Evidence-Based Nursing: Effects of a Structured Nursing Program for the Health Promotion of Korean Women With Hwa-Byung

The objectives of this study were to develop a culturally tailored nursing program for patients with Hwa-Byung (HB) and to test the effects of the nursing intervention. The structured nursing intervention program was based on a transcultural theoretical framework in which patients with HB received therapies consisting of music therapy, drama, and group therapy. Hwa-Byung is a culture-bound syndrome, literally translated as anger syndrome, attributed to the suppression of anger. Individuals experience a decrease in quality of life as a result of insufficient treatment. Current health care programs do not meet the needs of these individuals, who still need nursing interventions. A culturally tailored therapy is effective and appropriate for patients with illnesses related to their cultural background. Evidence-based nursing is a crucial approach in verifying the effects of nursing care and in enhancing the body of knowledge on nursing science. A nonequivalent, nonsynchronized, and controlled study design was applied to experimental and control groups of an even number of women. The nursing program was generally effective in the mental health condition test; the mental health condition of the experimental group was significantly more improved as compared with that of the control group. The program was particularly effective in the categories of somatization, depression, psychoticism, and hostility. The data indicate that the mental health of patients with HB could be improved with the use of nursing intervention programs. Nurses need to understand the cultural background of patients and provide culture-sensitive interventions for effective patient-oriented care.