• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.5-34
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• 2011

There have been increasing incidents of natural and social disasters that claimed many lives and caused financial calamities worldwide, which call for an attention to mental health issues affecting disaster victims. This study reviewed the findings of the empirical research on the effects of disaster on the victims, the prevalence and determinants of the mental health problems. The disaster tends to disproportionately affect the socio-economically disadvantaged population and their mental health problems and recovery seemed to be heavily influenced by post-disaster experiences such as restoration of physical environment, prospect of economic recovery and resumption of normalcy in their lives, opportunities for participation in decision-making that affect their lives. Such findings suggest that the disaster mental health should shift from its traditional approach that focuses on short-term clinical interventions to alleviate acute mental distress for the victims to a public health approach that involve medical, social and economic interventions as well as community empowerment to prevent chronicity of the mental health problems and to improve the general quality of life of the individuals and the community adversely affected by the disaster. Implications for the social work research, policy making, education and practice were discussed.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.91-105
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• 2015

Objectives : After disaster, some people develop posttraumatic stress sequelae such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression, substance use disorders, and suicide. To date, numerous screening and assessment tools for behavioral health issues including mental health problems, psychosocial maladjustment and status of recovery after disaster have been developed. In this condition, one of important topics is to choose instruments that can quickly and accurately measure the issues. Methods : This article reviewed several self-reported scales in adults for disaster behavioral health, which were searched using academic search engines like PubMed, Scopus, KoreaMed and KISS from the earliest available date of indexing through January 31, 2015. Results : More than 40 eligible instruments evaluating the disaster behavioral health issues containing posttraumatic stress sequelae, psychological and social resources, non-disaster stress, and general functions were presented in terms of availability, effectiveness, and expeditiousness. Also, we introduced basic frame aiming on practical usage, which includes standard version and brief version of the instruments for disaster behavioral health. Conclusion : We suggest the accessibility and the applicability of assessment instruments for disaster behavioral health. The systemic review of this article will provide further directions for them.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.788-805
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to verify the impact of Habitat for Humanity Korea's disaster risk reduction intervention on the mental health and satisfaction with life among residents of southern Bangladesh who had constantly suffered from disaster stress due to perennial flooding. Method: The target group was 138 residents who were pre-surveyed in August 2020 and post-surveyed in November 2021. The interventions consisted of individual incremental housing, public facilities for evacuation, and disaster response training for capacity development. The data were analysed using paired sample t-tests for pre-post changes and one-way analysis of variance to identify differences between treatment groups. Result: The results showed significant improvements in residents' depression, anxiety, somatisation and satisfaction with life after the intervention, with significant differences in mental health levels between the intervention treatments. Specifically, relatively higher disaster mitigation effects were found for individual infrastructure improvements and employment facilities compared to disaster response drills. Conclusion: These results demonstrate the positive role of Habitat for Humanity Korea's disaster risk reduction interventions on the mental health recovery of disaster victims and suggest practical approaches that can be applied in disaster risk areas.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.179-187
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• 2018

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to assess physical illnesses, psychological difficulties, and daily life function of victims' family members one year after the Sewol ferry disaster, in order to establish a basis of strategies to promote their mental health and resilience. Methods : We statistically analyzed self-reported data collected from a survey conducted between March 22 and 28, 2015 with 139 family members of victims. Results : All respondents complained about one or more psychological difficulties, and 95.4% of them had newly diagnosed or exacerbated physical illnesses. An increased number of psychological difficulties was associated with a greater tendency to present physical illnesses including chronic headache, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, obstetrico-gynecological, genitourinary, and cardiovascular disease. In addition, the majority of respondents reported a decrease in life functioning. Specifically, 71.9% reported interpersonal avoidance and 63.9% reported difficulty in returning to work. Conclusions : Not only psychological trauma but also physical illness and daily functioning should be evaluated in detail and actively addressed in the bereaved family members after a catastrophe.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.125-132
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• 2016

Objectives : The management of disaster should be immediate and sustainable. Further, it is hard to predict where the disaster will occur, using pre-exists governmental and non-governmental organizations are important. In this study, we tried to investigate the associated activities of organizations performed in Ansan city, in Sewol ferry accident. Methods : A total 121 workers in 25 organizations were surveyd about organizations which they worked with, kind of works performed, frequency of meetings, satisfaction in activities and factors associated with dissatisfaction in usual state and in Sewol ferry accident state, respectively. The differences between those two situations were analyzed using paired t-test for continuous variables and Chi-square test or McNemar test for categorical variables. Results : The total number of linkage of institutions were decreased(from n=397 to n=251) and the mean scores of rating satisfaction were significantly lower in most of organizations in disaster state. The rigid policy in performance evaluation was more likely associated with dissatisfaction in disaster state than usual state(p=0.045). Conclusions : For effective linkage of institutions, preparedness, such as understanding the capability of organizations in the communities and developing the protocol for associated activities, is important. The unnecessary and effortful performance evaluation should be sublated.

• Asia-pacific Journal of Multimedia Services Convergent with Art, Humanities, and Sociology
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• v.8 no.10
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• pp.895-903
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to conduct a comparative analysis on the mental health and health-related quality of life of the community residents who have been affected by the Sewol ferry disaster and to provide a basis for future aids for potential human-caused catastrophe. The study utilized the big data, Korean community health survey data of 3,632 (1,803 in 2018 and 1,829 in 2014) residents in Ansan and Jindo, a victimized community of Sewol ferry disaster, and compared the subjective level of health, amount of appropriate sleep, subjective stress level, stress consulting, depression, depression consulting, and health-related quality of life before and after the disaster. According to the findings, community residents who have been affected by the Sewol ferry disaster did not show any significant difference in terms of subjective health level, amount of appropriate sleep, subjective stress, and health-related quality of life. The study aims to serve as a foundational data for developing a prevention program or policy that aims to support future potential disasters by comparing the mental health and health-related quality of life of the victimized community before and after the disaster. The study suggests that the need for continuous monitoring of mental health and health-related quality of life of the victimized residents is significant, and further studies should be implemented in order to provide better supports for the local community.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Disaster Information Conference
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• 2023.11a
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• pp.173-174
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• 2023

본 연구는 공중보건 비상사태 발생 시 시민들의 위기의식과 신뢰 간의 관계를 살펴보았다. 위기의 영향은 개인, 사회, 국가에 따라 다르다. 정부의 위기관리는 특히 '공공성'이라는 측면에서 비정부기구와 매우 다른 것이 국민의 책임의식을 해소하기 위한 관료제를 수반하기 때문이다. 전염병 확산 단계에서 사람들은 부정적인 감정에 쉽게 빠지게 되며, 중대사고 발생 후 대중의 부정적인 감정을 줄이는 것은 중대사고로 인한 조직의 피해를 효과적으로 줄일 수 있다. 코로나19 팬데믹 상황에서 시민들의 위기의식이 신뢰에 미치는 영향을 기반으로 공중보건 위기상황의 관리를 최적화하고 시민들의 정신건강을 증진 시킬 수 있는 방안에 대한 지침을 제공해야 한다고 판단 된다.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.34-43
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• 2020

Purpose: In this study, we will try to find out problems and improvements of the policies in order to verify whether the plans contribute to the health and welfare of the firefighters properly. Method: By the Delphi analysis by experts. Result: There are problems such as absence of Firefighters' hospital, insufficient mental health education program in fire department, lack of on-site risk assessment system, problem on ineffectiveness of mental and physical health care business, lack of substantiality on mental and physical stability program, absence of mental health education, ensuring the confidentiality for users of mental health programs, lack of support for parent firefighters, lack of firefighters' retirement design and insufficient treatment for female firefighters. Conclusion: There are Improvements such as establishing Firefighters' hospital, improving mental health education and training CISD leaders in the fire department, preparing disaster risk assessment system, effectiveness measurement for visiting psychological counseling projects, improving the program through customer satisfaction surveys, establishment of mental health education system, ensuring confidentiality by improving personnel systems, encourage childcare leave and introduce childcare facilities at fire stations, revitalizing retirement Firefighters and policy development for female firefighters.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.73-90
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to contribute to developing psychological support system in disaster response of South Korea by examining that of Japan. Psychosocial support from the Red Cross with the psychiatric support by the DPAT from local government were achieved in the early stage of disaster psychology support system in Japan. In the long term intervention after disaster, psychiatric support from Kokoro-no care center has been established. In other words, not only traditional mental health approach but also disaster psychology support activities including psychosocial support are deployed. National Information Center of Disaster Mental Health, which is control tower of disaster psychology support, understand the disaster in the level of nationwide through collecting and analyzing the data related to disaster, and manage disaster psychological support activities. Disaster psychology support system in Japan modified problems immediately during large scale disaster that they are equipped with state of the current. Implications for disaster psychological support system and crisis counseling program in South Korea are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.136-143
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• 2021

Objectives : The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is a global medical crisis imposing particular burden on public sector employees. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychiatric distress among public sector workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods : We conducted a cross-sectional study with 531 public sector workers in Gwangmyung city who completed Korean versions of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Impact of Event Scale-Revised-Korean (IES-R-K). Results : The results revealed more than moderate levels of stress (85.2%), depressive symptoms (22.2%), and posttraumatic stress symptoms (38.8%). PSS total score was significantly correlated with PHQ-9, IES-R-K total scores as well as IES-R-K subscale scores. Total scores on the PSS, PHQ-9, and IES-R-K were all inversely correlated with age. Conclusions : COVID-19-related workers experience considerable stress and depressive symptoms, with self-rated stress correlating significantly with depression scores. Age may serve as a protective factor against occupational stress and burnout. These findings highlight the need for adequate psychiatric screening and intervention for public sector workers.