• Anxiety and mood
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.14-17
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• 2005

By the influence of the descriptive approach of DSM-III, the anxiety became the same thing as the anxiety disorder to the clinicians. This unfortunate result sacrificed psychodynamic model of symptom formations and simplified the anxiety as one of the disease entity not as the overdetermined symptoms. These phenomenon awakened the psychoanalytic interest which was in sleep. Freud was the first major articulator of the basic significance of anxiety in human behavior. He attributed the particular quality of the anxiety experience to the trauma of birth, and subsequently to the fear of castration. Such classification of the anxiety according to the psychosexual development is helpful for the clinicians in understanding the origin of anxiety which the patient shows during the psychotherapy. The other analytical view of interpersonal psychoanalysis came from Sullivan. A large part of his therapy is taken up with recognizing and correcting parataxic distortions that interfere with realistic self-appraisal of events and of oneself in relation to others. Perhaps no explanation is the 'most basic' explanation for human anxiety. Anxiety is a multifaceted entity consisting of aspects of realm of discourse. Existential anxiety is inescapable in Western culture but it can be transcended by the cultivation of mind in Eastern culture. The analysts need to stay attuned to their own propensities for anxiety and must permit their own experiences with anxiety to be the grist for the psychotherapeutic mill.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.22-29
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• 2016

Objectives: We developed a Korean translation of this questionnaire by sequential forward-and-backward translation. The purpose of this study is to validate the Korean version of the POEM, the "POEM-K" by Korean patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). Methods: A single-center prospective study was conducted with 50 participants diagnosed with AD. The POEM was translated to Korean version by an expert panel. Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) and Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) were used as external comparators. Results: Twenty men and thirty women between the ages of 18 and 63 participated in the study. The test-retest reliability of the total POEM-K was estimated using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) that showed a strong agreement (ICC = 0.72). By using Pearson correlation coefficients, we compared the POEM-K to SCORAD and yielded a concurrent validity that showed a significant result. The responsiveness of the POEM-K was represented by the effect size (ES) of 1.41 and statistically significant (p = 0.004). Conclusions: The Korean version of the POEM is a reliable, valid, and responsive disease-specific questionnaire for assessing the symptoms and quality of life of Korean patients with AD.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2023

This paper reviews the global effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the mental health of children and adolescents in South Korea, the U.S., Japan, and China. We reviewed research on deteriorated mental health, including increased suicide, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm. Various studies have shown that students' mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the number of students who committed suicide has significantly increased in the U.S. and Japan. Factors such as prior mental health status, change in daily routine, reduced physical activity, excessive screen time, overuse of electronic devices, and reduced social support have been reported to have a significant effect. The chain of deteriorating mental health among the youth began at the onset of COVID-19, social distancing, and school closure. As youths began to stay at home instead of going to school, they lost opportunities to connect with their friends or teachers, who could provide support outside of their homes. Young people spent less time on physical activity and more time online, which damaged their sleeping schedule and daily routine. In preparing for the post-pandemic phase, we should thoroughly analyze the long-term effects of the pandemic on youth mental health, while simultaneously tackling current imminent issues.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.177-187
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• 2023

Varicose veins have a substantial burden on individuals' aesthetics and overall quality of life. The current body of research on Korean medical interventions for varicose veins is limited in Korea, and exploration into clinical trends is lacking. This review specifically analyzed fire acupuncture, which is an understudied intervention in Korea that demonstrated efficacy in alleviating pain and paralysis while promoting tissue regeneration. A comprehensive investigation of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure database was conducted, utilizing terms such as "varicose vein," "fire needle," "fire acupuncture," "burning acupuncture," "burning needle," "huǒzhēn," "xiàzhī jìngmài," and "jìngmài qūzhāng." This review included 14 studies investigating the role of fire acupuncture in treating varicose veins. We extracted variables, including age, sex, disease duration, intervention method, treatment frequency, treatment period, acupoints, and outcomes. Fire acupuncture appeared as the primary intervention method, followed by general acupuncture. The protruding part of varicose veins is the main treatment area for fire acupuncture, while the acupoints BL57 and ST36 were most frequently utilized for general acupuncture. Treatment results revealed significant improvement in all studies. However, there are limitations, such as scarce studies, limited side effects studies, and potential bias. Consequently, extensive and well-structured future studies are necessary to demonstrate the role of fire acupuncture in varicose veins.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.78-85
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• 2021

Objectives: When elderly patients show depressive symptoms, discrimination between depressive disorder and prodromal phase of Alzheimer's disease is important. We tested whether a quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) marker was associated with cerebral amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition in older adults with depression. Methods: Non-demented older individuals (≥ 55years) diagnosed with depression were included in the analyses (n = 63; 76.2% female; mean age ± standard deviation 73.7 ± 6.87 years). The participants were divided into Aβ+ (n = 32) and Aβ- (n = 31) groups based on amyloid PET assessment. EEG was recorded during the 7min eye-closed (EC) phase and 3min eye-open (EO) phase, and all EEG data were analyzed using Fourier transform spectral analysis. We tested interaction effects among Aβ positivity, condition (EC vs. EO), laterality (left, midline, or right), and polarity (frontal, central, or posterior) for EEG alpha band power. Then, the EC-to-EO alpha reactivity index (ARI) was examined as a neurophysiological marker for predicting Aβ+ in depressed older adults. Results: The mean power spectral density of the alpha band in EO phase showed a significant difference between the Aβ+ and Aβ- groups (F = 6.258, p = 0.015). A significant 3-way interaction was observed among Aβ positivity, condition, and laterality on alpha-band power after adjusting for age, sex, educational years, global cognitive function, medication use, and white matter hyperintensities on MRI (F = 3.720, p = 0.030). However, post-hoc analyses showed no significant difference in ARI according to Aβ status in any regions of interest. Conclusion: Among older adults with depression, increased power in EO phase alpha band was associated with Aβ positivity. However, EC-to-EO ARI was not confirmed as a predictor for Aβ+ in depressed older individuals. Future studies with larger samples are needed to confirm our results.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.149-158
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• 2003

Objectives: The authors studied the anxiety, depression and psychological characteristics of medical out-patients, which are diagnosed as peptic ulcer disorder and essential hypertension. We also examined the state of psychiatric consultation. Methods: The subjects were composed of 56 patients with peptic ulcer disorder, 44 patients with essential hypertension and 116 controls. STAI, BDI and SCL-90R was administered to all subjects. Chart review, telephone interview and Self report questionnaire of etiology and severity of illness, drug compliance and so forth were performed in disease groups. Results: Considerable depression was noticed in 39.3% among the patients with peptic ulcer disorder, 27.7% in hypertension and 12.1% in control group by BDI. State anxiety was noticed in 44.6% among the patients with peptic ulcer disorder, 54.5% in hypertension and 18.1% in control group by State anxiety. Trait anxiety was noticed in 42.9% among the patients with peptic ulcer disorder, 34.1% in hypertension and 25.8% in control group by Trait anxiety. The higher SOM, BDI, STAI, the lower drug compliance and rapport. Psychological problems are considered of the most important etiology in 48.2% of peptic ulcer group and 45.7% of hypertensive group. But psychiatric consultation is made only in 1.8% of peptic ulcer group and 2.3% of hypertensive group. Conclusions: Anxiety and depression are common phenomena in medical outpatients. In comparison with the normal control group, peptic ulcer group showed significantly higher trait anxiety and depression and hypertensive group higher state anxiety. These characteristics are related to the drug compliance and doctor-patient relationship. These results suggested the needs of active psychiatric consultation.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.197-203
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• 1982

A study was carried out in order to obtain the status of student sickness and medical care in University Health Service, Ewha Womans University. This study was based on the clinical records of University Health Service and hospitals 'for student insurance pay claims during the year of 1981. And the findings from the study were as follows; 1. A total number of student patients cared at University Health Service in 1981 was 9,822 and the incidence rate of primary cared was 773 per 1,000 students. 2. A total number of student patients cared at hospitals was 393 and the incidence rate of secondary cared was 31 per 1,000 students and 5 student out of 31 per 1000 was cared under the haspitalization. 3. The evacuation rate of student patients from University Health Service to hospital was 393 out of 9,822 student primary cared or 4.0 percent. 4. The order of 5 major diseases of primary cared in University Health Service was respiratory system diseases (36.6%), Digestive system diseases (17.4%), Skin and subcutaneous tissue diseases (16.0%), Symptoms and undetermined diagnosis (13.7%) and Nerve and sensory organ diseases (12.0%) respectively. 5. The disease order of student patients(333) cared in hospitals as out-patients was Skin and subcutaneous tissue diseases (40.3%), Nervous and Sensory organ disease (19.2%), Digestive system diseases (10.8%) respectively. 6. The disease order of student patients (60) cared in hospitals as in-patients was Digestive system diseases (35.0%), Respiratory system diseases (13.3%), Nerve and sensory organ diseases (10.0%), Infectious and parasitic diseases (10.0%), and Symptom and Undetermined diagonsis (10.0%) respectively. 7. The evacuation rate of student patients in University Health Service to hospital was varied according to disease groups; the lowest rate was the diseases evacuated to Internal Medicine Department 1.5% or 75 out of 5,072 patient primary cared and the highest rate was Neuropsychiatry department 63.7% or 7 out of 11 patients. 8. The monthly distribution of student patients in University Health Service was the highest in September (17.9%) and April (15.5%) each semester. 9. The monthly number of student patients treated in hospitals was the range 20 to 40 in out patients and 2 to 9 in in-patients. 10. The hospital ill days per case were $4.3{\pm}5.0$ days in out-patients and $9.7{\pm}9.5$ days in in-patients.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.20-36
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• 2001

The debate about whether depressive disorders should be divided into categories or arrayed along a continuum has gone for decade, without resolution. In our review, there is more evidence consistent with the spectrum concept than there is with the idea that depressive disorders constitute discrete clusters marked by relatively discontinuous boundaries. First, "depression spectrum", "is there a common genetic factors in bipolar and unipolar affective disorder", "threshold model of depression" and "bipolar spectrum disorder" are reviewed. And, a new subtype of depression is so called SeCA depression that is a stressor-precipitated, cortisol-induced, serotonin-related, anxiety/aggression-driven depression. SeCA depression is discussed. But, there is with the idea that depressive disorders constitute discrete subtypes marked by relatively discontinuous boundaries. This subtypes of depressive disorder were reviewed from a variety of theoretical frames of reference. The following issues are discussed ; Dexamethasone suppression test(DST), TRH stimulation test, MHPG, Temperament Character Inventory(TCI), and heart rate variability(HRV).

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.100-106
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• 1995

Antibodies to hepatitis C drew attention because of high morbidity to chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. HCV was known to be transmitted by transfusion, sexual behavior and parenteral drug use. However, some kind of autoimmune mechanism was suggested to be involved in the genesis of HCV-induced liver diseases. We hypothesized the prevalence of having anti-HCV might be higher in psychiatric patients rather than general population because of the characteristic route of transmission. Using Abbott HCV BA kit, anti-HCV was detected in the sera of 113 psychiatric inpatients from early December in 1992 to late May in 1994. The Positivity of anti-HCY was significantly(P<0.05) higher among psychiatric inpatients(10.6%) than in healthy controls(3.0%). There were no disease specificity among psychiatric inpatients who had anti-HCV, though alcoholics tended to have more anti-HCV. We couldn't find any significant correlation of anti-HCV with age, seasons of birth, lymphocytes (%) and liver function.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.134-141
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• 1999

Objects : Cancer patients receiving radiotherapy have many psychological problems. Those problems depend on clinical factors of cancer and the characteristics of patients. This study was designed to estimate the morbidity of psychiatric disorder and to investigate the relationship between psychiatric disorders and clinical variables. Methods : The subjects were 47 patients who had been treated by radiotherapy. Psychiatric disorder was diagnosed according to DSM-IV. The authors assessed the relation between psychiatric disorder and demographic features, clinical features of cancer such as site, duration, frequency of recurrence of cancer, and patients' awareness of disease and expectation of outcome of radiotherapy. Results : 21 patients(44.7%) had a psychiatric disorder. The most common psychiatric disorder were adjustment disorder(66.7%), and the next major depressive disorder(23.8%). There was a significant positive relationship between psychiatric disorder and recurrence of cancer, patients' expectation of poor outcome after radiotherapy. Psychiatric morbidity was significantly low in those who had no evidence of recurrence and who considered radiation treatment as curative. However, site and duration of cancer, patients' awareness about serious illness were not related with psychiatric disorder. Conclusion : Psychiatric disorders are common among cancer patients on radiotherapy. Further clinical attention and effective treatment of psychiatric complication in cancer patients are needed not only for reducing symptoms but for better adjustment.