 2021, and analyzed using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 22.0. RESULTS: Oral health behavior (ß = 0.26, P < .001) and self-efficacy (ß = 0.16, P = .048) had a direct effect on cardiovascular health behavior, and illness perception (ß = 0.24, P = .018) and depression (ß = -0.25, P < .001) had an indirect effect through self-efficacy (ß = 0.24, P = .016), with a total explanatory power of 19.1%. Oral health behavior was directly affected by illness perception and self-efficacy, and self-efficacy was directly affected by illness perception, diabetes knowledge, and depression (P < .05). CONCLUSION: To practice cardiovascular health behaviors in adults with diabetes, self-efficacy for diabetes management should be enhanced. To this end, it is necessary to increase illness perception and knowledge, and reduce depression through cardiovascular disease prevention education for them, and the importance of oral health behaviors should also be emphasized.

Structural Relationships Between Cognitive Function, Depressive Symptoms, Self-Care Confidence, and Maintenance in Patients With Heart Failure.

Introduction: In order to promote self-care maintenance behavior in patients with heart failure (HF), it is necessary to identify the direct and indirect effects of major latent variables. Objective: This study aimed to identify structural relationships between different domains of cognitive function, depression and self-care confidence, and self-care maintenance. Methods: This descriptive study involved a secondary analysis using data of 201 patients with HF from two observational studies in three hospitals in Korea. The structural equation model using AMOS version 24.0 was constructed to assess the relationships among the variables. The Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery was used to assess global cognition, immediate/delayed memory, and executive function, and the Self-Care of HF Index v.6.2. was used for self-care confidence and maintenance. Results: Self-care maintenance was affected by memory function with a significant direct effect (ß=.43, p = .006), as well as self-care confidence (ß=.70, p < .001). Memory function and global function indirectly affected self-care maintenance through self-care confidence (ß = -.37, p = .002; ß = .14, p = .030). Depressive symptoms also had an indirect effect through self-care confidence on self-care maintenance (ß = -.21, p = .005). Conclusion: This study confirmed that it is important to increase self-care confidence through supportive care and to maintain memory function for maintaining self-care in the chronic course of HF patients. In particular, this study suggests that it is necessary to perform periodic memory check-ups for chronic HF patients on an outpatient basis, and counseling and education are needed to improve memory and increase confidence in self-care.

New reaction path for long-chain hydrocarbons by electrochemical CO2 and CO reduction over Au/stainless steel.

The Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) synthesis is recognized for its ability to produce long-chain hydrocarbons. In this study, we aimed to replicate F-T synthesis using electrochemical CO2 reduction and CO reduction reactions on a stainless steel (SS) support with a gold (Au) overlayer. Under CO2-saturated conditions, the presence of Au on the SS surface led to the formation of CH4 and a range of hydrocarbons (CnH2n and CnH2n+2, n = 2-7), while bare SS primarily produced hydrogen. The Au(10 nm)/SS exhibited the highest hydrocarbon production in CO2-saturated phosphate, indicating a synergistic effect at the Au-SS interface. In CO-saturated conditions, bare SS also produced long-chain hydrocarbons, but increasing Au thickness resulted in decreased production due to poor CO adsorption. Hydrocarbons were formed through both direct and indirect CO adsorption pathways. Anderson-Schulz-Flory analysis confirmed surface CO hydrogenation and C-C coupling polymerization following conventional F-T synthesis. The C2 hydrocarbons exhibited distinct behavior compared to C3-5 hydrocarbons, suggesting different reaction pathways. Despite low reduction product levels, our EC method successfully replicated F-T synthesis using the Au/SS electrode, providing valuable insights into C-C coupling mechanisms and electrochemical production of long-chain hydrocarbons. Depth-profiling X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed significant changes in surface elemental compositions before and after EC reduction.

Quantitative measurement of empathy and analysis of its correlation to clinical factors in korean patients with chronic diseases.

BACKGROUND: Empathy is the core of the physician-patient relationship. The Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) measure is a useful tool for assessing patient-rated empathy. There have been scarce data on empathy in chronic disease patients in Korea. We aim to evaluate empathy using the Korean CARE measure in patients from various clinical environments and the factors influencing the degree of empathy in patients with chronic disease. METHODS: Data were collected from patients with chronic diseases. Patients were from primary, secondary, and tertiary clinics. Characteristics of the patients, physicians, and disease status were collected. The difference in CARE score was studied according to the clinical factors. RESULTS: A total of 162 patients with chronic diseases were included. About 60% of patients were male. The mean age was 62 years. They had an average number of 2.6 diseases. More than half of patients experienced overt cardiovascular disease. About half of them had a history of hospitalization due to cardiovascular disease. The overall average CARE score was 45.6 ± 7.0. The CARE score was not significantly different according to the characteristics of the patient, physician, or disease status. Regarding marital status, the CARE score was significantly lower for the small number of patients (n = 4, 2.5%) who refused to provide their marital status than for other groups. Except for four patients, there was no significant difference in the CARE score among married, unmarried, or divorced groups. This trend was maintained in hypertensive patients. CONCLUSIONS: The Korean CARE measure could assess patient-rated empathy in various clinical practices. The empathy of patients was high regardless of multiple factors.

The Moderating Effect of Mental Health on the Relationship Between Cardiovascular Disease Awareness and Health Behaviors of Middle-Aged Korean Chinese Workers With Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Korea.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of death in China and Korea, yet little is known about in Korean Chinese workers. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of CVD awareness and mental health on health behaviors and evaluate the moderating effect of mental health on the relationship between CVD awareness and health behaviors among Korean Chinese workers. METHOD: We used a cross-sectional design and convenience sampling of participants from Seoul in December 2021. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient, independent t tests, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: CVD awareness, mental health, and health behaviors were relatively low and mental health showed a moderating effect on the relationship between the two variables. DISCUSSION: Understanding relationships between CVD awareness, socioculturally mediated health behaviors, and mental health issues is critical to CVD prevention among participants; moreover, mental health should be specifically assessed and targeted for improvement.

Interface Engineered V-Zn Hybrids: Electrocatalytic and Photocatalytic CO2 Reductions.

V-Zn hybrids have widely been used as catalyst materials in the environment and as energy. Herein, V-Zn hybrid electrodes were prepared by the hydrothermal and sputter-deposition methods using a Zn foil support. Their electrocatalytic CO2 reduction (EC CO2 RR) performances were tested under various applied potentials, different electrolytes, and concentrations before and after thermal treatment of the demonstrated electrode. Gas and liquid products were confirmed by gas chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, respectively. For V-Zn electrode by hydrothermal method produced mainly syngas (CO and H2) with tunable ratio by varying applied potential. Minor products include CH4, C2H4, and C2H6. A liquid product of formate showed a Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 2%. EC CO2 RR efficiency for CO, CH4, and formate was best in 0.2 M KHCO3 electrolyte condition. CO and formate were further increased by photoirradiation and Nafion-treated electrode. Formate and CH4 productions were significantly increased by thermal treatment of the V-Zn electrode. CO production was diminished for the V-Zn electrode by sputter deposition but was recovered by thermal treatment. Photocatalytic CO2 RR was tested to find that RR products include CH3OH, CO, CH4, C2H4, and C2H6. Interestingly long-chain hydrocarbons (CnH2n and CnH2n+2, where n = 3-6) were first observed under mild conditions. The long-chain formation was understood by Fisher-Tropsch (F-T) synthesis. Alkenes were observed to be more produced than alkanes unlike in the conventional F-T synthesis. The present new findings provide useful clues for the development of hybrid electro-and photo-catalysts tested under various experimental conditions in energy and environment.

Prognostic implications for patients after myocardial infarction: an integrative literature review and in-depth interviews with patients and experts.

BACKGROUND: As patients with myocardial infarction (MI) survive for a long time after acute treatment, it is necessary to pay attention to the prevention of poor prognosis such as heart failure (HF). To identify the influencing factors of adverse clinical outcomes through a review of prospective cohort studies of post-MI patients, and to draw prognostic implications through in-depth interviews with post-MI patients who progressed to HF and clinical experts. METHODS: A mixed-method design was used that combined a scoping review of 21 prospective cohort studies, in-depth interviews with Korean post-MI patients with HF, and focus group interviews with cardiologists and nurses. RESULTS: A literature review showed that old age, diabetes, high Killip class, low left ventricular ejection fraction, recurrent MI, comorbidity of chronic disease and current smoking, and low socioeconomic status were identified as influencing factors of poor prognosis. Through interviews with post-MI patients, these influencing factors identified in the literature as well as a lack of disease awareness and lack of self-care were confirmed. Experts emphasized the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle after acute treatment with the recognition that it is a chronic disease that must go together for a lifetime. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the factors influencing poor prognosis after MI and the educational needs of post-MI patients with transition to HF. Healthcare providers should continue to monitor the risk group, which is expected to have a poor prognosis, along with education emphasizing the importance of self-care such as medication and lifestyle modification.

Validity and reliability of a Korean version of the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) measure.

BACKGROUND: No validated tool is available to assess patients' perception of physician empathy in Korea. The objective of this study was to establish a Korean version of the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) measure-originally developed in English and widely used internationally-and to examine its reliability and validity. METHODS: The CARE measure was translated into Korean and tested on 240 patients from one secondary care hospital and one tertiary care hospital in Korea. Internal consistency by Cronbach's alpha, exploratory analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to verify the 10 items of the Korean CARE measure. RESULTS: The Korean CARE measure demonstrated high acceptability and face validity, excellent internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.97) and moderate test-retest reliability (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.53; Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.51). Distribution of scores showed negative skewedness. Corrected item-total correlations ranged from 0.77-0.92, indicating homogeneity. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was 0.949, and Bartlett's test of sphericity was good (χ2 = 3157.11, P < 0.001). Factor analysis yielded a single dimensional structure of physician empathy with all factor loadings exceeding 0.80 and showing excellent goodness of fit. CONCLUSION: This study supports the reliability and validity of the Korean CARE measure in a university hospital setting in Korea.

Influencing Factors for Cardiometabolic Risk in Korean Adolescents Based on 2010-2015 Data From the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND: High academic stress and physical inactivity in Korean adolescents increase cardiometabolic risk factors, such as obesity, making it crucial to identify the factors influencing their risk. OBJECTIVE: Our aims were to determine differences in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its 5 components in Korean adolescents according to gender and to identify the influencing factors for cardiometabolic risk (individual risk factor ≥ 1). METHODS: Data related to adolescents from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010-2015) were assessed. Bivariate analyses to compare distribution and logistic regression analyses to examine the influencing factors were performed. RESULTS: Cardiometabolic risk (≥1 risk factor) was found in 33.2% and 32.6% of male and female adolescents, respectively, and metabolic syndrome (≥3 risk factors) was found in 2.0% and 2.3%, respectively. Among male adolescents, cardiometabolic risk was 1.66 times higher for the group that did not perform strength exercises ( P = .007). For female adolescents, the cardiometabolic risk was 2.44 times higher in 16- to 18-year-olds than in 12- to 15-year-olds ( P < .001) and 1.50 times higher in the non-aerobic-exercise group ( P = .030). Central obesity (waist-to-height ratio ≥ 0.47) increased cardiometabolic risk by 5.71 and 13.91 times in male and female adolescents, respectively ( P < .001). CONCLUSION: To reduce cardiometabolic risk profiles and future cardiovascular risk in Korean adolescents, school-based physical activity programs should be actively provided not only for students with central obesity but also for students who lack aerobic or strength exercises.

Patients' openness to discussing implantable cardioverter defibrillator deactivation at end of life: a cross-sectional study.

AIMS: It is recommended that patients and clinicians discuss end-of-life deactivation of their implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) prior to device implantation and throughout the illness trajectory to facilitate shared decision-making. However, such discussions rarely occur, and little is known about patients' openness to this discussion. The purpose of this study was to explore factors associated with patients' openness to discussing end-of-life ICD deactivation with clinicians. METHODS AND RESULTS: This cross-sectional study recruited 293 patients with an ICD from outpatient clinics in the USA, Australia, and South Korea. Patients were classified into an open or resistant group based on their desire to discuss device deactivation at end of life with clinicians. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore factors related to patients' openness to this discussion.About half of the participants (57.7%) were open to discussing such issues with their clinicians. Factors related to patients' openness to discussing device deactivation at end of life were living with someone, not having severe comorbid conditions (cancer and/or chronic kidney disease), greater ICD knowledge, and more experience discussing end-of-life issues with clinicians (odds ratio: 0.479, 0.382, 1.172, 1.332, respectively). CONCLUSION: Approximately half of the ICD recipients were reluctant to discuss device deactivation at end of life with clinicians. Unmodifiable factors were their living arrangement and severe comorbidity. ICD knowledge and prior experience discussing end-of-life issues were potentially modifiable factors in the future. These factors should be addressed when assessing patients' readiness for a shared discussion about device deactivation at end of life.

Effect of Website-based Learning on Improved Monitoring of Adverse Drug Reactions by Clinical Nurses.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop website-based learning contents to activate voluntary monitoring and reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) for clinical nurses and to verify their effectiveness. METHOD: Using a quasi-experimental control group pretest-posttest design with random allocation, a total of 60 nurses with more than 1 year of clinical experience were recruited from a university hospital in Seoul, Korea. A website was developed that provides learning contents including real cases and the latest drug-related knowledge, as well as video lectures. Knowledge on ADR monitoring, self-efficacy, ADR practice behavior, and medication performance ability were measured at 2 weeks after intervention. A small notebook for monitoring ADRs of nurses was given to the control group. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the chi-squared test, and the independent t test using SPSS Statistics Software Version 21.0. RESULTS: The scores of ADR monitoring knowledge, self-efficacy, and ADR monitoring practice in the experimental group significantly increased after the intervention compared with the control group (p < .05). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in medication performance ability related to ADR monitoring. CONCLUSION: To spread a safety culture in which voluntary ADR monitoring and reporting is activated, it is necessary for clinical nurses to share and communicate ADR-related information and real cases through an open website.

The KDM4B-CCAR1-MED1 axis is a critical regulator of osteoclast differentiation and bone homeostasis.

Bone undergoes a constant and continuous remodeling process that is tightly regulated by the coordinated and sequential actions of bone-resorbing osteoclasts and bone-forming osteoblasts. Recent studies have shown that histone demethylases are implicated in osteoblastogenesis; however, little is known about the role of histone demethylases in osteoclast formation. Here, we identified KDM4B as an epigenetic regulator of osteoclast differentiation. Knockdown of KDM4B significantly blocked the formation of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive multinucleated cells. Mice with myeloid-specific conditional knockout of KDM4B showed an osteopetrotic phenotype due to osteoclast deficiency. Biochemical analysis revealed that KDM4B physically and functionally associates with CCAR1 and MED1 in a complex. Using genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-sequencing, we revealed that the KDM4B-CCAR1-MED1 complex is localized to the promoters of several osteoclast-related genes upon receptor activator of NF-κB ligand stimulation. We demonstrated that the KDM4B-CCAR1-MED1 signaling axis induces changes in chromatin structure (euchromatinization) near the promoters of osteoclast-related genes through H3K9 demethylation, leading to NF-κB p65 recruitment via a direct interaction between KDM4B and p65. Finally, small molecule inhibition of KDM4B activity impeded bone loss in an ovariectomized mouse model. Taken together, our findings establish KDM4B as a critical regulator of osteoclastogenesis, providing a potential therapeutic target for osteoporosis.

Individualized education focusing on self-management improved the knowledge and self-management behaviour of elderly people with atrial fibrillation: A randomized controlled trial.

AIM: This study examined the effect of an individualized educational intervention on the knowledge, attitudes and self-management ability after 12 weeks for outpatients with atrial fibrillation. METHODS: A randomized control-group pretest-post-test experimental design was used. Elderly outpatients with atrial fibrillation aged over 65 years were recruited from a university hospital in Korea. The experimental group received a 50-min individualized education on self-management, one telephone counselling after 8 weeks and maintenance of a self-management diary for 12 weeks. Data were collected from November 2017 to April 2018 and analysed using SPSS 22.0 for descriptive statistics and hypothesis testing. RESULTS: The participants' mean age was 71.9 (4.6) years. Compared to the control group (n = 29), the experimental group (n = 31) showed a significantly greater improvement in knowledge regarding atrial fibrillation and stroke prevention (t = -2.27, p = .027) and self-management behaviours (t = -8.02, p < .001). There were no significant group differences in attitudes towards atrial fibrillation. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that education for elderly people with atrial fibrillation should be individualized, focusing on self-management in daily life to prevent cardiovascular complications. Future research is needed to confirm the long-term effects of such education programmes.

Oral health in adults with coronary artery disease and its risk factors: a comparative study using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine the relationship between oral health status and hygiene behavior among adults and elderly with preceding chronic disease or coronary artery disease history. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination survey conducted from 2016 to 2017. Cardiovascular risk group was defined as adults over the age of 30 with hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, previous myocardial infarction, or angina. Adult and elderly groups were separated and analyzed by 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM), and complex sample logistic regression analysis was performed using SPSS and R programs. RESULTS: In adults, 25.1% of healthy group and 41.9% of the risk group were diagnosed with periodontal disease by dentist. In the elderly, 40.0% of the risk group had chewing problems and 17.5% had speaking problems. After PSM, in adults (n = 1661 each), both univariate and multiple logistic regression analyzes showed that the prevalence of periodontal disease was significantly higher in the risk group than in the healthy group (Odds Ratio = 1.21, p = .028). In the elderly (n = 715 each), univariate analysis showed that the risk group had more chewing and speaking problems than the healthy group, but there was no difference in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Adults under the age of 65 years with cardiovascular risk require periodic evaluation and education on the importance of maintaining oral health for primary or secondary prevention. Healthcare professionals should provide patient education to help them maintain adequate oral health and oral hygiene.

Self-care and related factors associated with left ventricular systolic function in patients under follow-up after myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Recent advances in treatment have led to long-term survival after myocardial infarction (MI), but subsequent complications such as heart failure have also increased, and, therefore, the relationship between prognosis and self-care needs to be investigated. AIMS: This study aimed to confirm the relationship of potential variables affecting self-care of patients after MI and to determine whether self-care predicts left ventricular systolic function. METHODS: Using a descriptive study design, a hypothetical model was constructed based on previous studies, and 191 post-MI patients were recruited from three university hospital outpatient clinics in Korea. The modified model was verified by constructing a structural equation model using AMOS version 24.0. The exogenous variables were illness perception, social support, and depression symptoms. The endogenous variables were self-efficacy, self-care compliance, and changes in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). RESULTS: The average patient age and disease duration were 66.3 (±11.5) years and 62.1 (±56.6) months, respectively. Self-care compliance was directly influenced by self-efficacy and indirectly affected by social support. Self-care compliance had a direct effect on LVEF changes, which was indirectly associated with illness perception, social support, and self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the direct effect of self-care compliance on changes in LVEF in patients under follow-up after MI. It is necessary to periodically monitor the degree of self-care in outpatients who are undergoing follow-up after MI to prevent a decrease in cardiac function. Counseling and education may be effective forms of social support to improve disease awareness and self-efficacy among patients with low self-care compliance.