Chang Gi Park

Lessons Learned in Using TAKE 10! With Hispanic Children:

Physical inactivity and lack of nutritious diets increase children’s risk of obesity, especially children from low-income and ethnic minority groups. To address this risk, the school-based TAKE 10! program was implemented to increase the physical activity and improve the nutrition of K-6th grade students in one public urban school serving a predominantly low-income, Hispanic population. In this study the researchers (a) evaluated the program outcomes using the physical activity and nutrition questionnaires provided with the TAKE 10! curriculum material, teacher surveys, observations, and interview data; (b) evaluated the questionnaires provided with the TAKE 10! curriculum material and provided suggestions for modification; and (c) described the experience of a positive partnership among school, university, and community agencies implementing the TAKE 10! curriculum. Based on the findings, recommendations are offered for successful physical activity and nutrition health promotion programs for these children.

Parent-Child Relationships Between Korean American Adolescents and Their Parents

This cross-sectional correlational study examined the association between Korean American adolescents and their parents reports of parent-child relationships. A total of 61 Korean American families completed a questionnaire assessing parental knowledge, parental/filial self-efficacy, parent-child communication, and parent-child conflicts. T tests, Pearsons correlations, a scatter diagram, and bivariate regression were used to analyze the data. Both Korean American adolescents and their parents reported that fathers were less knowledgeable about their childs school life and less likely to communicate with their children than were mothers. Fathers reported a significantly lower level of parental self-efficacy than mothers, and adolescents also reported a significantly higher level of filial self-efficacy in mother-child relationships than in father-child relationships. Positive correlations between parents and adolescents reports of parent-child relationships were observed. These findings indicated a need for parent education programs or counseling services for Korean American parents of adolescents, particularly fathers with inadequate parental skills and limited communication with their children.

Anxiety and uncertainty in Korean mothers of children with febrile convulsion: cross-sectional survey.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVESnThe purpose of this study was to assess the level of anxiety and uncertainty in Korean mothers of children with febrile convulsion and to identify factors associated with maternal anxiety.nnnBACKGROUNDnIn general, febrile convulsions are harmless to the child, but parents perceive the convulsion as frightening. Previous authors of a few studies suggested that providing information was helpful for parents knowledge, attitude and fear about a febrile convulsion.nnnDESIGNnThis was a descriptive, cross-sectional survey.nnnMETHODSnThe sample comprised 102 mothers whose children had been diagnosed with a febrile convulsion and admitted to paediatric wards in five general hospitals in South Korea. The researchers gave the questionnaires to nursing departments for distribution and collection by paediatric nurses. To test differences in anxiety and uncertainty by participants characteristics, t-tests and anova were conducted. Linear regression was used to identify factors associated with maternal state anxiety. Statistical significance level was set at 0.05.nnnRESULTSnA multiple linear regression of maternal anxiety showed that four statistically significant predictors explained 56% of the total variations of maternal anxiety. The significant predictors were uncertainty, frequency of febrile convulsion, income and information about febrile convulsion. Among the significant variables, uncertainty was the dominant contributing factor (p < 0.001).nnnCONCLUSIONSnAnxiety in mothers of children with febrile convulsion was especially related to uncertainty, so health care providers can reduce anxiety through decreasing uncertainty.nnnRELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICEnFor interventions to decrease maternal anxiety, provision of information and psychosocial support are needed for parents of hospitalised children with febrile convulsions.

Medical Aid service overuse assessed by case managers in Korea

AIMnThis paper is a report of a study conducted to describe characteristics of overusers of the Medical Aid service, assess appropriateness of overusers medical service use, and determine contributing factors to medical aid overuse in Korea.nnnBACKGROUNDnMedical Aid use in Korea has increased in recent years, but no systematic studies reported the characteristics of overusers and appropriateness of their medical service use.nnnMETHODnIn a cross-sectional study, case managers conducted interviews, evaluated participants insurance claim data, and determined overusers by the case managers determination of the appropriateness of their medical service use and their expenditures during the year of 2006. Descriptive statistics, chi-square analysis, analysis of variance, and multiple logistic regression were used for data analysis.nnnRESULTnMost heavy users were elderly, female, less educated, and had stress, lower perceived health status and multiple clinic visits. Twenty-five per cent of inpatients and 63.9% of outpatients were classified as overusers. The average total cost per capita of an overuser was 43.3% higher than that of an optimal user. Age, education, stress, arthritis, multiple clinic visits and frequent clinic visit recommendations by providers were statistically significant contributing factors to the overuse.nnnCONCLUSIONnPreventive measures are needed to decrease the overuse of Medical Aid in Korea; such measures should focus on characteristics contributing to overuse, including the provider-induced demand for more clinic visits. Case managers could play an important role as gatekeepers, managers, and educators for optimal use of Medical Aid in Korea and elsewhere in the world that faces similar problems.

The Korean version of the Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric: a validation study.

BACKGROUNDnThe scarcity of reliable and valid evaluation tools targeting nursing students learning outcomes including clinical judgment was identified as one of the barriers in advancing nursing knowledge and skills. However, few studies have assessed the validity and reliability of these tools.nnnOBJECTIVESnTherefore, this study aimed to validate the Korean language version of the Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric (LCJR), a clinical judgment tool currently used in nursing simulation research and English speaking nursing societies.nnnDESIGN, SETTINGS, PARTICIPANTSnThis was an observational study in which a cross-sectional designed survey was used to validate the Korean version of the LCJR (K-LCJR) in three universities in Seoul, South Korea with one hundred fifty two senior nursing students.nnnMETHODSnAll participants completed the established simulation coursework as well as the regular clinical rotation on pediatric nursing along with their assigned team. Students evaluated their clinical judgment from their simulation performance using the K-LCJR after completing a simulation session using high-fidelity simulators and standardized patients (SP). Audio-video enhancing equipment for the students individual and group reflection was used.nnnRESULTSnItem analysis of K-LCJR results showed a Cronbachs alpha coefficient of between .897 and .909 and the overall internal consistency reliability coefficient was .910. In the confirmatory factor analysis, the four-factor K-LCJR composed by noticing, interpreting, responding, and reflecting was confirmed with a very good model fit to data, which demonstrated good construct validity.nnnCONCLUSIONSnThe K-LCJR is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring clinical judgment in nursing students in Korea.

Acculturative stress, work-related psychosocial factors and depression in Korean-Chinese migrant workers in Korea

Acculturative Stress, Work‐related Psychosocial Factors and Depression in Korean‐Chinese Migrant Workers in Korea: Hyeonkyeong LEE, et al. Yonsei University College of Nursing, Korea—

Gender differences in physical activity and its determinants in rural adults in Korea

AIMnThis study aimed to examine gender differences in physical activity and its determinants among rural adults in Korea.nnnBACKGROUNDnOnly limited studies exist that examined gender differences in physical activity in Korean adults. Major determinants for physical activity such as self-efficacy, benefits and barriers have been studied, but little is known about their gender differences. Nurses promoting and teaching adults to increase physical activity need data for evidence-based practice.nnnDESIGNnA cross-sectional descriptive design was used.nnnMETHODnParticipants were 481 adults living in a rural area of Korea. The physical activity status, exercise self-efficacy, benefits, barriers and sociodemographics were compared between men and women. Descriptive statistics, t-test and binary logistic regression were used for data analysis.nnnRESULTSnThe physical activity status, perceived self-efficacy and benefits of physical activity in women were significantly lower than those of men. For men, only self-efficacy was statistically significant in explaining recommended physical activity as well as physical activity participation. However, for women, benefits and barriers as well as self-efficacy significantly explained their participation of physical activity, but not the recommended physical activity. Unlike men, womens physical activity was significantly associated with sociodemographic factors.nnnCONCLUSIONnGender differences found in this study should be the basis for evidence-based nursing practice. Tailored nursing interventions based on gender would improve physical activity of rural adults in Korea and beyond.nnnRELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICEnNurses providing care for rural adults should know the gender differences in the determinants of physical activity and provide gender-specific interventions to improve their physical activity.

Quality of Nursing Doctoral Education and Scholarly Performance in U.S. Schools of Nursing: Strategic Areas for Improvement

Comprehensive evaluation of quality of nursing doctoral education (QNDE) in research-intensive universities has not been reported since 1980s. This study aimed to examine the QNDE from the perspectives of faculty and students/graduates and their relations to school characteristics, identify factors of the four domains of the QNDE that influence the QNDE, and analyze the relationship of QNDE to scholarly performance of nursing schools in the Unites States. Seventy-two nursing schools offering research-focused nursing doctoral programs with National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding during 2004-2007 participated, and they responded to the questionnaire (see http://gknf.or.kr/research/). Twenty-nine deans/schools, 179 faculties, and 461 students/graduates responded. Both faculty and students/graduates groups rated quality positively. Schools in the top quartile group per NIH funding amounts showed significant differences in QNDE from the bottom quartile group. Program and faculty domains were identified as most important by the top quartile group, and items that were significantly associated with the quality were supportive environment for students learning, faculty mentorship, and assistance to students in understanding the value of programs of research and scholarship. Percentage of faculty member with research grants was significant predictors for all domains of QNDE, and time to degree was significant in explaining overall quality.

The Impact of Neighborhood Environment, Social Support, and Avoidance Coping on Depressive Symptoms of Pregnant African-American Women

BACKGROUNDnAlthough depressive symptoms during pregnancy have been related to negative maternal and child health outcomes such as preterm birth, low birth weight infants, postpartum depression, and maladaptive mother-infant interactions, studies on the impact of neighborhood environment on depressive symptoms in pregnant women are limited. Pregnant women residing in disadvantaged neighborhoods reported higher levels of depressive symptoms and lower levels of social support. No researchers have examined the relationship between neighborhood environment and avoidance coping in pregnant women. Guided by the Ecological model and Lazarus and Folkmans transactional model of stress and coping, we examined whether social support and avoidance coping mediated associations between the neighborhood environment and depressive symptoms in pregnant African-American women.nnnMETHODSnPregnant African-American women (n = 95) from a medical center in Chicago completed the instruments twice during pregnancy between 15 and 25 weeks and between 25 and 37 weeks. The self-administered instruments measured perceived neighborhood environment, social support, avoidance coping, and depressive symptoms using items from existing scales. Objective measures of the neighborhood environment were derived using geographic information systems.nnnFINDINGSnPerceived neighborhood environment, social support, avoidance coping, and depressive symptoms were correlated significantly in the expected directions. Objective physical disorder and crime were negatively related to social support. Social support at time 1 (20 ± 2.6 weeks) mediated associations between the perceived neighborhood environment at time 1 and depressive symptoms at time 2 (29 ± 2.7 weeks). An increase in avoidance coping between times 1 and 2 also mediated the effects of perceived neighborhood environment at time 1 on depressive symptoms at time 2.nnnCONCLUSIONnPregnant African-American womens negative perceptions of their neighborhoods in the second trimester were related to higher levels of depressive symptoms in the third trimester. If these results are replicable in prospective studies with larger sample sizes, intervention strategies could be implemented at the individual level to support pregnant women in their ability to cope with adverse neighborhood conditions and ultimately improve their mental health.

Quality of nursing doctoral education in Korea: towards policy development

AIMSnThis article is a report on an international study of the quality of nursing doctoral education; herein, we report findings for Korea. Specific aims were to: examine the validity and reliability of the quality of nursing doctoral education questionnaire; and identify contributing factors and domain(s) for improvement.nnnBACKGROUNDnThe quality of nursing doctoral education has been a worldwide concern with the recent rapid increase in number of nursing doctoral programmes around the world, and comprehensive evaluation is needed for policy recommendations.nnnMETHODSnA cross-sectional descriptive study, conducted from October 2006 to January 2007, used an online questionnaire evaluating four domains: programme, faculty, resources and evaluation. Seven deans, 48 faculty, 52 graduates and 87 students from 14 nursing schools participated.nnnRESULTSnContent and construct validity, and construct reliability of the questionnaire were established. Overall, participants reported that the perceived quality of private universities/schools was significantly higher than that of public/national universities. A higher ratio of doctoral to non-doctoral students was significantly associated with higher quality. The domains of programme, faculty and resources were highly correlated. The programme was the most important domain; availability of sufficient materials and information for students most needed improvement. Overall, faculty perceived the quality of the programme, faculty and resources as more positively than did the graduates and students.nnnCONCLUSIONnThis study provides useful policy guidance for nurse educators worldwide for improving doctoral programmes and facultys role in educating students. Further study is recommended that examines contributing factors to quality doctoral education.