So Young Choi

The effectiveness of a stress coping program based on mindfulness meditation on the stress, anxiety, and depression experienced by nursing students in Korea.

This study examined the effectiveness of a stress coping program based on mindfulness meditation on the stress, anxiety, and depression experienced by nursing students in Korea. A nonequivalent, control group, pre-posttest design was used. A convenience sample of 41 nursing students were randomly assigned to experimental (n=21) and control groups (n=20). Stress was measured with the PWI-SF (5-point) developed by Chang. Anxiety was measured with Spiebergers state anxiety inventory. Depression was measured with the Beck depression inventory. The experimental group attended 90-min sessions for eight weeks. No intervention was administered to the control group. Nine participants were excluded from the analysis because they did not complete the study due to personal circumstances, resulting in 16 participants in each group for the final analysis. Results for the two groups showed (1) a significant difference in stress scores (F=6.145, p=0.020), (2) a significant difference in anxiety scores (F=6.985, p=0.013), and (3) no significant difference in depression scores (t=1.986, p=0.056). A stress coping program based on mindfulness meditation was an effective intervention for nursing students to decrease their stress and anxiety, and could be used to manage stress in student nurses. In the future, long-term studies should be pursued to standardize and detail the program, with particular emphasis on studies to confirm the effects of the program in patients with diseases, such as cancer.

Effects of an Elder Health Promotion Program using the Strategy of Elder Health Leader Training in Senior Citizen Halls

PURPOSE This study was conducted to develop and test the effects of an elder health promotion program and apply strategies for elder health leader training sessions with elders at senior citizen halls. METHODS A nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. Participants were 49 elders at a senior citizen hall (intervention: 27, control: 22). The elder health promotion program consisted of health education and exercise. A professional leader led the program for 4 weeks, and then an elder health leader and research assistant led for 8 weeks (total 12 weeks). Scales for elder health promoting behaviors, perceived health status, life satisfaction and senior citizen hall capability were used and physical fitness levels were measured. Data were collected between April 21 and July 28, 2010 and analyzed using Chi-square, Fishers exact test, t-test, and repeated measure ANOVA with SPSS/WIN 12.0. RESULTS Health promoting behaviors, physical fitness, perceived health status, and senior citizen hall capacity were significantly better in the experimental group after the intervention compared to the control group. CONCLUSION Study findings indicate that elder health promotion programs applying strategies of elder health leader training are effective and can be recommended as nursing interventions for health promotion of these elders.

Development of Reproductive Health Program and Identification of Effect for Married Women Immigrants

PURPOSE This study was done to develop a reproductive health program to improve reproductive health of women immigrants. METHODS The participants in the study were 58 immigrant women who lived in Vietnam, China, Philippines, or Cambodia before marriage. They were assigned to the experiment group (n=29) or the control group (n=29). The reproductive health program for this study consisted of reproductive health education, health counseling, phone monitoring, and emotional support based on Cox (1982)s Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior and was implemented for four weeks. RESULTS There were significant differences in reproductive health knowledge (t=9.78, p<.001), reproductive health attitude (t=6.59, p<.001), and reproductive health behavior (t=5.11, p<.001) within and between groups after the reproductive health program. But there were no significant differences in clinical indicators between the two groups. CONCLUSION The results of this study indicate the that reproductive health program for the women immigrants is effective in terms of reproductive health knowledge, reproductive health attitude and reproductive health behaviors. Therefore, nurses in public and private facilities, such as multicultural centers and public health centers in each community, should develop strategies to expand and provide reproductive health programs for women immigrants.

Social Support, Stress, and Practice of Prenatal Care in Married Immigrant Women in Korea:

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the correlations among social support, stress, and practice of prenatal care and elucidate the predictors affecting the practice of prenatal care in married immigrant women in Korea. Method: This study employed a descriptive correlational design with 165 married immigrant women in Korea. Results: Social support and prenatal-care practice were positively correlated, and stress was negatively correlated with both prenatal-care practice and social support. The practice of prenatal care in married immigrant women was most influenced by social support. Conclusion: As such, there is a need for nursing intervention that fosters social support for pregnant immigrant women. Concerted efforts are also required to reduce their stressors. This study could form the basis for developing childbirth management programs for pregnant women who have immigrated to Korea in order to marry.

Effects of Web-based Preconception Health Promotion Program for Couples about to be Married

PURPOSE This study was done to develop a Web-based preconception health promotion program to improve preconception health promotion awareness, perceived benefits, perceived self-efficacy and health behavior, and to reduce perceived barriers in couples about to be married. METHODS Participants were assigned to the experimental group (n=26 couples) or control group (n=25 couples). This program was comprised of a six hour Web-based lecture series which was given to the experimental group over a four week period. RESULTS Results for the two groups showed: 1) a significant difference in preconception health promotion awareness in men (self-perception: z=-3.62, p<.001 content: F=18.49, p<.001) and in women (self-perception: z=-2.89, p=.004 content F=36.93, p<.001), 2) a significant difference in perceived benefits in men (z=-3.09, p=.002), and in women (F=6.38, p=.004), 3) a significant difference in perceived barriers in men (F=3.64, p=.030), and in women (F=11.36, p<.001), 4) a significant difference in perceived self-efficacy in men (F=12.16, p<.001), but no significant difference in women (F=1.93, p=.166), 5) a significant difference in health promoting behavior in men (F=16.31, p<.001), and in women (F=10.99, p=.001). CONCLUSION The results of this study show that the program is an effective nursing intervention in couples about to be married. Therefore, this program can be useful in encouraging health-promoting behavior for couples about to be married.

Effects of a Customized Birth Control Program for Married Immigrant Postpartum Mothers

PURPOSE This study was conducted to develop a customized birth control program and identify its effects on attitude, subjective norm, behavioral control, intention, and behavior of contraception among immigrant postpartum mothers. METHODS In this experimental study, Vietnamese, Filipino or Cambodian married immigrant postpartum mothers were recruited. They were assigned to the experiment group (n=21) or control group (n=21). The customized birth control program was provided to the experimental group for 4 weeks. RESULTS The experimental group showed a significant increase in the score of attitude, subjective norm, behavioral control, intention, and behavior of contraception. CONCLUSION Findings in this study indicate that the customized postpartum birth control program, a systematic and integrative intervention program composed of customized health education, counseling and telephone monitoring, is able to provide effective planning for postpartum health promotion and birth control behavior practice in married immigrant women.

Effects of Electric Stimulation and Biofeedback for Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise in Women with Vaginal Rejuvenation Women

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pelvic floor muscle exercise using electric stimulation and biofeedback on maximum pressure of vaginal contraction, vaginal contraction duration and sexual function in women who have had vaginal rejuvenation. METHODS The research design was a non-equivalent control group non-synchronized design study. Participants in this study were women who had vaginal rejuvenation at C obstetrics and gynecology hospital. The 15 participants in the experimental group were given pelvic floor muscle exercise using electric stimulation and biofeedback and the 15 participants in the control group received self pelvic floor muscle exercise. RESULTS For maximum pressure of vaginal contraction, the experimental group showed a statistically significant increase compared to than the control group (t=5.96, p<.001). For vaginal contraction duration, the experimental group also showed a statistically significant increase compared to the control group (t=3.23, p=.003). For womens sexual function, the experimental group showed a significant increase when compared to the control group in total sexual function scores (t=3.41, p=.002). CONCLUSION The results indicate that pelvic floor muscle exercise with electric stimulation and biofeedback after vaginal rejuvenation is effective in strengthening vaginal contraction pressure, vaginal contraction and that it also positively functions to increase womens sexual function.