Educational interventions for improving nursing shift handovers: A systematic review.

Aim: This study analyzed the components of educational interventions for handovers among nursing students and nurses.

Background: A handover is a communication process that occurs when patient care responsibilities and rights are transferred from one nurse to another. This process is important in nursing to ensure the continuity of nursing care and patient safety.

Factors Affecting Diet-Related Quality of Life Among Hemodialysis Patients According to Age-group.

This study identified factors influencing diet-related quality of life (QoL) among hemodialysis patients by age. In a cross-sectional correlational study in South Korea, 175 participants from two age groups-20-59 years and 60 years and above-completed self-report questionnaires assessing demographic and health-related characteristics, eating status, subjective health status, disease-related factors, dietary knowledge, and xerostomia severity. Findings indicated that the predictors of diet-related QoL included subjective health status and regular eating status (20-59 years) and self-efficacy, attitude toward hydration behaviors, and exercise (60 years and above).

Mobile-Application-Based Interventions for Patients With Hypertension and Ischemic Heart Disease: A Systematic Review.

Background: Hypertension and ischemic heart disease are major causes of adult mortality. Related interventions to manage these conditions are important to implement during long, symptom-free periods. The recent proliferation of smartphones has spawned numerous health interventions that rely on mobile applications.

Ultrasmall SnS Quantum Dots Anchored onto Nitrogen-Enriched Carbon Nanospheres as an Advanced Anode Material for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Structural pulverization of metal chalcogenides such as Sn-based compounds is a serious issue for development of high-performance anode materials and results in serious capacity fading during continuous charge and discharge cycles. In this work, we synthesize ultrasmall SnS quantum dots (QDs) anchored onto nitrogen-enriched carbon (NC) nanospheres through facile hydrothermal and carbonization processes to prepare a progressive anode material for sodium-ion batteries. The optimized SnS QDs@NC electrode delivered an initial discharge capacity of 281 mAh g at 100 mA g and exhibited excellent cycling stability with a capacity retention of 75% after 500 cycles at a high current density of 1000 mA g.

Factors Associated With Blood Pressure Classification in Korean University Students: A Descriptive Survey.

Background: The prevalence of hypertension in young adults has increased. Hypertension is known to be a leading contributor to many diseases.

Purpose: The study aimed to identify factors influencing blood pressure (BP) classification in university students and to establish a basis for the prevention and management of hypertension in young adults.

Systematic Review of Behavioral Therapy to Improve Swallowing Functions of Patients With Parkinson's Disease.

Decreased swallowing function is a common and main cause of malnutrition and aspiration pneumonia in patients with Parkinson's disease. The aims of this systematic review were to summarize and qualitatively analyze the studies that have been published on behavioral therapies for improving swallowing functions in patients with Parkinson's disease. Studies published from January 2000 to December 2015 were identified via electronic database searches using Ovid-MEDLINE, Ovid-EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and 8 Korean databases.

Factors influencing blood pressure classification for adults: Gender differences.

Aim: Hypertension is a common condition contributing to many diseases. Factors influencing blood pressure (BP) classification for adults have changed over time. This study aimed to identify factors influencing BP classification according to gender.

Effects of a Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Program on Activity Levels, Stress, Body Size, and Sleep in Sedentary Korean College Students.

This study examined the effects of a physical activity and sedentary behavior program on physical activity, sedentary behavior, stress, body size, and sleep in 63 Korean college students. This study used a quasiexperimental approach with a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The results showed that the program increased physical activity and step counts and reduced sedentary behavior, waist circumference, and stress levels.

Sex differences in social cognitive factors and physical activity in Korean college students.

[Purpose] This study examined sex differences in physical activity and social cognitive theory factors in Korean college students. [Subjects and Methods] A cross-sectional survey of 688 college students (285 men and 403 women) in Korea was conducted using a self-reported questionnaire. [Results] There was a significant difference in the level of physical activity between male and female students.

Factors influencing BMI classifications of Korean adults.

[Purpose] This study aimed to identify factors influencing the BMI classifications of 3,583 Korean adults using data from the fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. [Subjects and Methods] Measures included lifestyle factors, physiologic factors, perceived health state, stress, subjective body recognition, health-related quality of life, and weight control behavior. [Results] Body perception scores were lower with underweight and higher with overweight and obesity than with a healthy weight.

Factors influencing the adaptation to skilled nursing facilities among older Korean adults.

This study was conducted to identify the factors that influence the level of adaptation of older Korean adults to skilled nursing facilities. The subjects were 500 adults aged 65 or older who were living in six different skilled nursing facilities in Seoul and Gyeong-gi-do, South Korea. The measures were a demographic form, Health Self-Rating Scale, Activities of Daily Living Scale, Self-Efficacy Instrument, Korean Simple Depression Scale, Quality of the Facility Scale and Facility Adaptation Scale.

NSAID is inversely associated with asymptomatic gastric ulcer: local health examination data from the Korean National Health Insurance Corporation.

BACKGROUND. Silent peptic ulcer has been considered to be associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). The recent studies have reported no relationship between them.

Is esophagogastroduodenoscopy necessary in patients with positive fecal occult blood tests and negative colonoscopy?

Background: False positives of fecal occult blood tests (FOBT) regarding colorectal cancer detection are common. The aim was to investigate the upper gastrointestinal (GI) condition confirmed by endoscopy in positive FOBT patients without advanced colorectal neoplasia, hemorrhoid, or colitis.

Methods: The authors reviewed the collective data of 340 positive FOBT patients who underwent both esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy from January 2005 to October 2011.

Which should go first during same-day upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy? A randomized prospective study focusing on colonoscopy performance.

Background: Same-day bidirectional endoscopy is commonly performed in clinical practice. However, the optimal sequence of procedures for same-day bidirectional endoscopy has not been established. The purpose of this study was to compare colonoscopy performance and quality between patients who underwent colonoscopy before or after esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD).

[Effects of a home-based exercise program for patients with stomach cancer receiving oral chemotherapy after surgery].

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of a home based exercise program for patients with stomach cancer who were undergoing oral chemotherapy.

Methods: The home-based exercise program was developed from the study findings of Winningham (1990) and data from the Korea Athletic Promotion Association (2007). The home-based exercise program consisted of 8 weeks of individual exercise education and exercise adherence strategy.

Factors associated with the overuse or underuse of health care services among medical aid beneficiaries in Korea.

Purpose: To compare and contrast demographic characteristics and health care service utilization between overusers and underusers of health care services and to identify factors associated with the overuse or underuse of health care services among the medical aid beneficiaries in Korea.

Methods: Secondary data analysis was performed using health care costs and medical aid case management progress data. Data on demographic characteristics, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and inappropriate health care service user category (overuse or underuse) were provided by the Medical-Aid Case Management Center of Korea, and heath care service reimbursement data were provided by the Korea National Health Insurance Corporation (NHIC).

[Factors influencing sleep of elderly women].

Purpose: The study was done to identify factors influencing the sleep of elderly women.

Methods: Data were collected by questionnaires from 203 elderly women in Seoul and Gyeong-gi province. Measures were physical health state, family support, life satisfaction, sleep, depression, and quality of life.

[Influencing factors for fatigue in cancer patients].

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify degrees of fatigue and influencing factors for fatigue in cancer patients.

Method: Data was collected by questionnaires from 115 cancer patients at 3 hospitals in Seoul. The research instruments utilized in this study were fatigue, physical symptoms, depression, family support, and health promoting behaviors.

Assessment of lymph node metastases using 18F-FDG PET in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of (18)F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) with respect to lymph node (LN) metastasis in patients with advanced gastric cancer, and to ascertain the factors that affect this accuracy.

Methods: Seventy-three patients with advanced gastric cancer, verified in all cases by endoscopic biopsy, were enrolled in this prospective study. We conducted FDG PET and other routine preoperative studies, including abdominal computed tomography (CT).

Weekly docetaxel in combination with capecitabine in patients with metastatic gastric cancer.

Docetaxel (T) and capecitabine (X) are active agents against gastric cancer with synergistic antitumor effects. We conducted the current phase II study to assess the response rate and toxicity of combination TX regimen in patients with metastatic gastric cancer. Eligible patients were treated with docetaxel (36 mg/m2 intravenously) on days 1 and 8 and capecitabine (1000 mg/m2 orally twice a day) on days 1-14 of a 3-week schedule until progression occurred.

Weekly irinotecan in patients with metastatic gastric cancer failing cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

Background: The goal of this study is to determine the efficacy and toxicity of weekly irinotecan as second-line chemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer after failure of cisplatin-based regimen.

Methods: Gastric cancer patients failing cisplatin-based chemotherapy received 125 mg/m(2) of irinotecan weekly for 4 weeks followed by 2-week rest, until disease progression.

Results: Thirty-seven patients were enrolled into this study.