The purpose of this study was to evaluate the methodological quality of nursing studies using structural equation modeling in Korea.

Databases of KISS, DBPIA, and National Assembly Library up to March 2014 were searched using the MeSH terms 'nursing', 'structure', 'model'. A total of 152 studies were screened. After removal of duplicates and non-relevant titles, 61 papers were read in full.

Of the sixty-one articles retrieved, 14 studies were published between 1992 and 2000, 27, between 2001 and 2010, and 20, between 2011 and March 2014. The methodological quality of the review examined varied considerably.

The findings of this study suggest that more rigorous research is necessary to address theoretical identification, two indicator rule, distribution of sample, treatment of missing values, mediator effect, discriminant validity, convergent validity, post hoc model modification, equivalent models issues, and alternative models issues should be undergone. Further research with robust consistent methodological study designs from model identification to model respecification is needed to improve the validity of the research.

The purpose of the study was to assess the quality of meta-analyses on nursing published in South Korea.

Relevant meta-analyses were identified through searches of the National Assembly Library, KISS (Korean Studies Information Service System), and the DBpia and RISS4U databases from 1990 to May 2013. Quality assessments were conducted using AMSTAR, a validated tool for assessing the quality of systematic reviews.

Forty-two meta-analyses were included in this study. Twenty-nine published between 1990 and 2010, and 13, between 2011 and May 2013. Two high quality studies and 11 moderate quality studies were published in the latter period. The mean score for the reviews was 5.61 (range 3-10); 11 studies were rated as low quality, 29 as moderate quality, and two as high quality.

Although an improvement in the quality of meta-analyses conducted by nursing researchers in South Korea was observed across the study period, the study results indicate a need to use of more rigorous research methods when conducting systematic reviews or meta-analyses.

The purpose of this study was to use meta-analysis to evaluate the variables related to depression in patients who have had a stroke.

The materials of this study were based on 16 variables obtained from 26 recent studies over a span of 10 years which were selected from doctoral dissertations, master's thesis and published articles.

Related variables were categorized into sixteen variables and six variable groups which included general characteristics of the patients, disease characteristics, psychological state, physical function, basic needs, and social variables. Also, the classification of six defensive and three risk variables group was based on the negative or positive effect of depression. The quality of life (ES= -.79) and acceptance of disability (ES=-.64) were highly correlated with depression in terms of defensive variables. For risk variables, anxiety (ES= .66), stress (ES= .53) showed high correlation effect size among the risk variables.

These findings showed that defensive and risk variables were related to depression among stroke patients. Psychological interventions and improvement in physical functions should be effective in decreasing depression among stroke patients.

The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between sexual knowledge, frequency, satisfaction, marital intimacy, and depression levels in stroke survivors and their spouses.

This study was a convenience sample of Korean men who had experienced a stroke and their spouses. The subjects were discharged from the hospital and received physical therapy. Data such as sexual knowledge, frequency, satisfaction, marital intimacy, and depression levels were collected from November 2005 to April 2006.

In a comparison of stroke survivors and their spouses, the survivors showed higher mean levels of sexual knowledge and marital intimacy. The levels of knowledge, frequency, satisfaction and marital intimacy were low and depression was mild in the subjects. There were significant correlations between sexual frequency, sexual satisfaction and marital intimacy. Also, subjects with lower levels of sexual satisfaction were more depressed. The spouses who possessed greater levels of sexual knowledge reported a higher frequency of sex and greater marital intimacy. In addition, spouses who reported feeling greater levels of marital intimacy experienced fewer depressive symptoms.

These findings demonstrate a need for the development of sexual adaptation programs which could be effective in improving sexual knowledge, frequency, satisfaction, marital intimacy, and depression reported by stroke patients and their spouses. Ideally, these corrective programs should be administered before patients are discharged from the hospital.