• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.400-414
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• 1999

Objectives: This is a descriptive study which was carried out to identify characteristics of the chronic mentally ill and their families in a rural area and the influencing factors on family burden. Methods : Data was collected for seven months beginning April 1, 1998 by questionnaire from chronic mentally ill patients and their families in two towns and seven townships of the rural areas of Kyonggi Province. In additional to the mental diagnosis of the mentally ill patients, family burden was measured by interviewing the other family members using the questionnaire developed by Pai & Kapur (1981). Of those interviewed, 103 patients were selected for final analysis. Results : Of 103 mentally ill patients, 36.1% of the subjects were not under treatment. In particular, of 29 patients with schizophrenia, 48.3% of the subjects had stopped taking medication and 6.9% of the subjects had never been treated. According to the results of a specialized examination by a psychologist, 81% of patients were in need of Hospitalization. Most primary caregivers were parents. Of the 101 primary caregivers in the study, 39.6% were over 65 years old. In case of death of the primary caregiver, 50.5% of these 101 mentally ill patients would not have anyone to care for them. Of the various kinds of family burden, primary caregivers most often reported psychological stress. Overall, the families of dementia and schizophrenia patients complained of the most family burden. Through univariative analysis, the variables of sex, education and current treatment type of the patients, the relationship with the patient and marital status of the primary caregiver and the number of people living together in the household showed significant correlation with the family burden of schizophrenia patients. Univariative analysis also showed that there were a number of variables which were correlated to the family burden in mentally retarded patients. Concerning the need for mental health services, the most common requests were for entitlement to disability benefits and housing programs. Conclusions: Community mental health services in rural areas must be developed, planned and executed in consideration of the local situation. In particular, the development of various family support programs is needed in order to mitigate emotional, mental and economic burdens and carry out a positive role to care for and rehabilitate patients.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.235-245
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• 2023

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze public and researcher interests in suicide and related illnesses and acupuncture and acupressure treatment using Google Trends and some electronic databases. Methods: Search results for keywords "suicide," "acupuncture," "acupressure," and several illnesses related to suicide were analyzed in Google Trends from January 2004 to June 2023. Illnesses included anxiety, depression (including major depressive disorder), schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorder (including anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa), substance use disorder, autism spectrum disorder, personality disorder (including borderline person- ality disorder), and chronic pain. Search results were extracted using relative search volume (RSV) scores between 0 and 100. Search terms were also searched in online databases, including PubMed, CNKI, and OASIS, to estimate the number of related studies, and descriptive analysis was conducted. Results: Google Trends analysis showed a strong positive correlation between the RSVs of "suicide and depression," "acupuncture and chronic pain," and "acupressure and PTSD." The electronic database search results produced numerous studies published on "suicide and depression," "acupuncture and depression," and "acupressure and anxiety." High interest in "suicide and depression," "acupuncture and chronic pain," and "acupressure and anxiety" was seen among the public and researchers. Interest in "suicide and chronic pain," "acupuncture and eating disorder," and "acupressure and PTSD" was higher in the public than among researchers, while "anxiety and suicide" and "anxiety and acu- puncture" showed opposite trends. Conclusions: The results of this research enable an understanding of public and researcher interest in suicide, acupuncture, acupressure, and suicide-related illnesses. The results also provide a basis for fu- ture research and examining public health implications in Korean medicine.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.23 no.3 s.31
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• pp.296-308
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• 1990

The relationship between copper and mercury contents in the scalp hair and chronic schizophrenia was investigated. The samples of scalp hair were collected from 80 male chronic schizophrenic patients at the age from 20 to 29, who were hospitalized in the National Psychiatric Hospital in Seoul. As the control group, 69 males were collected from general population. Hair samples were taken from the napes and the Minnesota Multiple Personality Inventory (MMPI) was performed also. The copper and mercury contents were determined by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Significantly higher T-score of MMPI was seen in patients group for Hypochondriasis Scale (Hs), Depression Scale (D), Psychopathic Deviate Scale (Pd), Paranoia Scale (Pa), Psychasthenia Scale (Pt), Schizophrenia Scale (Sc) subscales than control group, and the frequency distribution by T-score was also significantly different between the patient and the control group for above scales. The content of copper in the hair of patient group was significantly lower than the control group. In the case of mercury, the mean value of patient group was significantly higher than control group. Between the value of copper and mercury, statistically significant negative correlation (r=-0.25) was found. When grouped by the T-score of MMPI, there was no difference of copper contents between T-score subgroup at all MMPI scale. But the mercury contents showed significant difference between T-score subgroup at Pt, Sc scale. When compared between the group of above 70 T-score and the group of less than 70, the mercury contents of Pa, Pt, Sc scale of above 70 T-score group were significantly higher than the group of less than 70. In other scales, the mercury content of the above 70 group were higher than the group of less than 70 except Mf scale, although there were no statistscally significances. In D, Pa, Sc scales, as the T-score of MMPI increased, the contents of mercury also increased. When divided into the patient group and the control group, the copper contents of the patient groups were significantly lower than the control group at each T-score scale in most MMPI scales. In the case of mercury, the value of patient group were significantly higher than the control group in the less than 44 scale of D, in the $60{\sim}69$ scale of Pd, in the $45{\sim}59$ scale of Mf, in the $60{\sim}69$ scale of Ma, in the less than 44 of Si. These results suggest that the effects of the deficiency of copper or high intake of mecury on schizophrenia and personality may be of possible value. Thus further studies are necessary to determine whether schizophrenia and personality formation would be attributed to copper deficiency or mercury intake.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.125-130
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• 2009

To figure out the epidemiological status and relevance with other diseases in toxoplasmosis, we checked serum IgG antibody titers of 1,265 patients and medical records of seropositive patients. Seropositive rates were 6.6% by latex agglutination test (LAT) and 6.7% by ELISA. No significant differences were detected between sexes and age groups. The peak seroprevalence was detected in the 40-49-year-old age group. According to clinical department, Toxoplasma-positive rates were high in patients in psychiatry, ophthalmology, health management, emergency medicine, and thoracic surgery. Major coincidental diseases in seropositive cases were malignant neoplasms, diabetes mellitus, arthritis, chronic hepatitis B, chronic renal diseases, schizophrenia, and acute lymphadenitis, in the order of frequency. In particular, some patients with chronic hepatitis B and malignant neoplasms had high antibody titers. These results revealed that the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in a general hospital-based study was similar to that in a community-based study, and T. gondii seropositivity may be associated with neoplasms, diabetes, and other chronic infections.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.381-388
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• 2013

The study was done to identify factors influencing the health risk behavior of the chronic mental illness in the community. A cross-sectional study design was used in this study. The sample was 255 chronic mentally ill persons from D city and C province and who agreed to participate in the study. Data were collected on August-september, 2011 and analyzed using the SPSS/WIN 20. Stress event, insight and depression had significant correlations with health risk behavior. Hierarchial regression analysis showed gender (men), diagnosis (schizophrenia), stress event, insight and depression together explained 24% of variance in health risk behavior. Findings of this study allow a comprehensive understanding of health risk behavior of the chronic mentally ill persons in community. It is necessary to integrated health promotion programs designed for this population should focus on these factors for effective behavioral modification.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.246-252
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• 1999

Objectives : Daytime drowsiness or sedation and changes in night sleep are commonly seen in patients treated with clozapine. There is, however, very limited information on their degree and nature during the course of treatment. The purpose of this study was to understand the sleep patterns in chronic schizophrenic patients with clozapine treatment over a period of 24 weeks. Method : The sleep pattern was evaluated using a set of 5-point scale questionnaire, to record subjective impressions of the night sleep induction, maintenance and quality, and daytime drowsiness and fatigue. In addition, unusual experiences associated with night sleep were recorded. The sleep questionnaire was repeatedly administered at baseline and at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 weeks of drug treatment. At present, data on 12 patients has been collected. Results : All the components of night sleep were significantly improved in the 1st through the 12th week after treatment with clozapine. Daytime drowsiness was significantly higher in the 1st to the 2nd week after the treatment and fatigue was also significantly higher in the 1st to the 4th week after the treatment. Eight patients experienced noticeable increases in salivation during night sleep, and of these, one also reported frequent nocturnal urination and even enuresis. However, all these adverse factors did not affect the major sleep patterns. Conclusions : These findings suggest that the beneficial effects of clozapine on night sleep might last much longer than the undesirable effect of daytime drowsiness and fatigue. In other words, tolerance of the hypnotic action of clozapine might develop late and tolerance of the daytime drowsiness and fatigue might be evident earlier.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.48-57
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• 1993

The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of personality dimensions of schizophrenics. Subjects in this study were 71 chronic schizophrenics, 59 acute schizophrenics, and 87 normal persons. All subjects was asked to respond to EPQ(Korean Version Eysenck Personality Questionnaire). Collected data were analyzed by using the statistical techniques of discriminant function analysis, t-test and one-way variable analysis. The results were as follows : Acute and chronic schizophrenics were higher than normal persons on psychoticism score. However, there was no significant difference between chronic and acute schizophrenics on the psychoticism score. Discriminant analysis was adopted to identify the scales in EPQ that were most effective in discriminating between normals and schizophrenics. Psychoticism of EPQ function was the most effective variable that discriminates between the normals and the schizophrenics.

• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.17-30
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• 2020

Objective : The purpose of this study is to provide basic data for the development of a instrumental activities of daily living training program called grocery shopping for schizophrenic patients in Delphi. Methods : The final program items and contents were completed through the first and third delphi surveys from August 2018 to March 2019. The expert composition selected 26 occupational therapists related to mental health. Three surveys were conducted and 23 experts participated in the Delphi survey. The second questionnaire, which was created from an open questionnaire, was designed to indicate the degree of importance using the Likert 5-point scale. As a result of the response of the 3rd questionnaire, the level of expert consensus was reconfirmed by analyzing average, standard deviation, and content validity ratio (CVR). Results : Three rounds of Delphi research reveal four categories of questions: grocery shopping views, product purchase strategies, necessary functions, and expert knowledge and experience on how to make purchase decisions. 24 items were selected. Through the 2nd and 3rd Delphi surveys, 4 items that did not meet the criteria of goodness of fit of each item or duplicated the contents were deleted and finally 20 items were extracted. Conclusion : Experts' agreement on grocery shopping technology was drawn from an occupational therapy perspective so that patients with schizophrenia living in the community could recover and participate as a member of society.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.56-65
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• 2004

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the quality of life of caretaking family members who have a patient with psychiatric disorders. The results will be served as a basic data of ameliorating the quality of life of caregivers. Methods: 78 caretaking family members who have a patient with schizophrenia and 54 caretaking family members who have a patient with alcohol dependence, a total of 132 persons completed the questionnaire, and analyzed. The Korean version of the SmithKline Beecham Quality of Life Scale and the Family Burden Scale were applied. Results: There was no statistically significant correlation between burden and sex, age, income, and duration of living with patients before onset. The male caregiver showed higher quality of life than that of female. It showed statistically significant correlation between age and factor physical well-being and factor activity. 41% of variance of quality of life of caregivers were explained by the stress response, burden, and overall merits of the field of psychiatry, and the tension had the most explanatory power. Conclusion: The chronic illness may give a burden on caregivers, and that decrease the quality of life of caregivers. The longer duration of illness of patients, the lower quality of life of caregivers on competence factor. Therefore, the authors recommend the therapeutic modality must be offered to the caregivers who may experience the stress and burden.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.416-429
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• 2012

This study was to assess the effects of a recovery oriented integrated rehabilitation program on cognitive social function, rehabilitation motivation, and mental health recovery. This program is involved motivation enhancement program with 4 subprograms composed of cognitive rehabilitation, emotion management, vocational rehabilitation, family education program. The subjects were 34 patirents with schizophrenia who had been hospitalized at National Mental Hospital on local area. The study was a non-equivalent control group non-synchronized design with two groups, an experimental group(18 patients) and a control group(16 patients). The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 12. 0. The results of the data show that there was not a significant increase in the symptom, cognitive and social function. But there was a significant increase in readiness of rehabilitation(maintenance, p=.027) and mental health recovery (p=.039). Short term recovery oriented integrated rehabilitation programs in inpatient settings are more available for motivation of rehabilitation and mental health recovery than symptom reduction or functional improvement. Therefore there should be more efforts to create more recovery oriented service provision in clinical settings.