PURPOSE
This study was conducted to examine the degrees of depression and activities of daily living (ADLs), and to identify factors that predict depression in elderly patients.
METHODS
The sample was149 patients (80% female; mean age 79.1) from three geriatric hospitals located in small cities and who agreed to participate in the study. Data were collected by staff nurses involved in direct patient care from October to September 2009. The level of depression was measured on a daily basis for seven days using a 13-item scale. Patients' ADLs was measured using a modified 10-item Bathel ADLs scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 17.0.
RESULTS
Mean depression score was 10.05+/-4.77 out of 26 points and about 27% was assessed as depressed with more than 13 points. Multiple regression analysis showed that low educational level, absence of spouse and fewer family visits predict depression. In addition, low ADLs and sleep disturbance predict depression.
CONCLUSION
Nursing care providers need to be concerned about ADLs of older patients and should develop nursing activity programs to increase their in-hospital physical activities. It is also important care for older patients' sleep and encourages family visits to decrease their depression.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to examine the under-reporting rate and related factors after blood and body fluid (BBF) exposure among hospital employees.
METHODS
Fifteen hundred employees were conveniently sampled from ten university and acute care hospitals. The survey questionnaire consisted of 37 items. Data were collected from September 10 to November 30, 2008.
RESULTS
The survey response rate was 88.7%. The 47.9% (638/1,331) of hospital employees were exposed to BBF and the mean number of exposure was 4.7+/-5.942 within the previous year. Under-reporting rate after BBF exposure was 69.4% (443/638). By multi-variate logistic regression analysis, the exposure number, exposure type, infectious disease and hospital were independently related to the under-reporting of BBF among hospital employees.
CONCLUSION
The Under-reporting Rate After Being Exposed To Blood And Body Fluids Was Relatively High. To Address This Problem, Educational Programs Are Needed To Decrease The Under-reporting Rate For Healthcare Workers. Further, It Might Be Helpful If Other Factors Related To Under-reporting Be Investigated In Future Studies.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to explore health-related experiences of the foreign wives.
METHODS
A qualitative research design was used to understand the health-related experiences of foreign wives. Ten informants were interviewed from December 2007 to December 2009.
RESULTS
The health related life experiences of foreign wives were analyzed within a self development process; Choice and struggle, Change and opportunity, and Settlement and expectation. The theme of choice and struggle includes physical and emotional stress in the initial stage of marriage. The second process of change and opportunity focused on the coping strategies of the women having power after knowledge acquisition from the multicultural family support center. The last theme was health and happiness from the women' perspectives.
CONCLUSION
This study has emphasized the health condition of the foreign wives. Since foreign wives are members of Korean society, health care professionals need to design health services to meet their needs.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to explore clinical nurse's reported conflict experience toward end-of-life medical decision making.
METHODS
Data were collected by in-depth interviews with eight nurses from three different wards of university hospital in D city of Korea. Conventional qualitative analysis was used to analyze the data.
RESULTS
Results were three major themes and twelve categories from the analysis. The three major themes were prioritization of treatment, non-disclosure of diagnosis, and hierarchical and power relations.
CONCLUSION
The results of this study suggest that shared decision making in end of life among patient, family members, physician, and nurse may contribute to improve end-of-life care performance as well as dignified dying of patient in end of life.

PURPOSE
Cardiovascular risk factor modification is important for patients with coronary artery disease to prevent poor progression of the disease. Without an understanding and an awareness of risk factors, patients with coronary artery disease are not able to reduce their risk by the lifestyle modification. The aims of this study were to assess patient's awareness of risk factors and to identify predictors of awareness of risk factors.
METHODS
A descriptive correlational study using a cross-sectional survey method was performed. The sites of the study were three hospitals in Seoul, Korea. The sample consisted of 214 subjects. The awareness of risk factors and other subjects' characteristics were measured by a questionnaire developed for this study.
RESULTS
A range of subjects (gender: 72.0%; hyperlipidemia: 51.9%; hypertension: 40.7%; obese: 37.4%; age: 35.5%; smoking: 22.4%; diabetes: 19.2%; family history: 18.2%) were not able to accurately identify the risk factors. Among predictors, gender (beta=-.17) and diabetics (beta=-.25) had statistically significant influences on awareness of risk factors.
CONCLUSION
Our findings highlight the lack of awareness of risk factors for coronary artery disease. The findings have important implications for nursing practice in terms of guiding educational strategies for the modification of risk factors for coronary heart disease.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to examine the state of unmarried cohabitation and to compare the differences of loneliness and family function among university students with cohabitation experience and those with no experience in Korea.
METHODS
A convenience sample of 213 university students was recruited from three universities located in G city and the Chonnam area of Korea. Data collection methods included: (a) a demographic questionnaire, (b) a questionnaire related to cohabitation, (c) UCLA scale: 20 items on a 4-point scale (c) Family APGAR questionnaire: 5 items on a 3-point scale. SPSS/WIN 17.0 was used for descriptive analysis, chi2 test, t-test, and Pearson correlation.
RESULTS
In this study, 21.1% of the subjects had experiences of unmarried cohabitation. The cohabitation experience was related to gender, age, and monthly income. There was significant differences in family function between the two groups. Loneliness scores were significantly correlated with family function scores in the non-cohabitation group.
CONCLUSION
To improve sex life of the university students, healthcare providers including school nurses may consider family function.

PURPOSE
The purposes of this study were to examine the relationships among the sense of control, social support, depression and nursing home adjustment, and to identify the influencing factors of nursing home adjustment in nursing home residents.
METHODS
The study design was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Data were collected from May to June of 2010 using structured questionnaires from 212 elderly residents without dementia from 15 nursing homes.
RESULTS
The levels of nursing home adjustment depended on the self-rated health, the voluntary institutionalization, and the length of stay. The nursing home adjustment was significantly correlated with a sense of control, social support and depression. The five most influential factors affecting adjustment were self-rated health, placement decision maker, the length of stay, a sense of control and depression, which explained about 51.5% of the variances.
CONCLUSION
The findings reflect the importance of voluntary institutionalization, a sense of control, avoiding depressive mood and social support which facilitate residents' adjustment. These results can provide guidance for nursing interventions to facilitate nursing home adjustment.

PURPOSE
This study was designed to identify the effect of auriculotherapy on low abdominal pain and dysmenorrhea in school-aged girls.
METHODS
This design was a pre and post-test with nonequivalent groups. The subjects were 71 girls who were middle school students with dysmenorrheal (35 students for the treatment group and 36 students for the comparison group). The subjects of the treatment group received auriculotherapy once a week for 10 weeks. The comparison group received instruction on auriculotherapy and was requested waiting for the order.
RESULTS
The treatment group reported significantly less low abdominal pain than the comparison group. However, there were not statistical differences in reported dysmenorrhea. In future analysis, 60.0% of the treatment group reported more physical comfort, and 45.7% reported more emotional cool down.
CONCLUSION
The finding indicate that auriculotherapy could be effective in decreasing low abdominal pain during menstrual periods. Therefore, auriculotherapy could be an effective nursing intervention for low abdominal pain occurring during mensuration. However, further studies need to be done to support auriculotherapy as effective.

PURPOSE
This study was designed to identify meaningful themes related to the recognition of lifestyle risk factors and barriers in seeking treatment following an acute event of first-time acute myocardial infarction.
METHODS
A methodological mixed method of thematic content analysis and a quantitative analysis was used. The sample consisted of 120 male patients < 65 years of age who agreed to be in the study were interviewed using a semi-structured during 2008-2009. Data were analyzed according to the procedure of thematic content analysis and the meaningful themes were coded into SPSS data for quantitative analysis.
RESULTS
Pre-hospital delay greater than three hours reported by 58.3% (n=70) of the sample and similarly 63.3% had no recognition about their symptoms as cardiac in origin. The mean number of risk factors was 3.9+/-1.8 out of 11 when lifestyle and psychosocial factors were included. From the interview data among the 70 patients delayed greater than three hours, thirty-five themes categorized into 12 main themes influenced the delayed decision which was identified according to personal-cognitive, socio-cultural, and contextual factors.
CONCLUSION
Health care providers should consider these themes in designing individual interventions to make lifestyle changes and to facilitate more prompt decisions to seek care.

PURPOSE
This study was designed to identify effects of self-esteem and health status on adaptation of elderly residents in facilities.
METHODS
The sample consisted of 151 elderly residents. The data collected from January to April 2010 were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression. Using instruments were self-esteem scale (SES) (Rosenberg, 1965), Korean health status measure for the elderly (KoHSME) (Shin et al, 2002), and nursing home adaptation scale (Lee, 2007).
RESULTS
The mean scores of self-esteem (2.90+/-0.71), health status (2.15+/-0.53) and adaptation (2.98+/-0.44) of elderly residents in facilities were above the average. Self-esteem was significantly varied according to religion, economic status and living expenses. Health status was significantly different according to age, disease and motivation of getting into the facilities. Adaptation was significantly different according to religion, satisfaction of facilities and decision maker of getting into the facilities. Significant correlations were found between self-esteem, health status and adaptation. Self-esteem and health status were influencing factors of adaptation (22.6%).
CONCLUSION
These findings indicate that perceived self-esteem and health status may be requirements for promoting adaptation of elderly residents in facilities. These results could be utilized in the development of supportive programs for elderly adaptation.