Nursing intervention studies often suffer from a selection bias introduced by failure of random assignment. Evaluation with selection bias could under or over-estimate any intervention's effects. PS matching (PSM) can reduce a selection bias through matching similar Propensity Scores (PS). PS is defined as the conditional probability of being treated given the individual's covariates and it can be reused to balance the covariates of two groups.

This study was done to assess the significance of PSM as an alternative evaluation method of nursing interventions.

An intervention study for patients with some baseline individual characteristic differences between two groups was used for this demonstration. The result of a t-test with PSM was compared with a t-test without matching.

The level of HbA1c at 12 months after baseline was different between the two groups in terms of matching or not.

This study demonstrated the effects of a quasi-random assignment. Evaluation using PSM can reduce a selection bias impact that affects the result of the nursing intervention. Analyzing nursing research more objectively to reduce selection bias using PSM is needed.

Previous evaluation studies of the visiting nursing program explained an average change of the participants' health status, without considering socio-ecological characteristics and their impacts. However, these factors must affect individual health problems and lifestyles. For effective and appropriate community based programs, the Geographical Information System(GIS) can be utilized. GIS is a computer-based tool for mapping and analyzing things that happen on earth, and integrates statistical analysis with unique visualization. The purpose of this study was to evaluate visiting nursing care and to advocate the usefulness of planning and evaluating visiting nursing programs using Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis(ESDA) with GIS technology.

One hundred eighty-four elderly participants with cerebrovascular risk factors who lived in 13 areas of one community received visiting nursing care. The data analyzed characteristics of pre-post change and autocorrelation by ESDA using GIS technology.

Visiting nursing care showed an improvement in the participants' lifestyle habits, and family management ability and stress level, while the improvements were different depending on the regions. The change of family management ability and stress level correlated with neighborhoods (Morgan's I= 0.1841, 0.1675).

Community health providers need to consider the individual participant's health status as well as socio-ecological factors. Analysis using GIS technology will contribute to the effective monitoring, evaluation and design of a visiting nursing program.

This study was to evaluate the effects of a comprehensive life style modification program on glycemic control and stress response in type 2 diabetes.

The participants(n=34) with type 2 diabetes were divided into either a usual care(control) or treatment(experimental) group. The experimental group(n=21) received a program that was based on a comprehensive life style modification protocol at a weekly meeting for 16 weeks. They also participated in individually prescribed exercise and diet along with stress management and self monitoring. The participants were followed for 6 months, during which postprandial glucose, HbA_1C, and stress response inventory were measured.

The experimental group showed a significant lower postprandial glucose and stress response compared to those of the control group. However, there was no significant change in the HbA_1C value in either group.

These results suggest that a type 2 diabetes comprehensive lifestyle modification program may lead to clinical improvement in glycemic control and reduce the stress response.

This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of exercise programs in patients with type II diabetes mellitus.

Two investigators systematically searched and reviewed English articles from PUBMED from 1988 to 2004, selecting randomized controlled trials on structured exercise programs for DM patients. Out of 87 studies identified, a meta analysis was done for eleven studies which satisfied inclusion criteria and focused on glycemic indices, lipid indices, and cardiac function indices.

The means and standard deviations were compared for experimental groups that received exercise-only or exercise and diet programs and control groups that received no intervention or only diet education. The groups were considered homogeneous as the p value of the Q score in each variable group was over 0.05. The experimental groups demonstrated a moderate positive effect on HbA₁c and VO_2max (d=0.55 & 0.5), and a small positive effect on fasting blood glucose and cholesterol (d=0.38 & 0.27) compared to the control groups. HDL and LDL cholesterol levels, however, showed a very low positive effect (d=0.11 & 0.12) in the experimental groups. Aerobic exercise was more beneficial than resistance exercise on HbA₁c (d=0.59 vs 0.28) in the groups.

Regular exercise has a positive effect on HbA₁c, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and VO_2max in Type 2 diabetic patients.

This study was to evaluate the effects of a short term comprehensive life style modification program on glycemic metabolism, lipid metabolism and body composition in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

A nonequivalent control group with a pre post test was designed. Data collection was done from October 2003 to June, 2004 at a hospital. Glycemic metabolism was measured by a.c., p.c. and HbA1c, and lipid metabolism was measured by cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Body Composition was measured by body weight, body mass index, waist, measurement waist per hip ratio, body fat, muscle weight and abdominal fat tissue(intra abdominal distance). The Experimental group, which was composed of 29 participants, was educated based on a life style modification protocol at a weekly meeting for 12 weeks and carried out exercise, diet along individual parameters and self monitoring, while 24 participants in the control group received only diet education.

1.The experimental group showed a significant lower a.c.(t=2.11, p=.04) and HbA₁c(t=2.65, p=.01) compared to those of the control group. 2. The experimental group showed a significant lower LDL than the results of the control group(t=2.42, p=.02). 3. The experimental group showed a significant lower weight(t=3.09, p=.00), BMI(t=3.01, p=.00), body fat(t=2.94, p=.01) and abdominal fat tissue(t=3.05, p=.01) than those of the control group.

The results provided evidence for the effectiveness of a short term comprehensive life style modification program composed of exercise, diet, support, self efficacy elevation and self monitoring in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

This study was to evaluate the effects of a physical activity reinforcement program on exercise compliance, depression, and anxiety in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis(CAPD) patients.

A nonequivalent control group with a pre-post test was designed. Data collection was done from December, 2002 to June, 2003 at a hoapital. The degree of depression and anxiety of the patients was assessed by the score of SCL-90-R, and exercise compliance was measured by exercise period, frequency, time and intensity. The experimental group was composed of 19 participants who were educated based on an exercise education protocol and carried out walking exercises two to four times a week after hearing verbal persuasion biweekly through the telephone or a face-to-face interview for 12 weeks, while 17 participants in control group received no intervention.

1. The experimental group showed significant improvement in self-efficacy of exercise compliance (U=79.00, p=.01), exercise period (χ²=20.84, p=.00), exercise frequency (χ²=9.03, p=.01), exercise time (χ²=9.03, p=.01) and exercise intensity (χ²=11.09, p=.00) compared to those of the control group. 2. The experimental group showed a lower depression score (U=84.50, p=.01) than the results of the control group. 3. However, there were no changes in anxiety level compared to the control group.

The physical activity reinforcement program was found to have an effect on exercise compliance and the depression score of CAPD patients. The results provided evidence for the importance of physical activity and verbal persuasion in CAPD patients.