Psychometric Properties of the Korean Version of the Environmental Health Literacy Scale.

The environmental health literacy (EHL) scale evaluates media-specific and general EHL levels in three domains: knowledge, attitude, and behavior. This study aimed to adapt the EHL scale developed by Lichtveld et al. into the Korean language (K-EHL scale) and to verify its reliability and validity. Survey data was collected from 492 adults (19-65 years) residing in Korea. The study process included translation procedures, content validity verification, pre-testing, the actual survey, and statistical analysis for validation and selection of the final items. The scale-level content validity index was 0.92, and one item was removed. Multiple exploratory factor analyses condensed the K-EHL into 2 factors and 38 items. The "Environmental health knowledge and attitude" factor (14 items) measures information, feelings, and thoughts about environmental health. The "Environmental health behavior" factor (24 items) comprises behaviors responding to environmental health. A construct validity (criterion and discriminant validity) was verified using confirmatory factor analysis for goodness of fit (CFI = 0.901, TLI = 0.863, GFI = 0.923, NFI = 0.862, and RMSEA = 0.08). Internal consistency reliability test results showed a Cronbach's α of 0.81 for the total items. This study is the first to introduce the EHL in Korea, and it also presents a validated evaluation tool. The K-EHL is expected to elucidate EHL levels in Korea. In the future, the EHL scale can be enhanced using this tool.

Psychometric Properties of the Korean Version of the Nursing Profession Self-Efficacy Scale.

BACKGROUND: Self-efficacy in the nursing profession has been reported to have a positive effect on personal performance in terms of clinical performance and decision-making abilities, nursing performance, professional intuition, organizational commitment, and turnover intention. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to verify the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the Nursing Profession Self-Efficacy Scale (K-NPSES). METHODS: This methodological study used questionnaires collected from 307 nurses at medical institutions in South Korea. The content validity of the questionnaire was verified using the averaging method, whereas the criterion-related validity was evaluated by calculating the correlation with the Sherer General Self-Efficacy Scale. The construct validity was determined by analyzing the explanatory and confirmatory factors. Reliability was verified using Cronbach's α and test-retest by calculating intraclass correlation coefficients. RESULTS: The content validity index of the K-NPSES was found to be greater than .95, and the criterion-related validity was satisfactory (coefficient = .57, p < .001). The original Nursing Profession Self-Efficacy Scale has two subfactors, and the K-NPSES analyzed in this study has four subfactors. The data were appropriate for factor analysis using Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (.87) and Bartlett's sphericity test (χ2 = 1236.01, df = 137, p < .001). The model fit was acceptable (normed chi-square [χ2/df] = 2.22, root mean square residual = .05, root mean square error of approximation = .09, comparative fit index = .88, Tucker-Lewis index = .86, goodness-of-fit index = .83). Regarding reliability, Cronbach's α was .91 and the intraclass correlation coefficient was .78 (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The findings of this study confirmed the K-NPSES as having acceptable validity. In addition to predicting nursing clinical performance, a well-established nursing profession self-efficacy scale may be used to improve the quality of clinical nursing.

Web-based behavioral intervention to reduce exposure to phthalate metabolites, bisphenol A, triclosan, and parabens in mothers with young children: A randomized controlled trial.

In this study, a web-based behavioral intervention was designed, which aimed to reduce exposure to phthalate metabolites, bisphenol A, triclosan, and parabens in mothers with young children. A randomized controlled design with two groups was used to verify the effects of the intervention pre- and post-test. In total, 51 mothers participated in the study, categorizing 26 and 25 in the intervention and control groups, respectively. The web-based behavioral intervention focused on changes in diet, personal care products, and health behavior and reinforced behavior through encouragement. This program included an educational video, a game for locating endocrine disruptors at home, a method for locating facilities potentially emitting endocrine disruptors, resources, and a questions and answers mode. Data were collected from May 18 to June 30, 2020. Participants allocated to the intervention group were provided access to the behavioral intervention website via a computer or smartphone. Participants allocated to the control group were sent written information about endocrine disruptors via mail. For both the intervention and control groups, questionnaire results and maternal urine samples were assessed at baseline, during the intervention, and after one month. After the intervention, the urinary concentrations of mono (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), mono (2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP), bisphenol A (BPA), methylparaben (MP), ethylparaben (EP), and propylparaben (PP) were found to be significantly decreased in the intervention group. Compared with the control group, the intervention group showed significantly decreased urinary geometric mean values of MEHP, MEOHP, BPA, MP, and PP after one month compared with those during the intervention (3.8%, 16.3%, 28.4%, 9.2%, and 24.4%, respectively). Hence, the web-based behavioral intervention was effective at reducing the exposure to endocrine disruptors in mothers with young children.

Predictive Variables for Sonographically Guided Corticosteroid Injection in Mild-to-Moderate Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the predictive variables after sonographically guided corticosteroid injection in carpal tunnel syndrome. METHODS: A prospective, observational study was carried out on 25 wrists of 20 consecutive patients with carpal tunnel syndrome, confirmed by the American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine criteria, which includes clinical history, symptoms, and evidence of slowing of distal median nerve conduction. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) were asked to the patients before and 4 weeks after the procedure. On a basis of VAS difference before and after the procedure, we divided the patients into two groups: more than 50% of VAS improving (good response group) and less than 50% of VAS improving (poor response group). Also, nerve conduction studies and ultrasound evaluations were performed prior to sonographically guided corticosteroid injection and at 4 weeks after the procedure. The cross-sectional area (CSA) of median nerve at maximal swelling point around wrist was measured by manual tracing using ultrasonography. With assessments mentioned above, we tried to assess predictive variables for prognosis after sonographically guided corticosteroid injection in carpal tunnel syndrome. RESULTS: The CSA of median nerve at wrist measured before the procedure was significantly larger in good response group than in poor response group. Furthermore, the CSA of median nerve at wrist, symptom severity scale of BCTQ, motor/sensory latency and sensory amplitude were correlated with VAS improving. CONCLUSION: The CSA of median nerve at wrist is the strongest predictive value for sonographically guided corticosteroid injection in mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome.