• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.1-10
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• 2013

Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between internet addiction and health behaviors & mental health among Korean adolescents. Methods: Data from the 2010 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey was analyzed. Using the Korean Internet Addiction Proneness Scale for Youth-Short Form: Self Report developed by the Korean National Information Society Agency in 2008, subjects were classified into 3 groups for internet addiction including general user, potential-risk group, and high-risk group. The health behaviors and mental health were compared among the groups for internet addiction by gender. Results: There was significantly higher prevalence of internet addiction including potential-risk group and high-risk group in boys(14.1%) than in girls(8.8%). There were significant odds ratios of perceived stress, perceived depression, perceived health and happiness, and satisfaction of sleeping in both genders at potential-risk group and high-risk group compared to general user for the internet addiction. The odds ratios of smoking at high risk group, alcohol drinking at potential risk group, eating breakfast at high risk group, and moderate physical activity at both risk groups among boys were significant. Among girls at both risk group, the odds ratios of smoking, alcohol drinking, and eating breakfast were significant. Conclusions: This study reveals a significant association among internet addiction, and health behaviors, and mental health in Korean adolescents.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.113-125
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop a model for predicting mental health risk among adolescents based on health behavior information by employing a hybrid machine learning method. Methods: The study analyzed data of 51,850 domestic middle and high school students from 2022 Youth Health Behavior Survey conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Firstly, mental health risk levels (stress perception, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, suicide plans, experiences of sadness and despair, loneliness, and generalized anxiety disorder) were classified using the k-mean unsupervised learning technique. Secondly, demographic factors (family economic status, gender, age), academic performance, physical health (body mass index, moderate-intensity exercise, subjective health perception, oral health perception), daily life habits (sleep time, wake-up time, smartphone use time, difficulty recovering from fatigue), eating habits (consumption of high-caffeine drinks, sweet drinks, late-night snacks), violence victimization, and deviance (drinking, smoking experience) data were input to develop a random forest model predicting mental health risk, using logistic and XGBoosting. The model and its prediction performance were compared. Results: First, the subjects were classified into two mental health groups using k-mean unsupervised learning, with the high mental health risk group constituting 26.45% of the total sample (13,712 adolescents). This mental health risk group included most of the adolescents who had made suicide plans (95.1%) or attempted suicide (96.7%). Second, the predictive performance of the random forest model for classifying mental health risk groups significantly outperformed that of the reference model (AUC=.94). Predictors of high importance were 'difficulty recovering from daytime fatigue' and 'subjective health perception'. Conclusion: Based on an understanding of adolescent health behavior information, it is possible to predict the mental health risk levels of adolescents and make interventions in advance.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.69-78
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• 2016

Objectives: The suicide rate in Korea is increasing every year, and is the highest among the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. Psychiatric patients in particular have a higher risk of suicide than other patients. This study was performed to evaluate determinants of mental health care utilization among individuals at high risk for suicide. Methods: Korea Health Panel data from 2009 to 2011 were used. Subjects were individuals at high risk of suicide who had suicidal ideation, a past history of psychiatric illness, or had utilized outpatient services for a psychiatric disorder associated with suicidal ideation within the past year. The chi-square test and hierarchical logistic regression were used to identify significant determinants of mental health care utilization. Results: The total number of subjects with complete data on the variables in our model was 989. Individuals suffering from three or more chronic diseases used mental health care more frequently. Mental health care utilization was higher in subjects who had middle or high levels of educational attainment, were receiving Medical Aid, or had a large family size. Conclusions: It is important to control risk factors in high-risk groups as part of suicide prevention strategies. The clinical approach, which includes community-based intervention, entails the management of reduction of suicidal risk. Our study identified demographic characteristics that have a significant impact on mental health care utilization and should be considered in the development of suicide prevention strategies. Further studies should examine the effect of mental health care utilization on reducing suicidal ideation.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2017

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the mental health improvement program in Korean firefighters. Methods : A total of 502 firefighters working at Daegu, Ulsan and Gumi participated in the mental health improvement program for an 8-week period. The program included evaluation and counseling as well as psychoeducation for mental health awareness. Subjects were divided to two groups including the PTSD high risk group and PTSD non-high risk group. Results : The program resulted in a significant decrease in mean scores of depression and insomnia for all firefighters. PTSD high risk group showed a significantly higher level of depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Multiple logistic regression analysis with PTSD high risk group as a dependent variable indicated that moderate depression was a high-risk factor for PTSD in firefighters, as compared to no depression ; in addition, subthreshold and moderate insomnia was another risk factor. Conclusion : The evaluation and management of psychopathologies including depression and insomnia associated with traumatic events can be helpful to improve the mental health of firefighters.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.438-444
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• 2023

Background: To examine the influences of psychosocial work conditions on mental health risk and intention to leave the public sector among workers of public health agencies in Taiwan. Methods: We surveyed 492 public health workers in March 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Information on job demands, job control, workplace justice, experiences of workplace violence and its type and origin, and mental health status (assessed by the 5-item Brief Symptom Rating Scale, BSRS-5) was obtained. Of them, 192 participated in a follow-up survey conducted in May 2023 that assessed mental health status, employment changes, and intention to leave. Results: In the initial survey, 32.93% of participants reported poor mental health status, defined by having a score of BSRS-5 ≧ 10, and 48.17% experienced some form of workplace violence over the past year. Notably, high psychosocial job demands (OR = 3.64, 95% CI = 1.93-6.87), low workplace justice (OR = 2.58, 95% CI = 1.45-4.58), and workplace violence (OR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.51-3.77) were significantly associated with increased risk of mental disorders. Among those who participated in the followup survey, 22.40% had persistent poor mental health, and 30.73% considered leaving or have left the public sector. Longitudinal analyses indicated that job demands predicted persistent mental disorders and intention to leave the public sector, and the experience of workplace violence added additional mental health risks. Conclusion: The public health workforce is crucial for effective and resilient public health systems. Our findings that public health workers were at high mental health risk and had a high intention to leave the job warrant attention and policy interventions.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.235-243
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• 2017

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the mental health status of the children of psychiatric patients in order to plan for the resources that may be necessary to help these children achieve their full potential. Methods: Forty-eight children (age 9-18) whose parents were registered in 5 community mental health centers located in Seoul were recruited. Tests assessing 3 psychological domains were conducted: 1) cognition: Korean version of Learning Disability Evaluation Scale, Comprehensive Attention Test, 2) parent reported emotion and behavior: Korean Child Behavior Checklist, Korean attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder Rating Scale, and 3) self-reported emotion and behavior: Korean Beck's Depression Inventory-II/Children's Depression Inventory-II, Korean Youth Self Report). We defined the children as having a high risk of developing mental health problems if their test scores were over the cut-off levels in 2 or more of the 3 domains assessed. Results: Twelve (25%) children were classified as having a high risk of developing mental health issues. 20 (41.6%) children scored above the cut-off in only one of the domains. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the children of psychiatric patients might be vulnerable to mental illness and need early prevention or interven-tions for the sake of their mental health.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.13-22
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• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to provide baseline data for management policies by exploring the association between alcohol and mental health in menopause and andropause middle-aged Methods: This study used the data from from the 8th National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2019-2021). Adults between the ages of 40 and 64 were considered menopause and andropause middle-aged and 7,704 of the total number of 8,549 subjects were selected as the final study subjects without missing data. Mental health was defined as depression diagnosis and suicidal thoughts, and drinking was defined as current drinking and high-risk drinking. SAS 9.4 was used for all statistical analyses. Results: There were significant differences between menopause middle-aged men and women in current drinking (83.4% for men and 66.6% for women) and in high-risk drinking (24.2% for men and 4.9% for women). The significant factors affecting the depression diagnosis were identified as economic activity, income level, and subjective health status for men and economic activity, income level, subjective health status, and smoking for women (p < .05). The significant factors affecting suicidal ideation included economic activity, income level, and subjective health status for men and economic activity, high-risk drinking, current smoking, and subjective health status for women (p < .05). Conclusion: As a result of analyzing the association between alcohol and mental health in menopause and andropause middle-aged adults, Drinking alcohol and high-risk drinking in women were associated with mental health, but insignificantly in men. Based on this study, it is necessary to program development and health education for the physical and mental health of menopausal middle-aged women exposed to alcohol, and to develop menopausal mental health management policies that take into account the gender differences.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.94-103
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• 2015

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the results of the 2013 students' mental health school-community cooperative model. This study investigated teachers' awareness of change in school environment and analyzed the follow-up conditions of students. Methods : The sample consisted of 55 schools which participated in the 2013 students' mental health school-community cooperative model. Two questionnaires were used : one was composed of items about mental health resources, school policy and practice, school climate and community referral, and the other was on management of follow-up conditions for high risk students. Results : First, teachers' awareness regarding school mental health resources, school policy and practice, school climate, and community referral showed positive change. That is, the 2013 students' mental health school-community cooperative model works for improving teachers' interest, awareness and effort regarding mental health. Second, students, who were found by screening test and observation, were managed continually. Most students received follow-up interventions at school, and half of the students were referred to a specialized institution such as a mental health clinic, Wee center, personal counseling center, community welfare center, and so on. Conclusion : This study was a preliminary research, therefore follow-up studies are required in order to accomplish the 2013 students' mental health school-community cooperative model.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.80-91
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• 2022

Objective : Hospital workers' mental health has deteriorated because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of hospital workers and its determinants. Methods : Two surveys were conducted among employees working in a hospital that received COVID-19 patients from the early phase of the pandemic in South Korea. Data on demographics, perceived threat, workplace evaluation, resilience, and mental health status were collected using the Korean General Health Questionnaire-20 in the initial phase (February 2020) and during the third wave of COVID-19 (December 2020) for 467 and 545 workers, respectively. The mental health of hospital workers in the two phases was compared, and the risk and protective factors during the third wave were investigated. Results : The proportion of patients in the psychiatric high-risk group increased from 2.8% in the initial phase to 11.4% during the third wave. The perceived threat, workplace evaluation, and resilience of respondents deteriorated. Risk factors for mental health during the third wave included the perceived threat items of job stress, loss of control, and considering resignation. Protective factors included presence of children, workplace satisfaction, and hardiness in resilience. Conclusion : Hospital workers' mental health deteriorated as the pandemic progressed. General stress and tension such as job stress, loss of control, considering resignation rather than COVID-19-specific stress had negative effects on mental health of hospital workers. Therefore, care for work stress itself can be helpful to maintain the mental health of hospital workers. Also, governance to improve workplace satisfaction or hardiness in resilience can be a potential protective factor for hospital workers' mental health during the prolonged pandemic.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.85-103
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• 2021

Purpose: This study measured the mental health levels of 119 paramedics, and identified the association of mental health levels with safety environments, personal protective equipment, and coronavirus risk awareness. Methods: A total of 119 out of 428 from Daegu and Gyeongbuk took part in this study. The statistical analysis methods were the t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. Results: In a multiple regression analysis, females (β=-.137, p=<.001) showed a higher relevance to negative mental health than males. The moderate satisfied (β=-.088, p=.014) and dissatisfied (β=-.147, p=.006) showed a higher relevance to negative mental health than higher satisfied. Moderate stress perception (β=-.199, p=<.001) and higher stress perception (β=-.414, p=<.001) showed a higher relevance to negative mental health than lower stress perception. Corona-virus risk awareness (β=-.050, p=.045) was related to negative mental health and safety environment (β=.136, p=<.001). Personal protective equipment (β=.147, p=<.001) were related to positive mental health. Conclusion: Conclusively, it is necessary to develop and implement high-quality intervention programs using significantly influencing variables to impact the mental health of 119 paramedics.