Myoung Ae Choe

Quality of life for patients with diabetes in Korea — I: the meaning of health-related quality of life

This study describes the impact of diabetes and the meaning of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for 22 male and female patients in Korea. Open-ended interviews yielded six HRQOL themes: health, overall well-being, harmonious relationships and family responsibilities, a rewarding life, spiritual life, and material support. The physical impact of diabetes included decreased energy, limitations, and physical suffering; while its psychological/spiritual impact extended to general stress, helplessness, fear, depression, anger, and relationship with God. Like Americans, Koreans valued health, psychological well-being and interpersonal support. In addition, the Koreans valued smooth, harmonious interpersonal relationships, overall well-being pertaining to living a comfortable and honorable life.

Depressive symptoms in community-dwelling elderly Korean immigrants and elderly Koreans: cross-cultural comparison.

Depression among minority older adults is a prevalent underrecognized medical illness. Changes in cultural norms and social conditions because of immigration have a significant influence on mental health. The purpose of this study was to assess the interrelationships between acculturation, geographical location, gender, and depressive symptoms in community-dwelling elderly Korean immigrants and elderly Koreans. In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 88 elderly Korean immigrants and 295 elderly Koreans was recruited separately from senior centers and senior apartments. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Korean Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form and acculturation with years of living in the United States. Acculturation had no significant relationship with depressive symptoms (r = 0.01, p = 0.94). Depressive symptoms were highly present in both elderly Korean immigrants and elderly Koreans. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was higher in women. This study provides baseline data for development of culturally specific, community-based intervention programs for better management of mental health of elderly Korean immigrants.

Perceived health, life satisfaction, and cardiovascular risk factors among elderly Korean immigrants and elderly Koreans.

Acknowledging that changes in sociocultural environment influence health status, the purpose of this study was to compare perceived health, life satisfaction, and cardiovascular health in elderly Korean immigrants and elderly Koreans. In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 88 elderly Korean immigrants and 295 elderly Koreans 65 and older were recruited from Korean communities in the United States and Korea. Respondents perceived health was measured by self-assessment; life satisfaction was self-assessed using a dichotomous scale of general satisfaction with life; and cardiovascular health status was surveyed by self-report of major diagnosed cardiovascular risk factors (i.e., hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus) and body mass index measurement for obesity. Despite having better perceived health and life satisfaction, elderly Korean immigrants also had higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. The findings provide health care providers with useful information for effective health assessment of minority immigrants.

The meaning of health-related quality of life in a Korean sample

This study describes the impact of diabetes and the meaning of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for 22 male and female patients in Korea. Open-ended interviews yielded six HRQOL themes: health, overall well-being, harmonious relationships and family responsibilities, a rewarding life, spiritual life, and material support. The physical impact of diabetes included decreased energy, limitations, and physical suffering; while its psychological/spiritual impact extended to general stress, helplessness, fear, depression, anger, and relationship with God. Like Americans, Koreans valued health, psychological well-being and interpersonal support. In addition, the Koreans valued smooth, harmonious interpersonal relationships, overall well-being pertaining to living a comfortable and honorable life.

Comparison of body composition, handgrip strength, functional capacity, and physical activity in elderly Koreans and Korean immigrants.

Immigration to a foreign country has a significant impact on a persons health status and health management behavior. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine body composition (body mass index and muscle area of the mid-upper arm and mid-calf), handgrip strength, functional capacity, and physical activity in elderly Koreans and Korean immigrants. In this cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 87 elderly Korean immigrants and 294 elderly Koreans were recruited from senior centers and senior apartments in the United States and Korea. Compared with elderly Koreans, elderly Korean immigrants had higher mid-calf muscle area (p = 0.06), handgrip strength (p = 0.01), and functional capacity (p = 0.01) and less physical activity (p < 0.01). Older men were more physically active and had more muscle areas, greater handgrip strength, and better functional capacity than older women, whereas older women had higher BMI scores than older men. This study provides motives for the development of health promotion intervention studies (e.g., culturally relevant exercise programs incorporating strength training). Future studies could identify culturally relevant strategies to promote physical activity in elderly Korean immigrants and especially elderly Korean women in both groups.

HINDLIMB MUSCLE ATROPHY OCCURS FROM PERIPHERAL NERVE DAMAGE IN A RAT NEUROPATHIC PAIN MODEL

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of neuropathic pain produced by peripheral nerve damage on mass, myofibrillar protein content, and cross-sectional areas of Type I and II fibers of rat hindlimb muscles. Method: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to one of three groups: a pain group (n = 10) that underwent ligation and cut of the left L5 spinal nerve, a sham group (n = 10) that underwent a sham cut procedure, or a control group (n = 10) that underwent no procedures. The withdrawal threshold test was done to assess pain threshold on each of Days 1—7 and 14. Activity, body weight, and food intake were measured daily for 2 weeks. At 15 days, rats were anesthetized and the bilateral soleus, plantaris, and gastrocnemius muscles dissected. Results: At 15 days postligation, the pain group had significant decreases in total dietary intake, body weight, activity, and muscle weight as compared to sham and control animals. Muscle weight and cross-sectional area of Type II fiber of the ipsilateral soleus, plantaris, and gastrocnemius muscles decreased as did myofibrillar protein content of the ipsilateral plantaris and gastrocnemius muscles. Muscle weight of the contralateral gastrocnemius muscle decreased, as did myofibrillar protein content and cross-sectional area of Type II fiber of the contralateral plantaris muscle. Conclusion: Hindlimb muscle atrophy occurs in both ipsilateral and contralateral sides following induction of neuropathic pain by unilateral peripheral nerve damage. Muscle changes of the ipsilateral side are more pronounced than those of the contralateral side.

Effect of anorexia and neuropathic pain induced by cisplatin on hindlimb muscles of rat

PURPOSEnThe purpose of this study was to examine the effect of anorexia and neuropathic pain induced by cisplatin on hindlimb muscles of rats.nnnMETHODSnAdult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups, a cisplatin-treated group (n=10) and a control group (n=10). In the cisplatin-treated group, cisplatin at a dose of 2 mg/kg was injected intraperitoneally two times a week up to a cumulative dose of 20 mg/kg over 5 weeks, and in the control group saline (0.9% NaCl) was injected intraperitoneally at the same dose and duration as the cisplatin-treated group. At 34 days all rats were anesthetized, after which the soleus and plantaris muscles were dissected. Withdrawal threshold, body weight, food intake, activity, muscle weight, Type I and II fiber cross-sectional areas and myofibrillar protein content of the dissected muscles were determined.nnnRESULTSnCompared with the control group, the cisplatin-treated group showed significant decreases (p<.05) in withdrawal threshold, activity, food intake, body weight, Type I and II fiber cross-sectional areas, myofibrillar protein content and weight of the soleus and plantaris muscles.nnnCONCLUSIONnMuscular atrophy in hindlimb occurs due to anorexia and neuropathic pain induced by the cisplatin treatment.