Epidemiology of Accidental Injuries at Home and Related Risk Factors for Mortality among Older Adults in South Korea: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background and Objectives: Accidental home injuries among older adults are increasing globally, but reporting is limited. This study aims to establish foundational data for program development and policies to prevent accidental injuries at home in older adults by using data on the occurrence of accidental injuries at home and analyzing the risk factors of mortality due to accidental injuries among adults aged 65 years and older. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study used data from the community-based Severe Trauma Survey in South Korea. This study identified general, injury-related, and treatment-related characteristics of older adults who were transported to the emergency department with accidental injuries at home. Single-variable and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for mortality after injury. Results: The majority of older adults in this study who experienced accidental injuries at home were aged 75 to 84 (42.8%) and female (52.8%), with 1465 injured from falls and slips (68.0%). Risk factors for mortality included older age (≥85 years) (ORs 2.25, 95% CI 1.47-3.45), male sex (ORs 1.60, 95% CI 1.15-2.20), mechanism of injury (falls or slips vs. contact injury, ORs 6.76, 95% CI 3.39-13.47; airway obstruction vs. contact injury, ORs 13.96, 95% CI 6.35-30.71), higher severity (moderate vs. mild, ORs 2.56, 95% CI 1.45-4.54; severe vs. mild, ORs 12.24, 95% CI 6.48-23.12; very severe vs. mild, ORs 67.95, 95% CI 38.86-118.81), and receiving a blood transfusion (ORs 2.14, 95% CI 1.24-3.67). Conclusions: Based on these findings, the home and community environments where older adults live should be inspected and monitored, and in-home accidental injury prevention strategies should be developed tailored to the characteristics of older adults' risk factors and their injury-related characteristics.

Influencing factors of fatigue among public health nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effects of occupational stress, anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance on the level of fatigue among public health nurses (PHNs). DESIGN: The study had a cross-sectional, correlational survey design. MEASURES: A total of 198 PHNs were enrolled from 30 public healthcare centers/offices. Data were collected between May and July 2021 using a structured questionnaire to investigate the general characteristics, occupational stress, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, and fatigue of the participants. Descriptive statistics and multiple regressions were used to determine fatigue and its influencing factors among PHNs. RESULTS: The participants showed high fatigue and occupational stress levels due to a lack of rewards. The percentage of participants with mild-to-severe anxiety and mild-to-severe depression, and those who identified themselves as poor sleepers were 44.9%, 50.5%, and 70.2%, respectively. High levels of sleep disturbance (ß = .23, p < .001), occupational stress (ß = .21, p < .001), anxiety (ß = .20, p = .016), depression (ß = .17, p = .043), being younger (ß = -.15, p = .004), and being a regular worker (ß = .13, p = .017) were influencing factors of fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: Individual efforts and organizational interventions to enhance sleep quality are needed to relieve fatigue among PHNs. Further, organizational support can be considerate of young nurses and regular workers, and alleviate their occupational stress. Moreover, anxiety and depression should be managed efficiently to reduce fatigue.

Falls, fear of falling, and related factors in patients with diabetic foot disease.

BACKGROUND: Falls and fear of falling (FOF) are common in patients with diabetic foot disease (DFD). PURPOSE: To understand the relationship between falls, FOF, and related factors in patients with DFD. METHOD: We recruited 70 patients being treated for DFD at two hospitals in Korea. A structured questionnaire was used in investigating fall experience, FOF, and related factors. RESULTS: Among the participants, 42.8 % fell in the past year, and FOF was reported in 57.1 %. Rates of "no caregiver," "DFD duration (>1 year)," and "burning pain" were higher in fallers than non-fallers. The rates of "older adults (≥65 years of age)," "unemployed," "not using assistive devices," "visual impairment," and "hearing impairment" were higher in patients with FOF than in those without FOF. However, the level of balance confidence was lower in patients with FOF. CONCLUSIONS: The fall experience of patients with DFD was associated with the presence of their caregiver, disease-related factors, and foot pain symptoms, while FOF was related to age and fall-related factors.

Depression and quality of life in older adults with pneumoconiosis: The mediating role of death anxiety.

This study identified factors related to the quality of life of older adults with coal workers' pneumoconiosis and determined the mediating effect of death anxiety on the relationship between depression and quality of life. The participants were 161 older adults who were admitted to five pneumoconiosis hospitals in South Korea. The results showed that higher levels of depression indicated higher levels of death anxiety, and higher levels of depression and death anxiety indicated poorer quality of life. While controlling for general characteristics, death anxiety (ß = 0.47, P < .001) had a complete mediating effect on the relationship between depression (ß = 0.13, P = .075) and quality of life (R2 = 0.70, Adjusted R2 = 0.68, P < .001). To improve the quality of life of older adults with pneumoconiosis, interventions that reduce death anxiety along with depression should be investigated.

Intention to Stay in Specialist Trauma Nurses: Relationship With Role Conflict, Stress, and Organizational Support.

BACKGROUND: Specialist trauma nurses contribute to shortening hospital stay, lowering intensive care unit readmission rates, and improving treatment outcomes through early detection and management of health problems in trauma patients. However, Korean specialist trauma nurses have a higher turnover rate than other nurses due to negative factors like unclear job descriptions and inconsistent job activities. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the levels of and relationships among role conflict, occupational stress, perceived organizational support, and intent to stay in Korean specialist trauma nurses. METHODS: We enrolled 53 specialist trauma nurses from eight regional trauma centers in Korea. Data on role conflict, occupational stress, perceived organizational support, and intent to stay were collected using a structured questionnaire. Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Bonferroni post hoc tests were conducted to examine differences in intent to stay. Spearman's correlation coefficients were used to examine correlations between the key variables. RESULTS: High intent to stay was associated with periodic job training, job satisfaction, and perceived high workload. Role conflict was positively correlated with occupational stress, whereas both were negatively correlated with perceived organizational support. Intent to stay was negatively correlated with occupational stress and positively correlated with perceived organizational support. CONCLUSIONS: Effective improvement measures that lower occupational stress and increase perceived organizational support will help maintain the positions of specialist trauma nurses. These results highlight the need to specify the scope of practice and implement practical measures like career development programs that enhance professional nursing competencies to retain specialist trauma nurses.

Fear of falling and related factors during everyday activities in patients with chronic stroke.

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of physical function, anxiety, and depression on the fear of falling associated with everyday activities in patients with stroke. This was a cross-sectional descriptive survey. Convenience sampling was used to select 127 patients with stroke who were undergoing rehabilitative therapy at a single rehabilitation hospital in South Korea. Fear of falling, anxiety, and depression were assessed using structured questionnaires. Physical parameters, including lower extremity function, functional mobility, balance ability, and lower extremity muscle strength, were measured using objective methods. A multiple regression analysis was used to identify the predictors of fear of falling. Female patients had a higher fear of falling associated with walking outdoors compared to male patients. Lower extremity strength was the only significant predictor of fear of falling when adjusting for age, sex, Mini Mental State Examination scores, and fall experience. Lower extremity strength was identified as the most important factor affecting the fear of falling associated with everyday activities in patients with stroke. Preventing muscle weakness in the lower extremities and providing education and support to improve patients' self-efficacy in outdoor activities are strategies that can be used to reduce the fear of falling in patients with stroke.

Academic ethical awareness among undergraduate nursing students.

BACKGROUND: Academic ethical awareness is an important aspect especially for nursing students who will provide ethical nursing care to patients in future or try to tread the path of learning toward professional acknowledgement in nursing scholarship. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore academic ethical awareness and its related characteristics among undergraduate nursing students. METHODS: This study commenced the survey with cross-sectional, descriptive questions and enrolled convenient samples of 581 undergraduate nursing students from three universities in South Korea. It was investigated with structured questionnaires including general characteristics and academic ethical awareness related. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: This study was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board at National University. FINDINGS: Academic ethical awareness was the highest regarding behaviors violating the respect or confidentiality of patients and cheating on exams, while it was the lowest for inappropriate behaviors in class. From the result of general characteristics difference, male students showed higher score than female students in relative; first-year students showed higher score than other year students; the higher score was rated from students who were highly satisfied with their major than the other not satisfied with their major; and students with low academic stress showed higher ethical awareness score than persons with higher stress. CONCLUSION: Personal behaviors were rated with low ethical awareness in relative, but items related to public rules and actual effects on patients or others were rated with higher score. Nursing satisfaction and academic stress are main factors on ethical awareness. To improve overall ethical awareness level of nursing students, it is required to provide more education about the importance of personal behaviors in class and need to improve the understanding of how it will be connected with future situation and effect.

Development and validation of an eye care educational programme for intensive care unit nurses.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate an eye care educational programme for intensive care unit nurses. BACKGROUND: Eye care guidelines and protocols have been developed for increasing eye care implementation in intensive care units. However, the guidelines lack consistency in assessment or intervention methodology. DESIGN: This was a one-sample pre/postprogramme evaluation study design for testing the effects of the eye care educational programme, developed for and applied to intensive care unit nurses, on their levels of knowledge and awareness. METHODS: The eye care educational programme was developed based on literature review and survey of educational needs. Thirty intensive care unit nurses served as subjects for the study. RESULTS: The levels of eye care-related knowledge, awareness and practice were enhanced following the implementation of the educational programme. Moreover, satisfaction with the educational programme was high. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to intensify eye care education aimed at new nurses who are inexperienced in intensive care unit nursing and provide continuing education on the latest eye care methods and information to experienced nurses. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The eye care educational programme developed in this study can be used as a strategy to periodically assess the eye status of patients and facilitate the appropriate eye care.

The effects of Dying Well Education Program on Korean women with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer patients fear the relapse of their disease and subsequent death the most. Dying Well Education Program, a death education program, was offered for breast cancer patients to help them to reflect on the meanings of life and death. PURPOSE: This study evaluated the effects of a death education on fear of death, anxiety and depression, hope, and spiritual well-being among breast cancer patients. METHODS: Twenty-three women with breast cancer at a university hospital in South Korea who received Dying Well Education Program, once a week for 10 weeks, were compared with 25 participants in a control group who received the treatment as usual. RESULTS: Participants in the experimental group were satisfied with the program and showed a decreased level of fear of death, and increased levels of hope and spiritual well-being when compared to the control group. The anxiety and depression scores for both experimental and control groups were initially within normal ranges before the program and further decreased over time. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that a properly designed death education program could serve as a means of increasing breast cancer patients' hope and spiritual well-being.

Comparison of parent-child communication patterns and parental role satisfaction among mothers with and without breast cancer.

PURPOSE: This study compared parent-child communication (PCC) patterns and parental role satisfaction (PRS) between women with breast cancer and healthy women. BACKGROUND: A limited number of studies have examined PCC and the impact of PRS between cancer patients and their children. METHODS: It was a descriptive survey design comprising the Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale and a PRS measure. Data from 202 participants in total were analysed with two-way analyses of variance and t-tests. RESULTS: Closed communication was higher in both groups than open communication, but higher still in children of women with breast cancer than in children of healthy women. PRS was lower in women with breast cancer than in healthy women. Educational programs should be developed to support parents and children during the post-treatment adjustment period for mothers with breast cancer. CONCLUSION: Such programs should take a practical approach toward increasing open parent-child communication while considering personal characteristics and cultural backgrounds.

Disease-Related Knowledge and Information Needs Among Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients in Korea.

The aim of this study was to identify disease-related knowledge and information needs of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. The 313 patients (Crohn disease: n = 169, colitis: n = 144) presenting to an outpatient gastroenterology clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Seoul, Republic of Korea, were scored on their knowledge of Crohn disease and colitis and their information needs were assessed in the questionnaire. Patients with Crohn disease obtained a higher mean knowledge score than patients with colitis. The patients with Crohn disease had significantly higher scores about complications than patients with colitis. The patients with Crohn disease showed significantly higher mean scores relating to the patients' information needs than patients with colitis. The favorite topics of information needed were disease, medication, and diagnosis/operations. The patients with Crohn disease wanted more information than patients with colitis about medications used for treatment, daily life, and pregnancy. The effectiveness of the training and education given to patients can be maximized in this education system when the information about disease and medications for Crohn disease patients or information about disease and diet for colitis patients is primarily provided according to the degree of the patients' need for information.

Associations between overuse of the internet and mental health in adolescents.

This study examined the factors influencing internet addiction levels and mental health in a nationally-representative sample of 74,980 Korean middle- and high-school students who completed the 2010 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey. The prevalence rates of potential internet addiction and internet addiction were 14.8% and 3%, respectively. The odds ratios for potential internet addiction were higher in both boys and girls who reported suicidal ideation, depressive mood, moderate or higher subjective stress, moderate or more happiness, or ever having engaged in problematic substance use. Adolescents at high risk for internet addiction had poor mental health outcomes. The findings indicate the need for measures to prevent and manage internet addiction in adolescents that consider the severity of factors related to internet addiction.

Bowel dysfunction and lower urinary tract symptoms on quality of life after sphincter-preserving surgery for rectal cancer: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the impact of bowel dysfunction and lower urinary tract symptoms on the quality of patients with rectal cancer who underwent sphincter-preserving surgery. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included patients who were followed up after sphincter-preserving surgery in Korea. Data were collected from May 2022 to February 2023. The participants (n = 110) responded to self-reported questionnaires assessing the Low Anterior Resection Syndrome (LARS) score, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 and QLQ-C29 questionnaires. RESULTS: Among the participants, 66.4% had major low anterior resection syndrome, and 39.1% had moderate-to-severe lower urinary tract symptoms. Patients with higher severity of low anterior resection syndrome and lower urinary tract symptoms had a lower quality of life. The IPSS, performance status, duration since the end of the surgery, comorbidities, LARS scores, and tumor location on the anal verge negatively affected the quality of life. CONCLUSION: Patients with more severe bowel dysfunction or lower urinary tract symptoms have a poorer quality of life. Nurses should be made aware of the factors that can reduce the quality of life of patients who have undergone sphincter-preserving surgery. Accordingly, they should plan to address the various nursing problems.

Development of SSR markers by next-generation sequencing of Korean landraces of chamoe (Cucumis melo var. makuwa).

The oriental melon (Cucumis melo var. makuwa), called 'chamoe' in Korean, is a popular fruit crop cultivated mainly in Asia and a high-market value crop in Korea. To provide molecular breeding resources for chamoe, we developed and characterized genomic SSR markers from the preliminary Illumina read assemblies of Gotgam chamoe (one of the major landraces; KM) and SW3 (the breeding parent). Mononucleotide motifs were the most abundant type of markers, followed by di-, tri-, tetra-, and pentanucleotide motifs. The most abundant dinucleotide was AT, followed by AG and AC, and AAT was the most abundant trinucleotide motif in both assemblies. Following our SSR-marker development strategy, we designed a total of 370 primer sets. Of these, 236 primer sets were tested, exhibiting 93 % polymorphism between KM and SW3. Those polymorphic SSRs were successfully amplified in the netted and Kirkagac melons, which respectively exhibited 81 and 76 % polymorphism relative to KM, and 32 and 38 % polymorphism relative to SW3. Seven selected SSR markers with a total of 17 alleles (2-3 alleles per locus) were used to distinguish between KM, SW3, and four chamoe cultivars. Our results represent the first attempt to provide genomic resources for Korean landraces for the purposes of chamoe breeding, as well as to discover a set of SSR markers capable of discriminating chamoe varieties from Korea and the rest of Asia, which possess little genetic diversity. This study establishes a highly efficient strategy for developing SSR markers from preliminary Illumina assemblies of AT-rich genomes.

Changed Digital Technology Perceptions and Influencing Factors among Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This correlational study aimed to identify factors that contribute to changes in perceptions of digital technology among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study utilized raw data from "The 2021 Report on the Digital Divide," a nationwide survey conducted in South Korea. Data were collected from 1171 older adults (aged ≥ 65 years) from September to December 2021. Multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the factors influencing changes in the perception of digital technology. Over one-third of the participants reported positive changes in their perceptions of digital technology during the pandemic. Key factors included self-efficacy for digital devices (ß = 0.35, p < 0.001), digital networking (ß = 0.11, p < 0.001), accessibility to digital devices (ß = 0.10, p = 0.002), and perceived health (ß = 0.08, p = 0.003). The expansion of digital technology owing to the pandemic has served as a catalyst for changes in older adults' perceptions. Healthcare providers and caregivers should consider digital technology perceptions and influencing factors when providing digital healthcare services. The results can be utilized to identify vulnerable older adults with negative perceptions of digital technology, thus minimizing disparities in access to digital healthcare services.

"Untold and unexpected clinical practice stress," nursing students' experience of disgust: A phenomenological approach.

BACKGROUND: In the clinical learning environment, nursing students often face situations that cause physical disgust. Previous studies have shown that more than half of the students experienced disgust, and that high disgust sensitivity in students was related to negative results in terms of academic and caring behavior. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to understand the experience of disgust felt by nursing students in a clinical learning environment. DESIGN: A qualitative study using phenomenological method. METHODS: In-depth, one-on-one interviews were conducted with 18 nursing students at a university in South Korea. The data obtained through the interviews were used to explore the essential structure and meaning of disgust using phenomenological analysis. RESULTS: This study derived four categories, nine theme clusters, and twenty-one themes. The four categories were "fear that stimulates the senses," "untold and unexpected clinical practice stress," "ambivalence towards myself and patients," and "struggling to become a nursing professional." CONCLUSIONS: Nurse educators must be aware that nursing students may feel disgust in clinical settings and are therefore under stress. They must also assist students so that their concerns caused by emotions that they cannot easily reveal do not affect their nursing careers.

Effects of self-management education on COVID-19 prevention in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Aim: To develop self-management education for preventing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients on hemodialysis and to verify its effects. Background: During the current pandemic, studies on various areas, such as infection control in dialysis units, infection rates, clinical characteristics, treatment progress, and the emotional and psychological states of dialysis patients, have been actively reported. However, experimental research verifying the effects of interventions on infection prevention in hemodialysis patients is very rare. Methods: This study included 34 patients on hemodialysis in a South Korean general hospital (18 in the experimental group and 16 in the control group). Data were collected from September to October 2021. The experimental group was provided with self-care behavior for infection prevention education for 8 weeks, and the control group was provided with usual nursing care. Results: The patients on hemodialysis showed moderate fear of COVID-19, good compliance with patient role behavior and self-management efficacy, and poor handwashing practice. After the intervention, there were no significant differences concerning fear of COVID-19, compliance with patient role behavior, and self-management efficacy between the experimental and control groups. However, confidence in handwashing (subjective norm) and proper handwashing practice improved significantly in the experimental group compared with the control group. Conclusion: The infection prevention education developed in this study positively affected confidence in handwashing and proper handwashing practice in patients undergoing hemodialysis. This intervention can be used in various clinical settings where care is provided for patients with chronic illness, including those on hemodialysis.

Perceived Eye-Related Symptoms and Influencing Factors in Hospital Nurses.

Nurses are at risk of eye discomfort due to the increasing use of visual display terminals and wearing masks, which may worsen eye-related symptoms. This study was conducted in South Korea to identify the factors influencing eye-related symptoms among hospital nurses on/off duty. The study included 154 nurses who completed a self-reported questionnaire that assessed demographic characteristics, perceived health status, dry-eye symptoms, occupational stress, and eye-related symptoms. The results showed that nurses complained of more eye-related symptoms on duty than off duty, with female sex and dry-eye symptoms being the factors influencing eye-related symptoms on duty. On the other hand, computer use time (≥4 h) and dry-eye symptoms were the factors influencing eye-related symptoms off duty. The study suggests that assessing dry-eye symptoms can facilitate early interventions to relieve eye-related symptoms in hospital nurses, and they should pay attention to eye health during working hours as well as off hours.

Quiet quitting among healthcare professionals in hospital environments: a concept analysis and scoping review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: The post-COVID-19 pandemic era has seen a rise in 'quiet quitting', with employees limiting their efforts to fulfil assigned tasks without going beyond their designated responsibilities. The occurrence of quiet quitting in hospitals can have detrimental effects not only on organisational culture but also on patient safety and satisfaction. Therefore, the aim of this study is to define quiet quitting among healthcare professionals in hospitals through concept analysis, identify the associated factors and outcomes of quiet quitting, and conduct a scoping review based on this defined concept. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study will adopt Walker and Avant method for concept analysis and Aromataris and Munn methodological framework as well as the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewer's manual for scoping reviews. The concept analysis will follow eight steps: (1) choosing the concept; (2) outlining the objectives of the analysis; (3) recognising the concept's uses; (4) selecting the concept's defining attributes; (5) constructing a model case; (6) constructing additional cases; (7) defining the consequences and antecedents of the concept; and (8) determining empirical referents. This study used databases of PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global for the English language, and NDSL, KCI, RISS, KISS and DBpia for the Korean language. Additionally, grey literature will be searched. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This concept analysis and scoping review does not require ethical approval. The results of this study will be reported in peer-reviewed publications.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Depression in Patients with Rheumatic Disease in South Korea during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study aimed to examine the prevalence and risk factors of depression among patients with rheumatic diseases (RDs) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study adopted a cross-sectional design, and 160 outpatients with RDs in one university hospital in South Korea were sampled using the convenience sampling method. Data were collected from May to July 2021 using a structured questionnaire. The risk factors of depression were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analyses. The prevalence rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), insomnia, and depression were 37.5%, 20.0%, and 24.4%, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analyses confirmed that employment status, monthly income, perceived health, PTSD, and insomnia were significant risk factors of depression. The findings highlight the urgent need to assist patients with RDs who are at risk of depression during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially individuals who are unemployed or have low incomes and poor perceived health, individuals with high PTSD, and individuals with severe insomnia. There is a need to provide disease-specific interventions to effectively alleviate depression among these individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.