This study was designed to examine the relation of trait anger and anger expression to blood pressure, cholesterol, and depression in middle-aged Korean women.

This descriptive correlational design was conducted using a convenient sample taken from the health center of K University Hospital located in Kyungki province, Korea. The subjects were 252 women aged 40 to 64 years. Spielberger's state trait anger expression inventory - Korean version and Beck's depression inventory were used for measuring trait anger, state anger, anger expression and depression. Data was analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, Pearson correlation, two-way ANOVA, and cluster analysis using a pc-SAS program.

The anger expression types by cluster analysis were Anger out/in type, Low anger expression type, and Anger control type. The level of cholesterol and depression were significantly higher in women with high anger in and high trait anger. In addition, the level of depression was significantly higher in women with a high anger temperament.

Trait anger and anger in might be related to cholesterol and depression in women. However, this study does not reveal the relation between blood pressure and trait anger and anger expression.

The purpose of this research was to address the working conditions of home health nurses through a nationwide home health agency survey conducted at hospitals.

The mail surveys were sent to 303 home health nurses nation wide and returned with a response rate of 71.8%.

(a) Seventy-five percent of home health agencies were established within the past5 years and half of home health nurses are over 40 years old. (b) Working conditions were considered as follows: Seventy-one percent of respondents were full-time employees, sixty-sixpercent of home health nurses had unscheduled visits on a regular day of duty and forty-eight percent were on vacation. Fifty-one percent of home health nurses have experienced traffic accidents and paid penalties (65.9%). Self-reported monthly income level per year was an average of 28,364,000 won. (c) Rates were significantly higher for shoulder pain (61.5%), lower back pain (54.1%), knee pain (39.4%), and gastrointestinal problems (33.0%).

These baseline results show the importance of improving home health nursing working conditions, a comprehensive prevention system and safeguards from physical discomfort.