Salt Preference and Sodium Intake among Pregnant Women.

PURPOSE: This study was to estimate salt preference and sodium intake of pregnant women, and identify the relationship between salt preference and sodium intake. METHODS: Research design was a cross sectional correlational survey with 197 pregnant women who visited outpatient clinics for antenatal care. The sodium intake levels were estimated by the amounts of sodium intake using the 24-hour recall method and sodium concentration in spot urine. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA and Pearson's correlation. RESULTS: Sodium intake using 24-hour recall method was 3,504±1,359 mg. Sodium intake levels had statistically significant differences depending on income. The average amount of sodium in spot urine was 2,882±878mg/day. Sodium excretion levels had statistically significant differences depending on whether participants had preexisting hypertension in their family history and Body Mass Index (BMI) pre-conception. Salt preference was 62.61±20.96 out of 180 points. Salt preference had significant differences depending on income, parity, gestational age, BMI pre-conception and showed negative correlation with sodium quantity in spot urine. CONCLUSION: Sodium intake in pregnant women recommended by World Health Organization recommended is 175%. Salt preference was not significantly different between sodium intake levels, however it was negatively correlated with sodium quantity in spot urine among pregnant women.

[Gender difference in osteoporosis prevalence, awareness and treatment: based on the Korea national health and nutrition examination survey 2008~2011].

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to assess and identify gender differences in factors associated with prevalence, awareness, and treatment of osteoporosis. METHODS: Data for 3,071 men and 3,635 women (age ≥ 50) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008~2011 were included. Osteoporosis was defined by World Health Organization T-score criteria. Impact factors and odds ratios were analysed by gender using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Osteoporosis prevalence rates were 7.0% in men and 40.1% in women. Osteopenia rates were 45.5% and 46.0% respectively. Among respondents with osteoporosis, 7.6% men and 37.8% women were aware of their diagnosis. Also 5.7% men with osteoporosis and 22.8% women were treated. Higher prevalence was found among respondents who were older, at lower socioeconomic levels, with lower body mass index and shorter height in both genders, and among women with fracture history, and non-hormonal replacement therapy. Awareness and treatment rates for the risk groups were similar compared to the low risk controls for both genders. Fracture history increased awareness and treatment rates independently for both genders. Women with perceived poor health status and health screening had increased awareness and treatment rates, but not men. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that postmenopausal women have a higher prevalence of osteoporosis than men and awareness and treatment rates were higher than for men. Despite gender difference in prevalence, osteoporosis was underdiagnosed and undertreated for both genders. Specialized public education and routine health screenings according to gender could be effective strategies to increase osteoporosis awareness and treatment.

Gender Differences in Awareness of Preconception Care and Pregnancy.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to identify awareness levels in regard to preconception care and gender differences targeting single undergraduate students in their 20s. METHODS: The study participants were 867 single undergraduate students aged 20~29 (523 women, 344 men). This was a descriptive research, in which awareness levels of preconception care and pregnancy were identified the through questionnaire surveys. RESULTS: Gender differences in the awareness of reproductive care before conception were found. Generally, women's awareness of issues related to preconception care and pregnancy was higher than that of men. Women recognized risk factors in pregnancy (chi2=22.85, p<.001) and positive behaviors (chi2=10.91, p = .012) better than men. Women's awareness of preconception care was significantly higher than that of men (t=8.37, p<.001). The awareness levels of the students who completed a reproduction related class (t=3.16, p = .002) and the students who knew about folic acid (t=-10.78, p<.001) in preconception care were statistically significantly higher. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the ways to educate and alert students to major risk factors before pregnancy and other reproductive care content before conception is to provide education both single women and single men.

The effect of salt usage behavior on sodium intake and excretion among Korean women.

This study was done to explore the effect of Korean women's salt usage behavior on their sodium intake and excretion according to aging. Dietary sodium intake and salt usage behavior were analyzed to compare the difference between young and middle-aged women. One hundred fifty six young women and 77 middle-aged women without hypertension or any current medication were recruited. Body mass index, waist hip ratio, blood pressure were measured from each subject. Salt usage behaviors were surveyed with questionnaire, sodium intake with 24-hr recall method, and sodium excretion with spot urine. Middle-aged women were more obese than young women according to body mass index and waist hip ratio. Blood pressure was significantly higher for the middle-aged. Young women consumed more fats and middle-aged women more carbohydrates. Middle-aged women consumed more sodium and potassium, and excreted more sodium. Among questionnaire items, kimchi, soup or pot stew, or salted vegetables were found to be related with high sodium diet. Salted vegetables and salted nuts and potato chips were significantly correlated with young women's high sodium diet, while soy sauce on fried food, kimchi, salted vegetables accounted for middle-aged women's high sodium diet. With these results, we concluded that middle-aged women consumed more carbohydrates, less fat, and more sodium and potassium than young women. Middle-aged women frequently choose kimchi, soup or pot stew, or salted vegetables, and they contribute to high sodium intake. We recommend to choose low-salt kimchi, less soup or pot stew, and more fresh vegetables for lower sodium diet.

Attitude and Awareness of Nurses About Rooming-in System.

PURPOSE: This study was done to examine the attitude and awareness of nurses about rooming-in for new mothers and their infants. METHODS: Data were collected from 462 nurses from 40 hospitals from August 10 to September 20, 2008 using a questionnaire, and the collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA. RESULTS: The mean score for attitude and awareness of nurses about rooming-in was 3.02 (range=2.13~3.80), which indicates that the nurses had positive opinions of the system. The factors with the highest and lowest scores were awareness of a successful implementation method (mean=3.35) and awareness of the advantages and disadvantages of the system (mean=2.73), respectively. The attitude and awareness of nurses about rooming-in differed significantly with age, religion, education level, parity, type of hospital, hospital nurse staffing grade (bed-to-nurse ratio), and presence of a rooming-in system. CONCLUSION: This results of the study show that attitudes and awareness of nurses to rooming-in differed significantly according to personal factors (age, parity, religion, educational level) and work characteristics (hospital type, hospital nurse staffing grade, presence of rooming-in system). These findings can be used as basic data in determining optimal strategies for a system of rooming-in in the future.

[Educational issues and strategies to improve APN education].

PURPOSE: This study was aimed at exploring the current status of graduate programs for an advanced practice nurse(APN) to recommend future directions of APN education. METHODS: A total of 142 students enrolled in seven APN specialty programs, 67 professors who were involved in APN education, and nine nurse administrators participated in the study. Data was collected by questionnaires and focus group interviews. RESULTS: The current definition of APN was found not to be specific enough to represent expected roles of APN in regards to knowledge, attitudes, roles, and skills. Standard curricula employed regardless of the area of APN specialty, lack of qualified clinical practice settings, as well as prepared instructors were found to be problematic. CONCLUSION: The following needs to be addressed: 1. redefining of APN roles, 2. tailoring specialty areas of APN, 3. consolidating educational programs, and 4. ensuring APN role models and faculty. Suggesting a CNS role in Korean APN, areas of APN should be rearranged to clarify their roles and educational programs need to be further developed to meet the expectations and quality of APNs. It is necessary to ensure APN's employment in the health care system by laws and policies to perform advanced nursing roles.

[Analysis of review contents of the submitted papers in Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing--focus: the submitted papers in 2003].

PURPOSE: The objective of the study is to analyze the review contents of reviewers for the submitted papers in the Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing in 2003. METHOD: The review contents of the 165 papers were selected 217 papers that were submitted in 2003. Among those 165 papers, the 21 papers belonged to the 'Do not publish' list and 17 papers, 'Revise manuscript and resubmit', list and the 94 papers, 'Publish if revisions are made' list. There are more than two level differences among the four levels of decision in acceptance of publication in 33 papers. RESULTS: The analysis of the review contents for the papers were suggested according to review categories : introduction, method, results, discussion and conclusion. In addition, if papers had more than two levels of review they were rated poor accord or inconsistent. CONCLUSION: For the quality of the academic journal and development of the nursing science, it is important to disseminate and publish the research paper. Therefore, review of the submitted paper is also important. Implications for the profitable review were suggested in the study.

[Coincidence analysis of keywords of the Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing with MeSH].

PURPOSE: We try to disclose how much the keywords of the papers from the Journal of the Korean Academy of Nursing coincide with MeSH terminologies and to understand the major subjects of the recent nursing research in Korea from keywords. METHODS: Keywords of journals were extracted and compared with MeSH terms. The frequency of the appearance of each keyword was sorted by a descending order. RESULTS: Coincidence rate of 1,235 keywords with MeSH terms was 51.6%. Out of them, depression, elderly, stress, self efficacy, quality of life, exercise, middle-aged women, and women appeared most frequently in descending order. CONCLUSION: Coincidence rate of the keywords with MeSH terms was at an acceptable level, however to improve it, the education of submitters and editorial board members are required, as well as the copy editor, to take a role in checking keywords. To infer the subjects of the research from keywords might well represent the recent topics of research work.