• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.63-68
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• 2023

Objectives: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has had various effects on mankind, especially children and adolescents. Because children and adolescents spend a lot of time at school, COVID-19 has had a great impact on school mental health. In this study, we investigated the effect of prolonged COVID-19 on school mental health. Methods: We prepared self-report questionnaires for depression (Children's Depression Inventory, CDI), anxiety (Korean version of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire for Children; Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, GAD-7), and post-traumatic stress (Primary Care Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, PC-PTSD) for administering to students aged between 7 and 18 years, recruited by a COVID-19 psychological prevention support group in the Gwangmyeong Mental Health Welfare Center for 2 years, in 2020 and 2021. Results: For children aged 7-12 years, there was no significant difference between the years 2020 and 2021 in the assessment of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. Conversely, for adolescents aged 13-18 years, there was a significant increase in the scale scores (CDI, PC-PTSD, and GAD-7). Conclusion: Prolonged COVID-19 might have had a significant impact on the mental health of adolescents who spent a lot of time at school. When comparing the years 2020 and 2021, middle and high school students were more affected by COVID-19 than elementary school students.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.144-150
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• 2013

Objectives The number of marriage immigrant women has been increasing in the past several years in Korea and their adaptations to the new environment have been an important social issue. The aims of this study were to evaluate the psychosocial and mental health statuses of Vietnamese marriage immigrant women (VMIW). We intended to compare the mental health of VMIW with married Vietnamese women living in Vietnam and reveal the demographic or psychosocial factors affecting their mental health. Method Subjects comprised one-hundred-forty-three VMIW who enrolled in multiculture family support centers in Chungbuk Province and forty-eight women from Vinh Phuc province in Vietnam. Marital satisfaction, domestic violence and social support were evaluated as psychosocial factors, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) were used to evaluate mental health. Results VMIW had a larger age gap with their husbands but better psychosocial statuses. BDI (p = 0.20), BAI (p = 0.08), GHQ (p = 0.13) scores of VMIW were not significantly different compared to Vietnamese residents. Marriage duration of VMIW affects significantly their marital satisfaction, social support and depressive levels (p < 0.01). The level of domestic violence showed a significant difference according to the educational levels of their husbands, composition of family members and marriage process (p < 0.05). VMIW with older husbands and jobless VMIW had low levels of anxiety (p < 0.01). Conclusion The results suggest that VMIW have no difference in mental health compared to Vietnamese women living in Vietnam which is contrary to general expectations. However, various environmental factors, such as marriage duration, have an effect on the mental health of VMIW. As marriage duration is proven to be important factor on mental health of VMIW, more extended duration of care and interventions are needed to maintain good mental health. Networking system connecting mental health screenings by the multiculture family support center to the local mental healthcare center is needed to care those with poor screening outcomes.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.7-15
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• 2022

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to identify the effect of office workers' stress level and stress vulnerability on heart rate variability (HRV), confirm the significance of objective stress indicators obtained through subjective stress and heart rate variability devices, and examine their effectiveness as an integrated stress measurement tool in community mental health projects. Methods : From June to July in 2020, 929 workers participated in the stress management and mental health promotion project carried out by K hospital, and their recorded database was used for study analysis with their agreements. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to find out the effects of general stress level, and stress vulnerability on heart rate variability. Results : All general characteristics were found to have a significant effect on SDNN (ln), RMSSD (ln), LF (ln), and HF (ln), but work experience did not significantly affect RMSSD (ln). Stress level and stress vulnerability did not significantly affect heart rate variability, but stress perception, a sub-factor of stress level, was found to have a significant effect on RMSSD (ln) (β=0.118, p=0.023). Conclusions : In this study, stress perception, a sub-factor of stress level, was found to be a factor affecting RMSSD (ln). This indicates an association with the activity of parasympathetic nerves in stressful situations, and more follow-up studies are needed to use it as a direct indicator of chronic stress and integrated stress in the community mental health field.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 2018

Objectives In modern psychiatry, psychological counseling is important to mental curing. Although there are so many methods for mental curing, but counseling is known as the most efficient methods for mental curing. So, we are going to study about psychological counseling methods according to sasang constitution. Methods We analysed the characters of each constitution, and tried to find out which kind of counseling is suitable for each constitution. Results and Conclusions Soeumin is passive and tend to be depressive. So the self-esteem of soeumin is lower than that of other constitution. So, they mainly need social support and supportive counseling. Soyangin is tend to be extrovert group and easy to have fear. It is mainly caused by cognitive distortion, so they mainly need cognitive therapy. Taeumin is very stable and don't like to move. Taeumin Jeongchung(怔忡) is similar to panic disorder. So they need cognitive therapy and exercise counseling to exercise regularly. Taeyangin is tend to be angry, so they need meditation therapy to quell anger.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.47-54
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to present evidence for quality management based on analysis of patient transportation and response intervals among emergency medical squads. Methods: The chi-square test was used to determine whether mental status and patient assessment affected direct medical control and hospital destination. One way analysis of variance was used to compare response intervals depending on mental status and patient assessment using data drawn from 1172 prehospital care reports. Results: There was a statistically significant relationship between mental status and direct medical control (p<.001); there was a statistically significant relationship between patient assessment and hospital destination (p=.011). However, there was no statistically significant relationship between mental status and hospital destination. The interval from arrival at the patient's side to departure from the scene showed a statistically significant difference (p<.001, p<.001), however, it took the longest time (16.8 minutes) in unresponsive patients. It showed a statistically significant difference (p<.001) in the interval from arrival at patient's side to departure from the scene depending on patient assessment; however, it took the longest time (9.6 minutes) in emergency patients. Conclusion: There was call for direct medical control based on patient assessment; however, patient transportation and response intervals were not appropriate.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.28-41
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• 2018

Purpose: This study purposed to analyze the spatial accessibility of mental health institutions in Ganwon-Do using Geographic Information System and to suggest policy implications. Methodology: Network analysis was applied to assess the spatial accessibility of mental health institutions in Gangwon-Do. To perform the network analysis, network data set was built using administrative district map, road network, address of mental health institutions in Gangwon-Do. After building network data set, Two network analysis methods, 1) Service area analysis, 2) Origin Destination cost matrix were applied. Service area analysis calculated accessive areas that were within specified time. And using Origin Destination cost matrix, travel time and road travel distance were calculated between centroids of Eup, Myeon, Dong and the nearest mental health institutions. Result: After the service area analysis, it is estimated that 19.63% of the total areas in Gangwon-Do takes more than 60 minutes to get to clinic institutions. For hospital institutions, 23.08% of the total areas takes more than 60 minutes to get there. And 59.96% of Gangwon-do takes more than 30 minutes to get to general hospitals. The result of Origin-Destination cost matrix showed that most Eup Myeon Dong in Gangwon-Do was connected to the institutions in Wonju-si, Chuncheon-si, Gangneung-si. And it showed that there were large regional variation in time and distance to reach the institutions. Implication: Results showed that there were regional variations of spatial accessibility to the mental health institutions in Gangwon-Do. To solve this problem, Several policy interventions could be applied such as mental health resources allocation plan, telemedicine, providing more closely coordinated services between mental health institutions and community mental health centers to enhance the accessibility.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.4 no.7
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• pp.9-18
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• 1998

Even though the interest to the mental hospital is recently increased, the mental hospitals are not well developed due to the pending arrangement of the concept of returning to the society and the system of local communities. Also, the hospitalism due to the isolation of patients and the long term stay in hospitals has become an issue. Despite the present circumstances, the prototype of mental health care in many field are investigated and progressively fixed. This study attempts to examine the current status of domestic and foreign mental institution and to establish the design guideline of the wards of the mental hospitals.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.185-192
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• 2020

Objectives: Our study aimed to analyze the demographic and clinical characteristics of children and adolescents during their first visit to psychiatric outpatient departments for the management of suicidal ideation and behavior, and to compare the changes before and in 2012 or later. Methods: This multicenter study was conducted at five university hospitals in a metropolitan area in South Korea. Medical records of patients aged 6-18 years were retrospectively reviewed from January 2009 to December 2016. Patients were analyzed by classifying them into suicidal and non-suicidal groups based on their visit to the hospital for management of suicidal ideation or suicide attempt and other mental problems, respectively. Results: There were differences in the year of visit, diagnosis, education level, and referral sources between patients in the suicidal and non-suicidal groups. Multiple regression analysis was conducted based on the sex, education level, referral by school, and diagnosis of depression in patients in the suicidal group, which revealed significant association. Conclusion: Suicide-related problems were significantly associated with the sex, education level, referral by school, and a diagnosis of depression in the patients. A well-connected referral system would be necessary for professional mental health management of high-risk children and adolescents.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.209-216
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• 2015

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a day-hospital treatment program designed to help development of children with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) and mental retardation (MR). Methods : Retrospective review of the charts of 32 children (28 with PDD, 4 with MR), who participated in a day-hospital treatment program of Seoul Metropolitan Eunpyeong Hospital, from October 2008 to February 2012, was conducted. Development level of each patient was evaluated according to the Psycho-Educational Profile-Revised (PEP-R), Social Maturity Scale (SMS), and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). Evaluation was done at two points, before participation and after 1 year participation. Results : Children who participated in the day-hospital treatment program showed significant improvement in all categories of PEP-R, SMS, and CARS. Conclusion : Day-hospital treatment program is effective for helping development of children with PDD and MR.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.67-72
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• 2021

Objective : This study examined the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among North Korean defectors during preparation for early settlement. In addition, the correlation between PTSD and other mental disorders with suicidal ideation was assessed. Methods : A total of 639 North Korean defectors aged 19-65 years were included from resettlement and training centers. PTSD was assessed using the PTSD Diagnostic Scale (PDS). The prevalence of other mental disorders and suicidal ideation were assessed using the Korean version of the Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire (K-PDSQ). Results : A total of 6.8% of North Korean defectors had a PDS score >23, which was suggestive of a diagnosis of PTSD. Prior repatriation to North Korea was significantly associated with PTSD. The defectors with PTSD had a higher prevalence of other mental disorders (major depressive disorder prevalence: adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 14.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.7-31.2, panic disorder prevalence: AOR, 9.5; 95% CI, 4.6-20.0, generalized anxiety disorder prevalence: AOR, 5.6; 95% CI, 2.4-13.2). No significant association was found between suicidal ideation and PTSD. Conclusion : North Korean defectors had a relatively high prevalence of PTSD and suicidal ideation during preparation for early settlement. Cohort studies are needed to assess the lasting effects of PTSD on North Korean defectors' settlement in Korea for a longer period.