• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• 제36권1호
• /
• pp.76-84
• /
• 2015

This is a clinical report of one patient with mental disorientation, abnormal behavior, spasm, and other symptoms caused by poisoning with Xanthii Fructus, who recovered completely with treatment. The patient was treated with Korean medical treatments, such as herbal medicine and acupuncture. After treatment, various symptoms caused by the Xanthii Fructus poisoning disappeared completely and laboratory findings, such as liver function tests (aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase), were also close to the normal ranges. This case shows that Korean medicine therapy can be applicable in treating various symptoms caused by Xanthii Fructus poisoning. It is considered that further research is needed to confirm the safe use of Xanthii Fructus.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• 제15권2호
• /
• pp.172-180
• /
• 2024

Background: Webtoon, a digital form of comics created in the Republic of Korea, has spread widely with advantages that anyone can become a cartoonist and that autonomy of creation is guaranteed. The purpose of this study is to identify the working conditions of webtoon writers and analyze the relationship between these conditions and depressive symptoms. Methods: A survey was carried out on webtoon writers and a survey data of 312 webtoon writers were analyzed. The questionnaire included basic socio-demographic characteristics, webtoon writers' contractual type, fields of activity (webtoon creator, story writer, illustrator), and working environment (labor discretion etc.). We investigated depressive symptoms and analyzed its relation to the work environment of webtoon writers. Results: Webtoon writers were exposed to long working hours, high labor intensity, limited labor discretion, negative comments from readers, and had a high prevalence of depressive symptoms. Compared to story writers who contracted directly with platforms, story writers and the illustrators who contracted with content providers (CPs) were 9.51 times (OR = 9.51, 95% CI = 1.47 - 61.33) and 6.47 times (OR = 6.47, 95% CI = 1.08 - 38.75) more likely to have depressive symptoms, respectively. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the urgent necessity to improve the overall working environment in the webtoon industry and implement measures to tackle the escalating mental health challenges faced by illustrators and story writers contracted with CPs, especially given the increasing popularity of novel comics.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• 제27권1호
• /
• pp.27-35
• /
• 2020

Objectives Ketamine has been reported to have antidepressant effects or psychotomimetic effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the behavioral effects of ketamine treatment at various sub-anesthetic doses in adolescent and adult naïve mice. Methods In each experiment for adolescent and adult mice, a total of 60 male Institute of Cancer Research mice were randomly divided into 6 groups, which were intraperitoneally treated with physiological saline, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 mg/kg ketamine for consecutive 3 days. At 1 day after last injection, the locomotor and depressive-like behaviors were evaluated in mice, using open field test (OFT) and forced swim test (FST), respectively. Results In case of adolescent mice, ketamine dose was negatively correlated with total distance traveled in the OFT (Spearman's rho = -0.27, p = 0.039). In case of adult mice, we found significant positive correlation between ketamine dose and duration of immobility in the FST (Spearman's rho = 0.45, p < 0.001). Immobility time in the 50 mg/kg ketamine-treated mice was significantly higher compared to the saline-treated mice (Dunnett's post-hoc test, p = 0.012). Conclusions We found that the repeated treatment with ketamine could decrease the locomotor or prolong the duration of immobility in mice as the dose of ketamine increased. Our findings suggest that sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine might induce schizophrenia-like negative symptoms but not antidepressant effects in naïve laboratory animals.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• 제46권1호
• /
• pp.39-49
• /
• 2013

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and factors related to daily activities in a representative Korean population. Methods: This study was based on the questions about musculoskeletal symptoms in the Korean General Social Survey 2010. The questionnaire about musculoskeletal symptoms was adopted from Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency guide, and it includes general characteristics, characteristics of pain, work type, work intensity and a 12-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). We utilized the criteria of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to define the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms. Demographic, behavioral and socioeconomic factors were analyzed using logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms was 38.3%. The prevalence was higher in females, the elderly, those without health insurance, and those with a low income, low education, and occupations with a heavy workload. The prevalence by body part was highest in the back, shoulder, and knee, in that order. The physical component summary and mental component summary of the SF-12 decreased with increasing musculoskeletal symptoms. Conclusions: Musculoskeletal symptoms are very common in the general population, and related to various socio-demographic factors. These results suggest that active prevention and management of musculoskeletal symptoms is needed at a national level.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• 제27권3호
• /
• pp.563-576
• /
• 1997

This study was carried out to identify basic data for more efficient operation of comprehensive health check-up centers in the national health care system. The researcher reviewed and analyzed the main symptoms of the subjects according to sex, age, occupation and positive rate in the screening tests of a comprehensive health check-up, performed at one comprehensive health check-up center in located in a hospital. The subjects were 512 persons who had a check-up at the comprehensive health check-up, center in K university hospital in Seoul from October 2, 1996 to March 30, 1997. A questionaire developed by the researcher to obtain subject's general characteristics, main symptoms, medical examination, diagnosed disease was used as the tool for the study. The researcher analyzed the data with SPSS PC/sup +/ program. : the distribution of the subject's general characteristics and main symptoms was described with percentages and the difference between main symptoms and screening tests analyzed with X²-test, t-test, ANOVA. The result of this study are as follows : 1. For the distribution of diagnosis in males. liver disease was most frequent and hypertension was second : in females, hypertention and liver disease were not common in that order. 2. The most common complaints were indigestion in the digestive system, sputum in the respiratory system, irregular heart beat in the cardiovascular system, frequent urine in the urinary system vertigo in the hematologic system. 3. The main symptoms according to sex were for females, a statistically siguificant higher rate of complaints in the digestive system, cardiovascular system, urinary system, hematologic system, musculoskeletal, mental & nervous system as compared to males. 4. The main symptoms according to age were that in the the second decade there wara higher rate of complaints in the digestive system, and cardiovascular system than in the older age groups : and in the fifth decade more in the musculoskeletal system. 5. The main symptoms according to occupation were that formers and fishers had a higher rate of complaints in the mental and nervous system as compared to other occupation groups : and office workers, in gynecology. 6. The main symptoms according to diagnosis, were symptoms of the digestive system, frequent in liver disease : symptoms of the cardiovascular system in allergic disease. 7. The screening tests which showed the highest rates were UGI /FGS, PFT : In males a higher rate of abnormality was seen in abdominal ultrasono- graphy and in, females, in mammography. 8. In screening tests according to sex, males showed a higher positive rate for chest X-rays, and LFT, and females, in mammography, pap smear, CBC. 9. In screening tests according to age, higher positive rates of obesity, high blood pressure, chest X-ray, mammography, pap smear, FBS, CBC, urine test were seen in the fifth decade : PFT and abdominal ultrasonography in the third decade. The subjects who wanted comprehensive health check-up were not asymptomatic but had an illness with several symptoms. It is found that the most frequent diagnosed diseases were hypertention and liver disease. So proper observations must be done for them. Comprehensive health check-ups should be changed to a comprehensive examination including treatment beyond examination for those subjects with positive results.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• 제15권3호
• /
• pp.61-68
• /
• 2020

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the current state of rapid weight loss and physical and mental complaints among elite combat athletes who were selected and trained as national representatives. METHODS: A total of 127 combat athletes who had trained at the national training center in 2019 were enrolled. The questionnaire used as the survey tool was interpreted as words that Korean athletes could easily understand based on the Portuguese version of the 'Rapid Weight Loss Questionnaire' (RWLQ). χ² tests was performed to determine the differences in physical and mental changes according to sports and weight loss method. RESULTS: Combat athletes in Korea regularly undergo rapidly weight loss within a short period of time prior to competition. There were statistically similar results in terms of weight loss method, physical and mental changes and information about weight loss according to the sport. Weight loss methods often limit food and water intake and dehydrate. The physical complaints associated with them are symptoms such as "no energy", "dizziness", and "muscle spasms". The mental complaints include "irritability", "concentration loss" and "anxiety". These symptoms can be caused by side effects such as food intake limitation, water restriction and dehydration. Information sources for weight loss were in the order of "senior or colleagues", "supervisor or coach", and "Internet". No information was obtained from a doctor or dietitian. CONCLUSION: These results provide a baseline for predicting proper weight loss in athletes and provide useful information for developing performance enhancement as well as weight loss.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• 제21권2호
• /
• pp.561-566
• /
• 2007

After researching on infantile diseases in Hyungsang medicine, the writer got the conclusions as follows. The infants who are excess of the Yang energy need to nourish the Eum- blood. The main causes of the infantile disorders are congenital defect and malfunction of internal organs by nature, as results of these they suffer from mental disorders or being undergrown. And after birth they get ill from internal injury or external affections, mainly epilepsy by retention of undigested food, fever, cough, asthma, nasal obstruction, dermatopathia, and affection by cold, etc. In Hyungsang medicine Dam-body is apt to get ill from deficiency of Eum-blood and bangkwang-body from deficiency of Yang-energy. And infants are hare to be moderate in food, so they become to diseases of the Spleen and stomach, especially infants with Yangmyung type get to epilepsy, cough, skin disorders, and obese for the reasonof overeating. Among main infantile symptoms congenital defects, infantile mental disorders, and convulsive diseases come from congenital defect and malfunciton of internal organs, so it must be treated the symptoms following the reasons. Above all infantile mental disorders are treated not to separate the spirit from the body. And fever, cough and asthma, affection by cold, skin diseases, poor appetite, and obese come from deficiency of Kidney or the deficiency and excess of the Spleen and stomach. In order to prevent from infantile diseases right antenatal training, taking medicine rightly, exercise and eating good habits are needed to give guidance. Seeing through the clinical cases in Hyungsang medicine, we come to know that the infantile mental disorders come out primarily for the reasons of the congenital defect, and the infantile epilepsy come from malfunction of internal organs, and the nasal obstruction and skin diseases come from deficiency of Kidney or the deficiency and excess of the Spleen and stomach.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• 제27권2호
• /
• pp.42-57
• /
• 2020

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is indicated for various mental disorders (e.g., major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder) and the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in elderly patients. Furthermore, ECT is a useful first-line treatment in emergency and crisis situations such as suicide risk, violent behavior, catatonia, and food refusal, which are more frequent in elderly patients. ECT is also effective in the treatment of the motor symptoms of neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. Due to the high risk of various physical diseases, the comorbid physical conditions of elderly patients should be individually controlled to optimize ECT treatment. Compared to young adults, in elderly patients the seizure threshold is higher, the seizure duration is shorter, and the anesthetic dose is lower. On the contrary, the response rate in the elderly is both faster and higher. Considering potential cognitive decline and the prevention of further deterioration of cognitive function in elderly patients, in the absence of significant comorbidities, twice weekly sessions and right unilateral electrode placement with a lower seizure threshold and less cognitive effect are preferred to bilateral electrode placement, which has a high risk of adverse cognitive effects. After an acute course of ECT, continuation and maintenance of ECT, combined with prescription of therapeutic drugs, may prevent possible relapse or recurrence of mental disorders. In conclusion, ECT can be used to treat mental disorders in elderly adults, with safety and effectiveness comparable to that in young adults.

• Journal of Family Relations
• /
• 제23권2호
• /
• pp.111-131
• /
• 2018

Objectives: This study examined the effects of residential proximity to adult children on the mental and physical health of middle-aged and older parents. The study also evaluated whether the parental age and gender of the adult child in closest proximity to the parent might moderate the association. Method: Data were drawn from five waves of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging(2006-2014). The analytic sample consisted of 7,359 parents aged 45 or older who had at least one non-coresidential adult child aged 19 or older. The analyses were conducted by estimating a series of fixed effects models while adjusting for the nested structure of the data. Results: The results showed that first, a closer distance between an adult child and the parent was generally associated with the parent experiencing a decrease in depressive symptoms. Yet, the mental health benefit was smaller for parents aged 65 years or older whose closest living adult child was a son. Second, a closer distance was observed to affect chronic illness only among middle-aged parents (aged 45 to 64). When the closest living adult child was a daughter, the middle-aged parent experienced deterioration in their chronic illness. On the other hand, the opposite pattern was observed when the closest living adult child was a son. Conclusions: The parental age and gender of the adult child in closest proximity to the parent might have varying effects on parents' health. A closer distance between an adult child and their parent has a positive impact on the mental health of the parent as a whole, whereas the effect of living closer was mixed in relation to the parental physical health.

• Anxiety and mood
• /
• 제18권2호
• /
• pp.101-108
• /
• 2022

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate depression, anxiety, trauma experience, and suicidal tendency among patients who were hospitalized in a community treatment center and to identify the factors that were associated with each symptom. Methods : A total of 213 patients who were hospitalized in the Tae-reung community treatment center between March 16, 2020 and April 30, 2020 were recruited into this study. A self-report questionnaire or interview by mental health professionals was used to assess PHQ-2, GAD-7, PC-PTSC and P4 screener. In 90 patients who completed the survey, multiple regression modeling was conducted to identify the burden of each psychiatric symptoms and associated demographic characteristics. Results : Female gender was significantly positively associated with GAD-7 score, score of each GAD-7 subscale of 1, 2, 3 or 4 (nervous, control of worry, worry, and trouble relaxing), and sum of GAD-7 subscale scores reflecting cognitive and emotional experience of anxiety (1. nervous+2. control of worry+3. worry+7. afraid). Previous psychiatric history and, number of counseling service used were significantly positively associated with the PHQ-2 score and the duration of isolation was significantly negatively associated with the PHQ-2 score. Conclusion : These results showed that depression and anxiety symptoms were more prevalent in COVID-19 patients at the community treatment center than in the general population. Among the demographic characteristics, female gender was positively associated with cognitive and emotional experience of anxiety. It shows the necessity of an appropriate psychiatric intervention protocol and health-policy preparation for community treatment centers.