Effect of near-infrared rays on female menstrual pain in Korea.

Most Korean women who experience menstrual pain have reported taking pain medicine and making use of complementary alternative therapies. However, because some interventions may cause side effects, more effective pain-relieving measures need to be identified. This study using a non-equivalent group design, evaluated the effects of near-infrared rays on dysmenorrhea among Korean women. The experimental group wore a near-infrared ray abdominal belt for the duration of one menstrual cycle until the end of the menstrual period, while the control group used hot packs. The level of menstrual pain, menstrual pain duration, and pain medicine use were measured. The menstrual pain, average menstrual pain duration, and use of analgesics were reduced in the near-infrared rays group. The results of this study indicate that the near-infrared ray LED belt was effective in reducing menstrual pain, menstrual pain duration compared to the use of analgesics in Korean women with dysmenorrhea. Therefore, near-infrared rays may be used to relieve menstrual pain and improve the quality of life of women with dysmenorrhea in Korea.

Knowledge about dementia in South Korean nursing students: a cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: The number of individuals with dementia is increasing substantially due to South Korea's rapidly aging society. Undergraduate nursing students need to have adequate knowledge about dementia to deliver appropriate nursing services. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge about dementia among undergraduate nursing students. METHODS: A total of 148 students ranging from freshmen to seniors at a nursing university participated in this study. Data were collected through self-reports using 12-item questionnaires with true/false responses. Knowledge levels about the general characteristics including demographic categories and dementia- related education and training were determined. Factors affecting the score of dementia knowledge were also investigated. RESULTS: The average score and standard deviation for knowledge about dementia were 10.26 and 1.24 out of 12 points. They had relatively low knowledge about the "prevention and treatment" and "causes" of dementia, with overall correct rate of 78.6 % and 85.4 %, respectively. Higher level of knowledge about dementia was associated with increase in grade level (p < 0.001), experience in education on dementia (p = 0.01), previous experience in caring for people with dementia during clinical practice (p < 0.001), and acquiring information on dementia (p = 0.02). Factors that influenced knowledge about dementia included grade level and experience in caring for dementia patients during clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the level of knowledge about dementia among nursing students was reasonably good. Integrating dementia education and clinical experience into the curricula of undergraduates could improve knowledge about the causes, prevention, and treatment methods for dementia.

Transcultural adaptation and validity of the nurse professional competence scale Korean version for graduating nursing students: An explanatory factor analysis.

AIM: The study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the short-form Nurse Professional Competence Scale-Korean version (NPC-K) among Korean nursing students at the point of graduation. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional survey. METHODS: The Nurse Professional Competence scale was translated into Korean using the World Health Organization (WHO) translation method. A total of 195 graduating nursing students participated. Exploratory factor analysis for validity and Cronbach's alpha coefficients for reliability were examined. RESULTS: Factor analysis showed that five NPC-K factors accounted for 68.38% of the total variance. Cronbach's alpha for the total scale was 0.97. The NPC-K has high internal reliability and acceptable construct validity. The content of the scale reflected nursing students' confidence in formal competence requirements based on Korean cultural and educational backgrounds. An accurate assessment of nurse professional competence using the NPC-K may help nursing academics enhance the quality of education and training.

Association of Contraceptive Knowledge, Sexual Double Standard and Contraceptive Self-Efficacy among Unmarried Women in Their 30s and 40s.

PURPOSE: To determine association of contraceptive knowledge, sexual double standard, and contraceptive self-efficacy among unmarried women in their 30s and 40s. METHODS: With a survey design, data were collected from 119 unmarried women in their 30s and 40s in G city of Korea from September 2017 to March 2018. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffé test, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: Contraceptive knowledge, sexual double standard, and contraceptive self-efficacy scores of participants were 8.97±2.22, 18.54±5.57, and 45.84 ± 6.90, respectively. Contraceptive self-efficacy was negatively correlated with sexual double standard. Factors influencing contraceptive self-efficacy were sexual double standard (ß =-.26, p=.003), existence of boyfriend (ß=.25, p=.004), and contraceptive education need for adults (ß=.17, p=.044). They explained 19% of contraceptive self-efficacy of participants. CONCLUSION: To increase contraceptive self-efficacy of unmarried women in their 30s and 40s, lowering sexual double standard and developing customized contraceptive education according to age and knowledge level are needed. Research on factors related to contraceptive self-efficacy of unmarried women in their 30s and 40s from various regions are also needed in the future.

[Evaluation of cognitive functions, depression, life satisfaction among the elderly receiving visiting nursing services].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine cognitive functions, depression, and life satisfaction among the elderly receiving visiting nursing services. METHODS: The subjects of this study consisted of 221 elderly individuals who were receiving visiting nursing services from a public health center located in Gyeonggi-do. The Mini-mental State Examination Korea version (MMSE-K), Geriatric Depression Scale-short form-Korea version (GDS-K), and Life Satisfaction Scale were utilized to determine cognitive functions, depression, and life satisfaction. Collected data was analyzed by the SPSS PC Win 12.0 program. RESULTS: The prevalence of cognitive impairment (MMSE-K or= 10) was 22.6%. Older age, lower education, and low income were associated with cognitive impairment, and low education, no religion, and low income were associated with depression. Cognitive function negatively correlated with depression. Life satisfaction level was fairly low and was not associated with any variables. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of cognitive impairment and low life satisfaction status were determined among low-income elderly who were registered at a visiting health care center. Thus, in the future at visiting health care services, efficient and various programs for the elderly should be tried, to improve cognitive functions and reduce depression. Additionally, consistent evaluation studies for those programs will be required.

[The relationship between eating disorders and parent-adolescent communication in middle school students in rural areas].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between eating disorders and parent-adolescent communication in middle school students. METHOD: There were 267 adolescents taken as participants from two middle schools in rural areas. Data were collected from June to July 2005, using the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 questionnaire (23 items) and Parent-Adolescent Communication Inventory (10 items for open family communication, 10 items for problem in family communication). The SPSS Win version 12.0 was used for descriptive analysis, t-test, and partial correlation coefficient. RESULT: The mean score on the eating disorder was 2.74 (range: 1-6). Meanwhile, the mean scores on the parent-adolescent communication was 3.37 (range: 1-5). There were significant differences in eating disorders according to gender, age, negative perception of the participant's body weight, family's perception of obesity, diet experiences, and BMI. Eating disorders showed a significant negative correlation with parent-adolescent communication. CONCLUSION: In this study, there was a significant negative correlation between eating disorders and parent-adolescent communication. In order to prevent an eating disorder, education and training to enhance communication skills should be provided to adolescents and their parents as well.

The Psychometric Validation of the EPDS-K Among Korean Women: Does It Only Measure Depressive Symptoms?

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to test the validity of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale-Korean (EPDS-K) and compare the specified models (one-, two-, three-factor model, and a model in the current study) in pregnant, first-trimester Korean women. DESIGN AND METHODS: The study consisted of two groups of 100 first-trimester Korean women recruited from maternity clinics in Korea. FINDINGS: The results show that the EPDS-K has depression, anxiety, and anhedonia factors, and that the validity of the EPDS-K with Korean women is questionable. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Healthcare providers should test the psychometric properties of tools for screening accuracy, clinical decision-making, and understanding of a phenomenon within different cultural settings.

Different psychometric properties of the Emotional Reaction Instrument-English (ERI-E) between hospitalized African American and Caucasian children.

PURPOSE: To demonstrate the psychometric properties of the Emotional Reactions Instrument-English (ERI-E) between hospitalized African American and Caucasian children aged 7-12 years. DESIGN AND METHOD: A methodological study was conducted to examine validity and reliability of the ERI-E with 230 hospitalized African American and Caucasian children. Data were collected with sociodemographic and clinical forms, and using the ERI-E, and the Facial Affective Scale (FAS). RESULTS: Different factor structures were found between hospitalized African American and Caucasian children. In psychometric testing of the ERI-E with African American children, four items, alone, lonely, shy, and bored, were removed from the original 16-item ERI-E after exploratory factor analysis. Three factors, including Fear, Anxiety, and Distress, were identified explaining 60.71% of the total variance. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the revised 12-item scale was 0.85. Six items, happy, sad, afraid, frightened, hurt, and uncomfortable, in the ERI-E were significantly correlated with the FAS (r = 0.20-0.59) as evidence of concurrent validity. In the sample with hospitalized Caucasian children, two items, bored and uncomfortable, were eliminated from the original ERI-E after exploratory factor analysis. Four factors including Fear, Anxiety, Distress, and Loneliness were extracted with 62.61% of total variance. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the revised 14-item in the ERI-E was 0.84 for hospitalized Caucasian children. As evidence of concurrent validity, 10 items, happy, sad, afraid, frightened, bad, lonely, scary, bored, hurt, and uncomfortable, in the ERI-E were significantly correlated with the FAS (r = 0.20-0.69). PRACTICE IMPLICATION: Because children with different cultural backgrounds understand or use words differently, healthcare providers should assess the cultural norms of pediatric patients and ensure steps have been taken to ensure clear, effective communication with pediatric patients. In addition, healthcare providers should evaluate the meanings of faces in the FAS before using it in a clinical setting because faces have different cultural connotations. The explosive growth of ethnic minority children in the United States makes it paramount for healthcare providers and researchers to consider the measurement equivalence of any measure to better serve different racial and cultural groups.

[Influencing factors on HRQOL of physically disabled persons].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influencing factors on health-related quality of life of physically disabled persons. METHOD: Data was collected from 96 persons with a physical disability in three cities in Korea from June to September, 2003. Social support and depression were measured by a Social Support Questionnaire 6 (SSQ6) and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression questionnaire (CES-D). The Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale was used to measure self-esteem. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was measured using Smith Kline Beecham Quality of Life Scale (SBQOL). The SPSS WIN 11.0 version program was used for data analysis. RESULT: There were significant differences of HRQOL according to monthly income and economic status. All subjects had a high level of depression and low self-esteem. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study show that self-esteem and the size of the social support network are significant influencing variables on HRQOL in physically disabled persons. Nursing intervention and counseling programs which improve self-esteem and increase the size of a social support network are needed to promote HRQOL in physically disabled persons.

[Dependency, abuse, and depression by gender in widowed elderly].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dependency and abuse on depression according to gender in widowed elderly. METHOD: A convenient sample consisted of 246 widowed elderly who were more than 65 years old in four cities. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire from August to September, 2002. A dependency Scale developed by Ahn (1999) was used to measure the level of dependency. Emotional abuse and physical abuse were measured by 10 items for emotional abuse and 7 items for physical abuse selected out of the Conditions Scale of Elder Abuse. The level of depression was measured by the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). The SPSS WIN 11.0 version program was used for data analysis. RESULT: In male widowed elderly, dependency affected depression indirectly through emotional abuse. While in female widowed elderly, dependency affected depression directly and affected emotional abuse indirectly. CONCLUSION: The study showed that dependency was the most explainable variable on depression in widowed female elderly. Therefore, it dependency should be assessed first in nursing intervention to relieve depression of widowed elderly.

[Effects of aroma massage on pruritus, skin pH, skin hydration and sleep in elders in long-term care hospitals].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of aroma massage on pruritus, skin pH, skin hydration and sleep in elders in long-term care hospitals. METHODS: The participants were elders over 65 years old admitted to long-term care. They were assigned to the experimental group (26) or control group (28). Data were collected from May to August, 2012. Visual Analogue Scale and Verran and Snyder-Halpern Sleep scale were used to identify levels of pruritus and sleep. A skin-pH meter and moisture checker were used to measure skin pH and skin hydration. Aroma massage was performed three times a week for 4 weeks for elders in the experimental group. The data were analyzed using the SPSS Win 17.0 program. RESULTS: There were significant differences in pruritus, skin pH and skin hydration between the two groups. However there was no significant difference in sleep. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that aroma massage is effective in reducing pruritus, skin pH and increasing skin hydration in elders. Therefore, this intervention can be utilized in clinical practice as an effective nursing intervention to reduce pruritus in elders in long-term care hospitals.

Sexual life and self-esteem in married elderly.

The elderly population in South Korea is increasing. But traditionally in Korea, there is a tendency for the elderly to be cautious and sensitive to how their children view them, and younger generations tend to consider elderly sexuality to be a subject of taboo. Nevertheless, a person's sexual life is a general condition that affects the body, mental health and personality. Therefore, it is important to examine the relationship between the actual conditions of sexual life of elderly and self-esteem during old age. Sexual life was important for 38.5% of the research subjects and very important for 23.7%. Sexual partners were spouses for 93.4%. The self-esteem range was 20-38 with an average of 28.23. Those who were maintaining a sexual life had significantly higher self-esteem than those who were not (t=2.222, p=0.028). Those who felt very satisfied with their current sexual life had a significantly higher self-esteem than those who did not (F=2.824, p=0.028). The results show that it is important to have sexual life in late life. It will be necessary to develop and apply programs that will actively support elderly sexual life, as well as continue research in this area.

[Effects of frozen gauze with normal saline and ice on thirst and oral condition of laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients: pilot study].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of using gauze frozen with normal saline or ice on thirst-relief and oral condition of laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients. METHODS: A quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group, pretest-posttest design was used. Participants (n=53) received either gauze frozen with normal saline (n=17), ice (n=18) or wet gauze (n=18) for thirst-relief. The subjective thirst level and oral condition of the participants were assessed before the intervention, 15 min after the first intervention and 15 min after the second intervention. RESULTS: After oral care was provided twice, there were significant differences in thirst level among the groups. When oral care was provided twice, the oral condition of tongue, saliva, mucosal membrane, and gingiva was improved in patients receiving gauze frozen with normal saline or ice. CONCLUSION: Gauze frozen with normal saline and ice can be effective for oral care in reducing the thirst level and improving the condition of the oral cavity.

[Effects of self-foot reflexology on stress, fatigue and blood circulation in premenopausal middle-aged women].

PURPOSE: This study was to examine the effects of self-foot reflexology on stress, fatigue and blood circulation in premenopausal middle-aged women. METHODS: A quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group, pretest-posttest design was used. Participants were 59 premenopausal, middle-aged women in their 40s and 60s living in G city: 30 in the experiment group and 29 in the control group. Data were collected from May to August 2008. Self-foot reflexology was performed three times a week for 6 weeks for 40 min at each session. RESULTS: The results showed that self-foot reflexology was effective in reducing perceived stress and fatigue and helped blood circulation in premenopausal middle-aged women. CONCLUSION: Self-foot reflexology may be an effective nursing intervention in reducing perceived stress and fatigue and in improving blood circulation.