Purpose
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effects of aromatherapy interventions on stroke symptoms in stroke patients.
Methods
This study adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Relevant studies published between 2004 and 2022 were searched in the PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, ERIC, and RISS databases. The review included randomized and non-randomized studies of stroke patients who received aromatherapy interventions targeting stroke symptoms. The extracted literature was evaluated via the ROB 2 and ROBINS-1 quality appraisal checklists and visualized using a risk-of-bias visualization tool.
Results
The review included five randomized controlled trials and five quasi-experimental studies. The results showed that aromatherapy, administered through massage, inhalation, acupressure, mouth care, and olfactory stimulation, was effective in alleviating pain, constipation, oral health, motor power, muscle strength, balance, fatigue, and sleep quality. Aromatherapy also demonstrated beneficial effects in reducing depression, stress, delirium, blood pressure, pulse rate, respiration rate, serum cortisol, and antioxidants, while enhancing happiness, body temperature, and quality of life. A meta-analysis of mean differences in post-test results revealed that three studies reported a significant effect on pain, with an effect size of 1.85 (95% CI, 0.18~3.51).
Conclusion
Aromatherapy had positive effects on physical, physiological, psychological, cognitive, and integrative health outcomes. We recommend the use of aromatherapy in stroke patients to improve pain relief and health outcomes.

Citations

• Traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine in the management of ischemic stroke: a narrative review
  S. Sowmiya, Rukaiah Fatma Begum, L. S. Dhivya, Praveen Rajendran, N. Harikrishnan, Ankul Singh S
  Frontiers in Pharmacology.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef

Purpose
This study explored tools to measure service experiences for families of older adults living in long-term care facilities, with the goal of suggesting directions for developing service experience measurement indicators for these families in the Korean context.
Methods
In this scoping review, English-language literature on the service experiences of families of older adults in long-term care facilities published in academic journals from January 1990 to December 2021 was reviewed. The CINAHL, Embase, and PubMed databases were searched. The review process involved identifying the research question; searching for relevant published studies; selecting studies; mapping the data; and collating, summarizing, and reporting the results. This method helped identify knowledge gaps, explore, and define key concepts, and obtain an overview of extant studies’ focus by determining the literature scope. Among 118 articles, seven were finally selected according to predetermined criteria.
Results
Through an analysis of the sub-factors of the tools used in the seven selected articles, the following themes were derived: environment, information and family member involvement, tailored care, respect, and responsive workforce. Concept definitions were clarified and examined.
Conclusion
Measuring the service experiences of families serving as surrogates for older adults who are in long-term care facilities and cannot express their opinions is essential for improving service quality. Developing a measurement tool for experiences of facility service experience that accurately reflects the perspectives of family members of older adults in these facilities in the Korean context is a pressing need given South Korea’s rapidly aging population.

Purpose
The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature on the effects of mobile health applications in older adults with dementia or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and to quantify the effect size of these interventions through meta-analysis.
Methods
A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted, with a total of seven databases searched on April 18, 2023. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Revised Cochrane Risk of Bias and the Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies of Interventions tools. Effect sizes were calculated using Hedges’ g within a random effects model, and subgroup analyses were also performed.
Results
A total of 10 studies were included in the systematic review, and six studies were included in the meta-analysis. Intervention groups exhibited a statistically significant improvement in cognitive function (Hedges’ g=0.33, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]=0.09~0.56, p=.007). Subgroup analyses revealed that older adults with MCI (Hedges’ g=0.41, 95% CI=0.12~0.69, p=.006) and interventions lasting more than 4 weeks (Hedges’ g=0.47, 95% CI=0.09~0.85, p=.016) demonstrated a significant cognitive improvement.
Conclusion
The results of this study indicate that mobile health applications may represent a suitable approach for improving cognitive function in older adults with MCI, emphasizing the need for at least a four-week intervention. These findings underscore the potential of mobile health interventions as a practical option for cognitive improvement in the early stages of cognitive decline.

Purpose
This study was conducted to develop a conceptual framework for understanding non-adherence to self-management among patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). This was accomplished through a literature review, in-depth interviews with patients, and a survey of healthcare professionals featuring semi-structured open-ended questions.
Methods
First, a systematic literature review was conducted across five databases. Next, 25 patients with COPD participated in detailed interviews that included seven semi-structured questions. Subsequently, 15 healthcare professionals completed a survey about factor categories and specific factors associated with non-adherence to COPD self-management. Categories and factors identified at least once across these three methods were documented. Finally, two researchers conducted preliminary mapping of the relationships between factor categories and individual factors, which was assessed for face validity by a third researcher. All processes were conducted from March 28, 2022, and January 30, 2023.
Results
The research revealed eight factor categories and 53 individual factors associated with non-adherence to COPD self-management. The categories encompassed personal, socioeconomic, disease-related, functional, treatment- related, health system-related, and environmental characteristics. The literature review, patient interviews, and survey of healthcare professionals yielded 35, 19, and 44 factors, respectively. Twelve factors were identified using all three sources. All processes were conducted from March 28, 2022, and January 30, 2023.
Conclusion
In this study, quantitative and qualitative methods were employed to develop a conceptual framework for non-adherence to COPD self-management. The findings indicate that effective self-management of this condition requires not only patient effort but also adaptations to complex treatment regimens, societal perceptions, and workplace environments.

Citations

• Development of a deep learning model to predict smoking status in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A secondary analysis of cross-sectional national survey
  Sudarshan Pant, Hyung Jeong Yang, Sehyun Cho, EuiJeong Ryu, Ja Yun Choi
  DIGITAL HEALTH.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Factors Associated with Non-Adherence to Self-Management Among Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Survey Using the Delphi Technique and Analytic Hierarchy Process
  Ja Yun Choi, Eui Jeong Ryu
  International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.2024; Volume 19: 1247.     CrossRef

Purpose
This study describes the attitudes toward Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), physical discomfort with wearing PPE, obsession with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), and perceived psychosocial stress among operating room nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic and identifies factors affecting perceived psychosocial stress.
Methods
This study used a descriptive, cross-sectional design to evaluate physical discomfort experienced when wearing PPE, attitudes toward PPE, and obsession with COVID-19. We collected the data between December 2020 and January 2021. The participants were 127 nurses who worked in operating rooms at three hospitals in South Korea. Perceived psychosocial stress was assessed using the Psychosocial Well-being Index Short Form. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression.
Results
Having a bachelor's degree (β=.28, p=.031), attitude toward PPE (β=-.22, p=.011), experiencing shortness of breath while wearing PPE (β=.26, p=.008), and obsession with COVID-19 (β=.23, p=.006) were identified as factors affecting the psychosocial stress of nurses who wore PPE and participated in surgery.
Conclusion
Nurses who had a negative attitude toward PPE, experienced shortness of breath while wearing it, and had a high level of obsession with COVID-19 had higher psychosocial stress. To reduce the psychosocial stress of nurses who wear PPE and participate in surgery, we suggest research on education that can reduce repetitive thinking about infectious diseases, such as obsession with COVID-19. Additionally, support is needed to improve positive attitudes toward PPE and alleviate physical discomfort.

Purpose
Patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) experience a variety of symptoms. This descriptive correlational study aimed to determine the prevalence of symptoms and the physiological and situational factors associated with these symptoms in ICU patients.
Methods
We analyzed the Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) of 1,214 cases admitted to and discharged from the ICUs of a university hospital in Seoul over a 1-year period from June to September 2022. This analysis utilized standardized instruments embedded in EMRs and a natural language analysis framework developed by the researchers. Descriptive statistics, the x 2 test, the Fisher exact test, and multivariate logistic regression were employed to identify common symptoms and their related factors.
Results
In total, 85.7% of the cases had at least one symptom during their ICU stay, and 36.6% experienced 2 symptoms. Pain was the most frequently experienced symptom, affecting 69.5% of cases, followed by agitation (29.7%), dyspnea (29.7%), and delirium (4.8%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the length of ICU stay influenced pain (odds ratio [OR]=1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02~1.06; p<.001), delirium (OR=1.08; 95% CI, 1.06~1.11; p<.001), agitation (OR=1.07; 95% CI, 1.05~1.10; p<.001), and dyspnea (OR=1.19; 95% CI, 1.13~1.26; p<.001).
Conclusion
Pain, agitation, and dyspnea are common in ICU patients and are associated with the length of their ICU stay. Our study identifies factors related to these symptoms that could be targeted to manage and reduce their occurrence, providing a foundation for future research on various symptom assessment tools and natural language transcripts.

Purpose
Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma may experience poor sleep quality following Transarterial Chemoembolization (TACE). This study aimed to identify factors influencing sleep quality in patients undergoing transarterial chemoembolization.
Methods
The study participants comprised 49 patients who underwent TACE and 45 nurses who cared for them. Patient data were collected through a face-to-face survey before and after TACE, as well as a review of electronic medical records. Data from nurses were collected using an online survey.
Results
The mean sleep quality score of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing TACE was 5.04±1.76. Sleep quality was negatively correlated with the number of antipyretics used (r=-.31, p=.029), anxiety (r=-.40, p=.004), postembolization syndrome (r=-.30, p=.034), and fatigue (r=-.63, p<.001), and positively correlated with the nurse’s perception of patient’s fatigue (r=.45, p=.001). In multiple regression analysis, fatigue (β=-.47, p=.001) and the number of antipyretics used (β=-.33, p=.005) explained 43.5% of the variance in patients’ sleep quality.
Conclusion
The sleep quality of patients undergoing TACE was found to be relatively low. Fatigue affects sleep quality, with more fatigued patients exhibiting poorer sleep quality. Therefore, nurses must pay attention to patient fatigue and anxiety and provide more comfortable nursing care.

Purpose
This study investigated differences in inner strength, multiple identities, and quality of life among colorectal cancer survivors, considering gender and the presence of an ostomy. It also focused on identifying factors that influenced their quality of life.
Methods
In this cross-sectional study, 170 colorectal cancer survivors were recruited. Inner strength, multiple identities, and quality of life were assessed through an online survey. Within each subgroup, comparisons were made in two ways: (a) between women and men; and (b) between ostomy and non-ostomy groups.
Results
The quality of life for colorectal cancer survivors was higher among men than women. For inner strength, men reported higher levels of anguish and searching, whereas women showed higher levels of connectedness. The quality of life was higher in the non-ostomy group than the ostomy group. However, the non-ostomy group had a higher level of anguish and searching than the ostomy group. Inner strength emerged as the most powerful factor influencing quality of life after adjusting for age and gender.
Conclusion
This study emphasizes the significance of inner strength in colorectal cancer survivors. It provides a deeper understanding of quality of life in colorectal cancer survivors by examining factors that influence it and considering how these effects differ based on gender and the presence of an ostomy. To improve the quality of life of colorectal cancer survivors, it is essential to comprehend the roles of factors such as gender and ostomy and develop individualized interventions tailored to their specific characteristics.