Purpose
This study was conducted to verify the effects of foot bathing on peripheral neuropathy, sleep disorder, and fatigue in gynecologic patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Methods: There were 30 participants in this study who had been diagnosed with gynecologic cancer and were undergoing chemotherapy. Among them, 15 were in the experimental group of the K university hospital and 15 in the control group of the other K university hospital in D city. The experimental group received foot bathing once a day for 30 minutes over 10 days, an hour before bedtime, while the control group did not receive any foot bathing. Results: The results of the study showed that the experimental group that received foot bathing had significant changes in objective peripheral neuropathy (p=.021), sleep disorder (p=.002), and fatigue (p=.030), as compared to the control group. However, no significant difference was found between the experimental and the control groups regarding subjective peripheral neuropathy (p=.256). Conclusion: Hence, our study confirmed that foot bathing can be an effective nursing intervention to reduce peripheral neuropathy, sleep disorder, and fatigue in gynecologic patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

Citations

• The impact of peripheral neuropathy symptoms, self-care ability, and disturbances to daily life on quality of life among gynecological cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a cross-sectional survey
  Sohee Mun, Hyojung Park
  Korean Journal of Women Health Nursing.2022; 28(4): 296.     CrossRef

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to identify the factors contributing to diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).
METHODS
Data were collected from 131 patients who had been diagnosed with DM for more than six months. Patients recruited from three hospitals in Gwangju city were given both a foot examination to confirm the presence of a foot ulcer and an individual time of survey using questionnaires about foot care knowledge and self management behavior.
RESULTS
Factors contributing to DFU were male (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=4.86, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.16~20.44), history of DM-related hospitalization (aOR=4.56, 95% CI=1.17~17.84), duration of DM (aOR=13.75, 95% CI=2.31~82.66 for those with time since diagnosis of 11~15 years; aOR=6.37, 95% CI=1.09~37.36 for those with time since diagnosis of 16–20 years; aOR=12.97, 95% CI=2.26~74.32 for those with time since diagnosis of over 21 years), DM diet (aOR=0.13, 95% CI=0.03–0.64 for those who did not practice dietary control), and exercise (aOR=15.59, 95% CI=3.49~69.64 for those who did not engage in regular exercise).
CONCLUSION
The factors identified in this study provided strategic information for developing educational program targeting patients with DM to prevent DFC.

Citations

• Daily Life Management Guidelines for Diabetic Foot Patients
  Ahyoung Kim
  The Journal of Korean Diabetes.2023; 24(4): 214.     CrossRef
• Factors Related to the Occurrence and Number of Chronic Diabetic Complications in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Utilizing The National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort in Korea, 2002~2015
  Haejung Lee, Misoon Lee, Gaeun Park, Ah Reum Khang
  Journal of Korean Gerontological Nursing.2022; 24(1): 22.     CrossRef

PURPOSE
; This study was aimed to identify the effect of foot reflexology massage on climacteric symptom, fatigue and physiologic parameters of middle-aged women.
METHOD
; A non-equivalent pretest-posttest experimental design was used. Participants were recruited from the Community Health Center in Busan, Korea. Forty participants were assigned to either an experimental group(20) or a control group(20). Foot reflexology massage was administered twice a week for 6 weeks in the participant in experimental group.
RESULTS
There were statistically significant differences in climacteric symptom, fatigue, total cholesterol and cortisol level. However, there were no statistically significant differences in triglyceride, high density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein.
CONCLUSION
; These results suggest that foot reflexology massage could be utilized as an effective nursing intervention to reduce climacteric symptom and fatigue in middle-aged women.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to investigate foot ulcer risk factors, foot care knowledge, and foot care practice in patients with type 2 diabetes.
METHOD
One hundred fifty type 2 diabetic patients were in and out-patients in a large urban hospital. The data were collected using a self-report questionnaire, chart review and foot examination. The questionnaires were developed by the researchers through the experts consultation and literature review. High risk for foot ulcer was evaluated by peripheral neuropathy(PN), peripheral vascular disease(PVD), and prior foot ulcer. Foot risk scores(FRS) means numbers of present risk factors.
RESULTS
31.3% of subjects show 1 FRS, and 13.3% showed 2 FRS. Mean foot care frequency was 3.5 times per week. There were significant differences in foot care knowledge according to DM education (t=2.96, p=.004) and foot care education (t=3.65, p=.001). There were significant differences in the foot care practice activities according to duration of DM (t=3.48, p=.010) and educational levels.
CONCLUSION
There were high proportion of foot ulcer risk among the patients. It is necessary to screen high risk foot ulcer patients and provide practical education for foot care practice of diabetic patients.

PURPOSE
To investigate the effects of foot reflexology massage on sleep and fatigue of elderly women. METHOD: The study was performed from April thru July of 2004 on the nonequivalent control group non-synchronized quasi-experimental design. Fifty elderly women were selected for each group. The foot reflexology massage was performed for 45 minutes every three days for experimental group. The data were analyzed using the Cronbach's alpha, Chi-Square test, t-test and Repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni. RESULT: 1. The sleep score of the experiment group is significantly higher than that of the control group(t=-5.944, p=.000). 2. For the experiment group, it is seen that the sleep score increases as the frequency of the foot reflexology massage increases(F=96.362, p=.000). 3. The fatigue score of the experiment group is significantly lower than that of the control group(t=4.356, p=.000). 4. For the experiment group, the fatigue is relieved gradually as the frequency of the foot reflexology massage increases(F= 118.444, p=.000). CONCLUSION: Based on the results described above, it is considered that the foot reflexology massage is effective for elderly women in promoting a good sleep and relieving the fatigue.

PURPOSE
This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of foot reflexologic massage on blood pressure and sleep of elderly with essential hypertension. METHOD: This study was employed non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design. The subjects were divided into two groups: 20 elders for experimental group and 18 elders for control group. For experimental group, foot reflexologic massage was done three times at three-day intervals. The data analyzed by SPSS version 10.0 program. RESULT: The systolic and diastolic blood pressure after foot reflexologic massage did not show a significant difference between the two groups. In experimental group, there was a significant difference in the systolic(t=3.559, p=.001) and the diastolic blood pressure(t= 3.048, p=.004) that measured after foot reflexologic massage. There was a significant difference(t=2.665, p=.011) in sleep between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that foot reflexologic massage was partially effective to reduce the degree of blood pressure and improve sleep of the elderly with essential hypertension. A follow up research is needed to compare and confirm its long-term effects.

PURPOSE
This study was to identify the effects of self-foot reflexology on urinary incontinence symptoms, vaginal contraction and daily life discomfort of middle-aged women. METHOD: A quasi-experimental design was used. The subject were 39 middle-aged women with urinary incontinence, who were composed of 18 women in the experimental group, while 21 were in the control group. In the experimental group, self-foot reflexology was applied for 30 minutes, three times a week for 4 weeks. The obtained data were analyzed by using the Mann-Whitney U test of SPSS. RESULT: 1. Frequency(U=78.00, P=.001), amount(U=65.00, p=.001) and the situation score(U=81.00, P=.002)of urinary incontinence were reduced significantly in the experimental group as compared to the control group. 2. Maximum pressure(U=33.50, p=.000), mean pressure(U=38.00 p=.000) of vaginal contraction were improved significantly in the experimental group as compared to the control group. 3. Daily life discomfort in the experimental group was reduced whereas that of the control group was increased(U=63.00, p=.000) significantly. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that self-foot reflexology is an effective method for reducing urinary incontinence symptoms and daily life discomfort and for increasing pressure of vaginal contraction of middle-aged women. Therefore self-foot reflexology can be considered as a independent nursing intervention for urinary incontinence.

PURPOSE
This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of foot reflexo-massage on physical, psychological, and physiological parameters in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. METHOD: This study was employed non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest time series experimental design. The subjects of this study were 47 elderly patients with osteoarthritis of the knee from two different nursing homes in Deajeon. The patients were divided into two groups; 26 patients in experimental group, the rest in control group. Each patient in experimental group received the 30-minute foot reflexo-massage, 3 times per week for 4 weeks. The dependent variables of each patient were measured before treatment, after 2 weeks and after 4 weeks during the treatment session. The collected data was analyzed using the Social Package Social Science(version 10.0) software program. RESULT: There were significant differences in the flexion angle of both knees; the flexion and extension muscle strength of both knees; systolic blood pressure; POMS; plantaris skin temperature and blood velocity of dorsalis pedis artery between the two groups over different the three measurement times. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that foot reflexo-massage could be an effective intervention to improve physical, psychological and physiological parameters for patients with knee osteoarthritis.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to identify the change in foot care knowledge, self care behavior, and physiologic indexes after foot reflexomassage education program, and the related factors. METHOD: Data were collected from 20 patients who were visited out patients clinic. The change and difference were analyzed with non-parametric statistics. RESULT: There were significant differences in foot care knowledge(P=.001), self care behavior(P=.000), dosalis pedis blood flow volume (P=.011), skin temperature of foot(P=.001), dorsalis pedis pulse(P=.000), capillary filling time of foot (P=.000) between pre and post. The level of changes of foot care knowledge was significant differences according to admission experience (P=.049), and negative related to systolic blood pressure(P=.028). The level of changes of self care behavior was related to age(P=.049), that of dosalis pedis blood flow was significant difference according to smoking(P=.042), that of skin temperature of foot(P=.002) and dosalis pedis pulse(P=.038) were significant difference according to weight. The level of changes of capillary filling time of foot was related to diagnosis period(P=.014). CONCLUSION: Foot- Reflexo-Massage education program is an effective nursing intervention to promote foot care in diabetic patients. And the related factors can be recommended for the management of diabetic patients.

More and more non-injured operations are being implemented these days, thanks to the development of medical technology. Still, however, most operations leave direct scars on patient' bodies, as well as accompanying pain. The massage as an independent nursing intervention can stimulate the circulation of the blood of tissue and muscle and increase the relationship between a patient and a nurse. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of foot massage on pain in post abdominal operative patients. The nonequivalent control group, pre-post test design is used for this study. From July 7, 2000 to February 20, 2001, the 40 patients who were operated under general anesthesia in a university hospital in Seoul were studied. They were divided into two groups ; 20 patients were part of the experimental group, and the others, in the control group. In order to evaluate the effect of foot massage, severity of pain was checked with the VAS (Visual Analog Scale) and also each patients' vital signs were measured with pulse rate, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. The collected datas were processed by SAS version 6.12 program and analyzed by the Chi-square, Fisher?s exact test, t-test and repeated measures ANOVA. The results of this study were as follows. 1. The severity of pain decreased significantly in the experimental group as compared to the control group following foot massage (t= -3.317, p= .002). 2. Measured vital signs in the experimental group had more reduction of that than in the control group following foot massage. -The pulse rate in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group following foot massage (F=7.73, p=.008). -The systolic blood pressure in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group following foot massage (F=25.75, p=.000). -The diastolic blood pressure in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group following foot massage (F=15.27, p=.000). In conclusion, foot massage is an effective dependent nursing intervention for pain control of post abdominal operative patients.