Sun-Mi Chae

Relationships of Acculturative Stress, Depression, and Social Support to Health-Related Quality of Life in Vietnamese Immigrant Women in South Korea:

Purpose: Promoting the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is an important aim of nursing care for immigrant women. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of HRQOL and its relationships with social support, acculturative stress, and depression among Vietnamese immigrant women. Method: A total of 216 Vietnamese immigrant women residing in South Korea participated in the study. Participants completed a series of questionnaires, including measures of social support, acculturative stress, depression, and HRQOL. For statistical analyses, a path analysis was applied. Results: Social support, acculturative stress, depression, and HRQOL were interrelated. Acculturative stress and depression directly influenced the mental health component of HRQOL, whereas social support indirectly influenced HRQOL through acculturative stress and depression. Only depression directly influenced the physical health component of HRQOL. Conclusion: Results suggest that social support and acculturative stress are related factors in preventing depression and promoting HRQOL, especially mental health, among Vietnamese immigrant women.

Biobehavioral Outcomes in Adolescents and Young Adults Prenatally Exposed to Cocaine: Evidence From Animal Models

Cocaine has been a popular illicit drug among drug-using pregnant women over the last three decades. Prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) has significant effects on childrens development throughout early childhood. Very few human studies, however, report the effects of PCE on adolescent or early-adult development. As knowledge about early childhood effects in human children was informed by animal studies, this review considers the effects of PCE on behavioral outcomes in adolescent and young adult animals and provides potential guidance for research in human children. Animal models prenatally exposed to cocaine manifest play deficits, decreased social interaction, and increased aggression during competition in adolescence and young adulthood. Altered behavioral adaptation after stress exposure, including hormonal response change, is also evident. Attention deficits are reported in adult offspring with PCE, not only in a novel environment, but also in a final task session, indicating effects of PCE on transition and maintenance of attention. Animal studies support that PCE effects may extend beyond early childhood and continue to adolescence and adulthood. Additionally, some studies highlight that behavioral changes in offspring with PCE born without teratogenesis remain latent and reveal themselves during adulthood when animals are under stress conditions. Based on the evidence from animal models, well-designed human studies are needed to elucidate the effects of PCE on older human children. Research models that combine behavioral measures with stressful challenges may hold potential in discerning a longer term influence of PCE.

Impact of Critical Thinking Disposition, General Self-Efficacy, and Leadership on Clinical Competence in Nursing Students

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationships among critical thinking disposition, general self-efficacy, leadership and clinical competence, and identify the factors influencing clinical competence in nursing students. METHODS In this descriptive study, 153 nursing students (from 2nd to 4th school year) of a university in South Korea were enrolled in December 2010. The instruments for this study were the Korean versions of the Critical Thinking Disposition Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Leadership Inventory, and Clinical Competence Scale. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, MANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression with PASW 18.0 software. RESULTS The mean scores (ranging from 1 to 5) in nursing students for critical thinking disposition, general self-efficacy, leadership, and clinical competence were 3.44, 3.51, 3.55, and 3.42, respectively. Positive correlations were found for clinical competence with critical thinking disposition, general self-efficacy, and leadership. The strongest predictor of clinical competence was leadership. In addition, leadership, nursing school year, and subjective academic achievement accounted for 34.5% of variance in clinical competence. CONCLUSION This study revealed that developing leadership, critical thinking disposition, and self-efficacy in undergraduate nursing education is important to improve clinical competence of nursing students.

Application of the transtheoretical model: exercise behavior in Korean adults with metabolic syndrome.

Background:Although regular exercise has been recommended to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among people with metabolic syndrome, little information is available about psychobehavioral strategies in this population. Objective:The purpose of this study was to identify the stages, processes of change, decisional balance, and self-efficacy of exercise behavior and to determine the significant predictors explaining regular exercise behavior in adults with metabolic syndrome. Methods:This descriptive, cross-sectional survey design enrolled a convenience sample of 210 people with metabolic syndrome at a university hospital in South Korea. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze demographic characteristics, metabolic syndrome risk factors, and transtheoretical model-related variables. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the most important predictors of regular exercise stages. Results:Action and maintenance stages comprised 51.9% of regular exercise stages, whereas 48.1% of non-regular exercise stages were precontemplation, contemplation, and preparation stages. Adults with regular exercise stages displayed increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, were more likely to use consciousness raising, self-reevaluation, and self-liberation strategies, and were less likely to evaluate the merits/disadvantages of exercise, compared with those in non-regular exercise stages. Conclusions:In this study of regular exercise behavior and transtheoretical model-related variables, consciousness raising, self-reevaluation, and self-liberation were associated with a positive effect on regular exercise behavior in adults with metabolic syndrome. Our findings could be used to develop strategies and interventions to maintain regular exercise behavior directed at Korean adults with metabolic syndrome to reduce CVD risk. Further prospective intervention studies are needed to investigate the effect of regular exercise program on the prevention and/or reduction of CVD risk among this population. Health care providers, especially nurses, are optimally positioned to help their clients initiate and maintain regular exercise behavior in clinical and community settings.

Mobile-Based Video Learning Outcomes in Clinical Nursing Skill Education: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Mobile devices are a regular part of daily life among the younger generations. Thus, now is the time to apply mobile device use to nursing education. The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of a mobile-based video clip on learning motivation, competence, and class satisfaction in nursing students using a randomized controlled trial with a pretest and posttest design. A total of 71 nursing students participated in this study: 36 in the intervention group and 35 in the control group. A video clip of how to perform a urinary catheterization was developed, and the intervention group was able to download it to their own mobile devices for unlimited viewing throughout 1 week. All of the students participated in a practice laboratory to learn urinary catheterization and were blindly tested for their performance skills after participation in the laboratory. The intervention group showed significantly higher levels of learning motivation and class satisfaction than did the control. Of the fundamental nursing competencies, the intervention group was more confident in practicing catheterization than their counterparts. Our findings suggest that video clips using mobile devices are useful tools that educate student nurses on relevant clinical skills and improve learning outcomes.

Analysis of Weight Control in Korean Adolescents Using the Transtheoretical Model

The purpose of this study was to identify the stages of change, the processes of change, and the decisional balance for weight control, self-efficacy, and other weight control—related variables and to determine the significant factors explaining movements between the stages of change in Korean adolescents. A total of 475 adolescents completed questionnaires and anthropometric measures. The majority of the adolescents were in the precontemplation (42.1%) and contemplation (43.0%) stages. The benefits of weight control (pros), desire for weight change, perceived body shape, and past experience with weight control increased the odds ratio of movement from precontemplation to contemplation. Stimulus control, self-reevaluation, regular exercise, and past experience of weight control significantly influenced the movement to action and maintenance from contemplation. The study results suggest that weight control programs should emphasize significant factors to help adolescents move through the stages of change.

The mediating effects of perceived parental teasing on relations of body mass index to depression and self‐perception of physical appearance and global self‐worth in children

AIM To report a correlational study of the relation of body mass index to childrens perceptions of physical appearance and global self-worth and depression, as mediated by their perceptions of parental teasing. BACKGROUND The relation between depression and self-perception in children with obesity has been reported. Recently, parental factors were found to be related to childhood obesity. Little is known about the effects of perceived parental teasing on depression and self-perception in children. DESIGN A descriptive correlational research design was used. METHODS Data were collected from 455 children in the fifth and sixth grades in four provinces of South Korea using self-report questionnaires for measuring self-perception of physical appearance and global self-worth, depression and perceived parental teasing between October-December in 2009. The childrens weight and height information from school health records was used. Multiple regression analysis and the Sobel test were used to identify the mediating effect of perceived parental teasing. RESULTS Among the children, 20% were overweight or obese. Although children with obesity did not differ in the level of depression from their normal weight counterparts, they demonstrated lower perceived physical appearance and higher perceived parental teasing. The mediating effects of perceived parental teasing were found for the relations between body mass index and self-perception of physical appearance and global self-worth, and body mass index and depression, respectively. CONCLUSION Obese children at risk of parental teasing should be identified to prevent their psychological problems. A well-designed intervention study is necessary to examine the effects of psycho-emotional interventions for obese children.

WomenâÂÂs Perceptions about Pregnancy and Childbirth and Their Perceived Maternal and Newborn Health Problems in Tigray District, Ethiopia

Background: The death of women during pregnancy or childbirth period remains a major problem in developing countries. Ethiopia has higher maternal mortality than other developing countries and its high rate is remaining steady. Objective: To identify the perceptions of women about pregnancy and childbirth and their perceived serious maternal and newborn health problems in North Ethiopia. Methods: A total of 1,216 women aged 15-49 years in Tigray, Ethiopia participated in this community-based study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire through interviews. The t-test and analysis of variance were used for data analysis. Results: The mean age of the women was 32.56 years, and they had an average of 3.89 children. Whereas almost all of them perceived women to have authority in birth planning and health facility visits for antenatal care and childbirth, about a third did not perceive roles for fathers in childbirth and child care. They also showed limited perceptions of serious health problems in pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and newborn care. Women’s perceptions of health problems during pregnancy differed significantly by having a husband. Conclusion: Our study findings suggest the need for community-based health education for women in North Ethiopia to increase their perceptions of maternal health and newborn care. We also recommend empowering women to maintain perinatal health and encouraging fathers to be actively involved in child care.

Weight Control in Adolescents: Focus Groups With Korean Adolescents and Their Teachers

Purpose: This qualitative descriptive study sought to identify perceptions about and status of weight control in adolescents from the perspective of adolescents and their teachers. Methods: Focus groups were used with six separate groups, 20 adolescents divided into four groups and 14 teachers divided into two groups. The qualitative data were analyzed using a thematic analysis in NVivo 11.0. Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative studies (COREQ) were followed. Results: We extracted three themes and 12 sub‐themes with 52 meaningful codes. Both adolescents and teachers stated that perceptions about weight control in adolescents were overly weighted toward management of ones appearance. The adolescents reported an increase in weight gained during adolescence, especially after entering high school, and they noted a lack of participation in physical activities and the presence of unhealthy dietary behaviors. However, adolescents perceived excessive weight gain during adolescence as natural, as long as they studied hard. Their teachers and parents were also permissive about weight gain resulted from study. The participants suggested that a weight control program for adolescents should be conducted in schools and should include every student in order to avoid discrimination. In addition, teacher involvement was emphasized to promote participation of adolescents in a school program. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that adolescents, especially those in a society emphasizing academics, need to practice healthy weight control behaviors. A school‐based weight control program involving teachers and peers would be suitable and should be provided to all students regardless of weight classification. HIGHLIGHTSAdolescents and teachers perceived that meaning of weight control in adolescents was overly weighted toward management of ones appearance.They showed permissive attitudes about increasing weight during adolescence as long as adolescents studied hard.They suggested a school‐based weight control program encouraging participation of every student to avoid discrimination against overweight or obesity.Teacher involvement was emphasized to promote participation of adolescents in a weight control program.

Body esteem is a mediator of the association between physical activity and depression in Korean adolescents

PURPOSE This study examined whether body-esteem would mediate the association between physical activity and depression in adolescents. METHODS A total of 848 Korean high school students aged 15 to 18years completed a questionnaire on body-esteem, physical activity recall, and depression. Path analysis was used to test mediating effects of body-esteem on the association between physical activity and depression. RESULTS Girls showed a significantly higher level of depressive symptoms than boys. Boys showed significantly higher levels of physical activity and body-esteem than girls. Body-esteem mediated the relation of physical activity with depression. CONCLUSIONS Physical activity might reduce the risk of depression in addition to supporting body-esteem in adolescents. Interventions that reinforce healthy body-esteem and encourage physical activity would help prevent depression in adolescents. Future studies should examine the effects of programs addressing physical activity and body-esteem among adolescents with depressive symptoms.