J Korean Acad Adult Nurs.  1999 Jun;11(2):189-204.

The Use of Exercise Therapy in Korea as an Adjunct to Nursing Practice

• Jun JY

Abstract

This study aimed at analyzing the trend of research on the use of exercise therapy in Koera, suggesting directions for future research and implementation of the various exercise therapies. The target population was taken from studies on Exercise Therapy as a nursing interverntion in Domestic Nursing Science, Physiology, Rehabilitation Medicine, and Athletics. Research studies were taken from dissertations and theses selected from Academic Society Journals of nursing science, physiology, rehabilitation medicine and athletics, Journals from universities, medical and nursing schools, and research institutes in various universities, the Central Journal of Medicine, and the New Medical Journal. The studies selected were conducted between 1970 and 1997. The total sample number was 86 different research papers. These studies were analyzed according to Time of Presentation, Theses for a Degree, Experimental Design, Subject, Sample Size, Dependant Variables, Exercise Therapy, and Effect of Exercise Therapy. The results were as follows: 1. The Learning Domain included: 59.3% from Nursing Studies, 22.1% from Athletics research, and 18.6% from the Medical field. 2. Research on exercise therapy has increased rapidly in the 1990's. At the time of this presentation 80.2% of the studies were from the 1990's, and 19.8% were from the 1980's. 3. Thesis areas included : 62.8% non-degree research, 20.9% Doctoral studies, and 16.3% Master's theses. 4. Experimental design parameters includ[ed : 59.3% non-equivalent control group pre-test/post-test design, 30.3% one group pre-test/post-test design, and 10.4% one group post-test only design. 5. Of the Subjects : 54.7% were healthy individuals, and 45.3% were patients with various health problems. 6. Sample size included : 46.5% with above 31 subjects, 15.1% with 11~15 and 12.8% with 6~10. 7. Dependant variables were categorized as : Glucose Metabolism, Lipid Metabolism, Cardio-pulmonary function, Body Composition, Physical Strength, Physical Response, Psychological Response, Activities of Daily Living and the others. Cardio-pulmonary function was measured as a de pendant variable in 91.8%, Body Composition in 89.6%, Lipid Metabolism in 72.1%, Psychological Response in 55.9%, Physical Strength in 47.7%, Physical Response in 46.4%, Glucose Metabolism in 31.4%, Activities of Daily Living in 11.6% and others composed 3.5%. 8. Each Exercise Therapy was analyzed by Type, Intensity, Frequency, Duration, and Period according to each Learning Domain. 1) In the area of Nursing Science : the Type Rhythmic Exercise at 31.4% was the most common, Walking, Jogging, and Running composed 25.5%, Muscle Building Exercise made up 19.6%, and Aquatic Exercise were the least common at 11.8%. Exercise with 40~65% Intensity-comprised 25.5%, Frequency -3~5 X weekly was the most common at 78.4%, while Duration of 15~60 minutes at 76.5%, and Periods-of more than 5 weeks at 82.3% were the most common in their categories. 2) In the area of Medicine : the Type-Walking, Jogging, and Running was the most common at 81.3%, Intensity- of 50~80% was the most common at 31.3%, Frequency of 2~3 X a week was the most common at 31.3% also, while 4~5X a week at 25.0%, and 6 X weekly was the least common at 12.5%. Duration-of 15~60 minutes per session was the most common at 50.0%, while sessions of more than 2 hours were 18.8% and 5~10 minutes sessions were only 12.5%. Periods-of 5 weeks were the most common at 75.0%. 3) In the area of Athletics : the Type Walking, Jogging, and Running at 47.4% was the most common, with Rhythmic Exercise second at 31.6%, and Aquatic Exercise third at 15.8%. Intensity-of 50-80% was the most common at 73.7%. Frequency-of 3~5X a week was the most common at 84.2%. Duration-of 30-60 minutes per session being the commonest choice, while sessions of 6~12 minutes or more than 90 were 15.8%. Exercise periods of more than 8 weeks were the most common at 78.9%, while those of 6 weeks were 15.8%. The exercise methods used to attain Intensity (66.7, 26.3, 62.5%), Frequency(3.9, 15.8, 25.0 %), Duration( 15.8, 21.4, 18.8%) in Nursing Science, Athletics and Medicine were not described in detail. 9. The effect of Exercise Therapy was categorized into 'positive', 'partially positive', 'no effect'according to dependant variables : Having a positive effect Glucose Metabolism and the Others (80.0%), Physical Response (75.7%), Activities of Daily Living(75.0%), Physical Strength (70.7%), Body Composition(67.0%), Psychological Response(62.7%), Cardio pulmonary Function (61.8%). and Lipid Metabolism(55.1%). The following suggestions can be made on the above findings: 1. Research which includes patients with chronic disease needs to be studied. 2. Research findings on Exercise Therapy as a Nursing Intervention need to described by their elements of Type, Intensity, Frequency, Duration and Period. 3. To properly research the positive effects of Exercise Therapy, there needs to be (1) appropriate research design, (2) selection criteria for the subjects of the studies, (3) sample size parameters, and (4) measurement criterion for the dependant variables. 4. Meta-analysis on Exercise Therapy needs to be done to analyze and integrate the various results. 5. The patterns of Exercise Therapy need to be compared with existing international research and current trends for the most effective program design and implementation.

MeSH Terms

Academies and Institutes
Activities of Daily Living
Body Composition
Chronic Disease
Exercise Therapy*
Glucose
Health Services Needs and Demand
Humans
Jogging
Korea*
Learning
Lipid Metabolism
Metabolism
Nursing*
Patient Selection
Physiology
Rehabilitation
Research Design
Running
Sample Size
Schools, Nursing
Sports
Walking
Glucose