The fastest aging society with the lowest fertility rate can be buffered by support for healthy pregnancies using sociocultural approaches. We aimed to address adult perceptions of a healthy pregnancy and explored their needs and concerns about childbirth across the lifespan. We conducted a qualitative study using content analysis to investigate general perceptions of a healthy pregnancy after focus-group interviews with adult men and women. We interviewed 60 participants in nine group sessions of 5 to 8 people per group. Three major themes emerged that affect healthy pregnancies: Taking responsibility for a prepared pregnancy, factors that interfere with a healthy pregnancy, and improving strategies for a healthy pregnancy. For the first theme, the two main concerns were financial and parenthood preparation. Factors interfering with a healthy pregnancy had direct and indirect causes, considering personal, social, and cultural changes. Strategies for a healthy pregnancy included family and workplace support, systematic education, and governmental support for financial preparation and health screening. Participants averred that various kinds of support (financial, healthcare, and career) are needed for a healthy pregnancy and childbirth. This public awareness could promote better decisions toward healthy pregnancy with more sociocultural approaches in the various settings of home, school, and the workplace.

Purpose This study aimed to compare the length of stay (LOS) and treatment outcomes based on the application and achievement of a newly developed emergency department (ED) LOS management system for severely ill patients. Methods Data were retrospectively collected from electronic medical records (EMRs) for the system evaluation and research purpose. The study subjects are severely ill patients whose diagnosis codes are designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and who visited the ED of a tertiary hospital from January to December 2019. The control group (Group 1) refers to those who have neither applied nor achieved the goal (5 hours or less) of the ED LOS management system even after it was applied, and the experimental group (Group 2) refers to those who have achieved the 5-hour goal after applying the system. Results A total of 2034 severely ill patients applied the ED LOS management system. Group 1 included 837 patients and Group 2 included 1197 patients. Thirty days in-hospital mortality corresponded to 10.6% in Group 1 and 6.6% in Group 2 (χ2 = 10.58, p = .001). The total duration of hospitalization was 14.66 ± 18.26 days in Group 1 and 10.19 ± 16.00 days in Group 2 (t = 9.03, p < .001). Six hundred forty-two patients (76.6%) in Group 1 were discharged to their home (normal discharge) and 979 patients (81.7%) were discharged to their home in Group 2, but the discharge-as-death rate was 14.1% in Group 1 and 7.5% in Group 2 (χ2 = 29.80, p < .001). Conclusion With the application and attainment of the ED LOS management system for severely ill patients, we have concluded the new system produced a lower LOS in the ED, 30 days in-hospital mortality, length of the hospitalization, mortality rate, and a higher rate of normal discharge.

A Sexual Outlook Questionnaire (SOQ) that can apply to a wide range of Korean populations, including disabled people, was necessary for comprehensive research on improving clinical practice of sexual education and developing sex-related intervention programs. We developed the SOQ and tested its validity with exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and multi-trait/-item matrix analyses. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s α coefficient for item total correlations. We studied a total of 334 married or previously married adults with no cognitive impairment in the community settings. The eleven survey items were included in the final SOQ. Three factors were found: The first, “personal benefit”, was devoted to the impact of one’s sexual life and included four questions about the health-promoting effects and their recognition of healthiness, youth, and vitality as benefits of their sexual life. The second, “relational value”, included four questions about sex as an expression of love and means of communication, and its effect on the improvement of their relationship with their spouse (partner). The third, “sexual endeavor”, included three questions about the handling of sex-related problems, consulting with an expert, and sexual education. The questionnaire can briefly measure the sexual outlook of any married or previously married adult, regardless of disability.