Young-Ran Yeun

Nurses primarily focus on caring for others, but they also require care and support to enhance their own resilience. Thus, this study aims to determine the effects of psychological interventions on nurses’ resilience support and to define the influence of moderating variables that can affect these effects. The literature search was conducted in 10 electronic databases, and 5 randomized controlled trials and 10 non-randomized controlled trials were finally selected for analysis (a total of 852 participants). Statistical analyses of the effect sizes and homogeneity of the intervention programs were conducted using RevMan 5.3 from the Cochrane Library and the R program. Publication bias in the retrieved studies was tested using contour-enhanced funnel plots. The meta-analysis found that psychological interventions were effective in improving nurses’ resilience immediately after the intervention (SMD = 0.59, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.86, Z = 4.18, p < 0.001) and in the short term within three months (SMD = 1.52, 95% CI 0.74 to 2.31, Z = 3.80, p < 0.001). Interventions using emotion regulation, relaxation, and self-compassion were particularly effective, and the intervention period was effective in both a short period of 1 day and a long period of more than 12 weeks. In addition, the optimal one-session time was 121–150 min, and offline interventions were more effective than online interventions. Furthermore, the effect size was affected by the intervention time for one session (QB = 12.02, df = 3, p = 0.007) and the on/offline intervention method (QB = 5.85, df = 1, p = 0.015). These findings may inform the development of targeted interventions and resilience support systems for nurses. However, in the future, more rigorous studies, such as randomized controlled trials, should be conducted to ensure strict control over the variables and to establish a stronger evidence base for the effectiveness of these interventions.

This study aimed to confirm the relationship between resilience, meaning in life, and post-traumatic growth (PTG) among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the mediating effect of meaning in life on the relationship between resilience and PTG was examined. A cross-sectional descriptive research design was used. The participants were 220 nurses at COVID-19-designated hospitals in Seoul. Descriptive statistics, a t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis, hierarchical regression, and SPSS PROCESS macro (Model 4) were used for data analyses. As a result of the study, resilience and meaning in life each had a significant positive effect on PTG. In addition, the indirect effect of meaning in life was significant, suggesting that meaning in life partially mediated the relationship between resilience and PTG. The results indicate that nurses’ resilience directly contributes to the improvement of PTG, and this relationship is further strengthened indirectly through the presence of meaning in life. Therefore, it is suggested that strategies should be developed to enhance resilience and promote a sense of meaning in the profession in order to support the mental health and foster growth among nurses.

PURPOSE: Although the prevalence of periodontal disease in adults over the age of 50 is rapidly increasing, the association between serum lipid levels and periodontal disease in Korean adults over the age of 50 still remains to investigate. Thus, the aim was to determine the effect of serum lipid levels on periodontal disease in older adults over the age of 50 using data from the seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.METHODS: The study used the data of 809 adults aged ≥50 years targeted in the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2016-2018. Levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density- lipoprotein (HDL-cholesterol), and low density-lipoprotein (LDL-cholesterol) and periodontal conditions were measured. Complex-sample chi square test and linear regression were used to analyze the relationship serum lipid levels with periodontal disease.RESULTS: The results of chi square tests showed that the prevalence of periodontal disease among the elderly ≥50 years were statistically significant differences according to gender, age, education level, marital status, and smoking status. After adjusting for all confounding factors, HDL-cholesterol alleviated periodontal disease, while LDL-cholesterol exacerbates periodontal disease. However, total cholesterol and triglycerides were not connected with periodontal disease.CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, controlling HDL and LDL cholesterol levels through physical exercise could be a preventative measure for periodontal disease.

Chronic low-grade inflammation that accompanies aging is associated with adverse health outcomes and may exacerbate the severity of infectious disease such as COVID-19. Resistance training (RT) has the potential to improve chronic low-grade inflammation, but the evidence remains inconclusive. This study evaluated the effects of RT on chronic low-grade inflammation in elderly adults. MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, RISS, NDSL, and KoreaMed were searched. We included studies that assessed the effect of RT on C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in those aged ≥60 years. The effect size was estimated using fixed or random-effects models. Subgroup analysis was performed regarding age, health status, training method, number of exercises, intensity, weekly frequency, and duration. In the 18 randomized controlled trials (539 patients) included, RT was effective in alleviating CRP (effect size = −0.72, 95% confidence interval = −1.06 to −0.38, p < 0.001), IL-10 (−3.34, −6.16 to −0.53, p = 0.02), and TNF-α (−0.56, −1.08 to −0.03, p = 0.04) in elderly adults and tended to reduce IL-6 (−0.59, −1.18 to 0.00, p = 0.05). Subgroup analyses showed CRP reduction regardless of age, training method, number of exercises, intensity, weekly frequency, and duration. RT can be used to ameliorate chronic low-grade inflammation in elderly adults.

(1) Background: The COVID-19 outbreak has caused psychological problems worldwide. This review explored the psychological effects of online-based mindfulness programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) Methods: This systematic review was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Randomized controlled trials that were published in the English language from 1 January 2020 to 31 May 2021 on online-based mindfulness programs for psychological problems due to the COVID-19 pandemic were searched in electronic databases. Quality assessment was conducted on the retrieved RCTs using the Cochrane risk of bias tool for RCTs. (3) Results: Six RCTs were included in this review. Quality appraisal of included RCTs ranged from 1 for low risk of bias to 5 for high risk of bias. There is evidence from the six RCTs that online-based mindfulness interventions may have favorable effects for reducing the levels of psychological problems, such as anxiety, depression, and stress. (4) Conclusions: Online-based mindfulness programs may be used as complementary interventions for clinical populations, healthy individuals, and healthcare workers with psychological problems due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Young-Ran Yeun, Ph.D.. J Hosp Palliat Care 2021;24:144-53. https://doi.org/10.14475/jhpc.2021.24.3.144

Volunteers play a key role in hospice and palliative service. This study was performed to investigate the motivations of Korean hospice volunteers and to identify the predictors that affect their service period. The accomplished questionnaire sheets of 93 subjects were included in the analysis. Inventory of Motivations for Hospice Palliative Care Volunteerism to measure the motivations of the hospice volunteers was used. The collected data were subjected to a statistical analysis of the mean and standard deviation, a t-test, and multinomial logistic regression analysis. The motivation score of the hospice volunteers in South Korea is 75.57 ± 10.97, and the top three in the motivation list were altruism, civic responsibility, and self-promotion. Among the subdomains, altruism, 1-4-year working experience (B = 0.79, standard error (SE) = 0.26, P = 0.002, Exp (B) =0.45), and more than 10-year working experience (B = 1.00, SE = 0.30, P = 0.001, Exp (B) =0.36) had statistically significant influences. The finding of this study can be used as basic information for the recruitment and management of hospice volunteers in South Korea.

Objective: Several intervention studies have suggested that foot massage and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are beneficial for reducing the stress response. However, no randomized control trials have been conducted to examine these effects in middle-aged women, who are more commonly exposed to stress relative to others. This study aimed to examine the effects of combined self-administered foot massage and CBT on the psychophysiological stress response in Korean middle-aged women. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Subjects were recruited from the social welfare center in Sahmcheok, Kangwondo, Korea. The subjects performed some of the massage at the center and some at home, and CBT was performed at the center. Subjects: Fifty-three women aged 45–64 years were randomly assigned to Group A (intervention, n = 31) or B (usual care, n = 30). Intervention: Combined self-administered foot massage and CBT. Outcome measures: Depression, anxiety, stress, blood pressure, heart rate, blood glucose (BG), and oxygen saturation were measured at baseline and 3-week follow-up. Results: Mean depression scores (p = 0.021), stress scores (p = 0.009), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p = 0.035), and BG levels (p = 0.007) had decreased significantly subsequent to the intervention. Conclusion: Combined self-administered foot massage and CBT led to reductions in depression, stress, SBP, and BG levels. Therefore, the intervention could be an effective means of reducing the stress response in middle-aged women.

A lifestyle characterized by poor eating habits and physical inactivity is a risk factor for multiple lifestyle diseases in young adults. This study assessed the effects of implementing an intensive 10-day health promotion program combining diet and physical activities on body composition, physical fitness, and biochemical parameters of young adults. In this randomized pilot study, 30 female undergraduate students were randomly allocated to an intervention and a control group. The health promotion program consisted of unlimited amounts of vegetarian food; aerobic, flexibility, and strength exercises (3 hours/day); lectures on health (3 hours/day); massage practice (2 hours/day); and healthy cooking practice (1 hour/day). The effects of the intervention were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The intensive 10-day health promotion program significantly reduced body weight, body mass index, triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood glucose, and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. At the same time, participants demonstrated increased back muscle, leg muscle, and grip strength; waist and shoulder flexibility; balance; and cardiorespiratory endurance. The intensive 10-day health promotion program is a viable intervention for improving body composition, physical fitness, glycemic control, and blood lipid levels in young adults.