• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.227-234
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• 1999

An association of low total cholesterol in blood with psychiatric diseases and suicidal behavior has been suggested. As part of an attempt to further explore this relationship, we examine first, whether serum cholesterol levels in psychiatric patients with suicidal attempt would be lower than in non-suicidal psychiatric inpatients or normal controls, second, whether such significant difference of cholesterol levels would be present when the diagnostic groups are analyzed separately, third, whether low cholesterol level would be associated with a history of serious suicidal attempts, and finally, whether low cholesterol level in suicide attempters is a state or a trait marker. We determined the serum cholesterol levels in 231 patients admitted to an emergency room following an suicidal attempt, in the same numbers of age-, sex- and diagnosis- matched non-suicidal psychiatric controls, and in the same numbers of age-, sex matched normal controls. The seriousness of an attempt was divided into 5 grades according to the degree of the resulting medical injury. Total cholesterol levels in suicide attempters were significantly lower compared with both psychiatric and normal controls, when sex, age, and nutritional status (i.e., body mass index) were controlled for. This significant relationship was observed in major depressive disorders and personality disorders, but not in schizophrenia and bipolar type I disorders. The severity of suicide by a lowering of blood cholesterol was related to the magnitude of the cholesterol reduction. After treatment of their psychiatric ailments, the cholesterol levels in suicide attempters were significantly increased. This result suggests that low cholesterol level in psychiatric patients might be a potential biological marker of suicide risk. It is hypothesized that low cholesterol levels is associated with the suicide by modifying the serotonin metabolism, the production of interleukin-2 and melatonin metabolism in psychiatric patients.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was designed to determine the factors hindering psychiatric intervention for suicide attempters in the emergency room (ER). Methods: Participants were 299 patients aged 18 years or older admitted to the ER for suicidal drug overdose between July 2012 and June 2014. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether they had received psychiatric treatment in the ER. Medical histories and follow-up treatments were determined by examining patients' medical records and through phone surveys, and were then compared using ${\chi}^2$-test and Fisher's exact test. In addition, the rate of satisfaction of the treatment group and the reasons for their dissatisfaction were also determined. Results: The treatment and non-treatment groups comprised 135 (45%) and 164 patients (55%), respectively. Factors influencing participation in psychiatric intervention were previous history of suicide attempts (p=0.004), history of psychiatric disorder (p<0.001), time of day (p=0.039), and day of the week (p=0.040) of arrival in the ER. Whether or not the patient received follow-up psychiatric treatment was not significantly relevant (p=0.300). Of the 82 patients who participated in the treatment satisfaction survey, 50.2% reported being unsatisfied, mainly because of unfriendly medical personnel (36.6%), discomfort regarding other people's perceptions (24.4%), and cursory care (14.6%). Conclusion: To raise the participation rate of psychiatric consult, cooperation with psychiatry at night and on weekends is required, and incorporation of patients without previous history of suicidal attempt or other psychiatric disorder is important. Resolution of complaints toward psychiatric consult in suicide attempt survivors is also required.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.45-63
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• 1981

This study was done to determine the relationship between the anxiety levels of hospitalized psychiatric patients and various influencing variables. The purpose of this study was to determine factors that may help hospitalized psychiatric patients to experience lower levels of anxiety in relation to changing situations and provide the basic data for a dynamic approach which is important in the field of modern psychiatric nursing that understands and analyses the meaning of patients behavior. The anxiety may produce stress, which is a common experience among all human beings. Patients may merely feel uncomfortable in the state of mild anxiety, however, the severe state could be an obstacle to treatment and recovery from disease. The anxiety of the psychiatric patient is a factor which greatly influencing the patient's behavior, so his disorderd behavior is an expression of defence or pathologically fixed behavior. According the psychiatric patient's anxiety at the time of admission is the concern of the health team. The nurse's special concern has to do with understanding and supporting the patient and meeting his individual needs by frequent close contact during the entire hospitalization period, compared to other teamembers the nurse's responsibility in this regard is greated. So this study emphasizes the necessity of creating conditions these, but above all the psychiatric nurse should create a therapeutic environment by not only regarding the patient's behavior or symptoms but understanding the meaning of them. The subjects of this study were 57 psychiatric patients selected from the K neuropsychiatric hospital located in Kunsan city. Data were collected twice from the same patients within a 24 hour period after admission and 10 days after admission. (September 18th to November 8th, 1980). The data collected method was through direct interview, and the interview time was 20 minutes for each patient. Data analysis included Item Analysis & Internal Consistency Reliability Tests, Percentages, t-test, analysis of variance and stepwise multiple regression analysis. The findings of this study were as follows. A. Test of Hypothesis a. Hypothesis 1 :“The anxiety level of psychiatric patients within 24 hours after admission will be higher than those of the same patients 10 days after admission,”was accepted. (t = 3. 15 ; p < 0.005) b. Hypothesi 2:“The more the number of admissions the higher the level of anxiety related to two categories”, was accepted. (affective anxiety: F = 5.50, p < 0.005, Somatic anxiety: F = 9.12, p <.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2006

Objectives: This study estimated the burden of disease especially caused by psychiatric disorders in Korea by using DALY, a composite indicator that was recently developed by the Global Burden of Disease study group. Methods: First, 11 of the major psychiatric disorders in Korea were selected based on the ICD-10. Second, the burden of disease due to premature death was estimated by using YLLs (years of life lost due to premature death). Third, for the calculation of the YLD (years lived with disability), the following parameters were estimated in the formula: the incidence rate, the prevalence rate and the disability weight of each psychiatric disorder. Last, we estimated the DALY of the psychiatric disorders by adding the YLLs and YLDs. Results: The burden of psychiatric disorder per 100,000 people was attributed mainly to unipolar major depression (1,278 person-years), schizophrenia (638 person-years) and alcohol use disorder (287 person-years). For males, schizophrenia (596 person-years) and alcohol use disorder (491 person-years) caused the highest burden. For females, unipolar major depression (1,749 person-years) and schizophrenia (680 person-years) cause the highest burden. As analyzed by gender and age group, alcohol use disorder causes a higher burden than schizophrenia in men aged 40 years and older. For females, unipolar major depression causes the highest burden in all age groups. Conclusions: We found that each of the psychiatric disorders that cause the highest burden is different according to gender and age group. This study's results can provide a rational basis to plan a national health policy regarding the burden of disease caused by psychiatric disorders.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.126-132
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the effects of group music therapy on psychiatric symptoms and interpersonal relationship in patient with schizophrenia. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The subjects were 63 patients with schizophrenia at S psychiatric sanatorium in D city. Thirty two patients were assigned to experimental group and thirty one patients were assigned to control group. Data were collected from August 4 to September 25, 2011. The group music therapy was conducted for 60 minutes, 8 times per week for 4 weeks. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, $x^2$ test and t-test with SPSS/WIN 19.0 version. Results: Experimental group receiving group music therapy showed significant improvements of psychiatric symptoms and interpersonal relationship. Conclusion: The study results indicate that group music therapy is an effective intervention program in improving psychiatric symptoms and interpersonal relationship of patients with schizophrenia.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.108-115
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of psychiatric and community mental health nurses' job satisfaction. Methods: This was a descriptive and correlational study in which 151 psychiatric and community mental health nurses (PCMHNs) took part between September and October 2009. Results: The mean score for job satisfaction of the participants was 3.25. In job satisfaction, there were significant differences between psychiatric and community mental health nurse practitioner (PCMHNP) and nurse in community mental health center. All variables except role conflict were positively correlated with job satisfaction. As a result, factors influencing job satisfaction were reward system (${\beta}$=.46, p<.001), self-esteem (${\beta}$=.35, p<.001), leadership (${\beta}$= .27, p<.001), career as a PCMHNP (${\beta}$=-.12, p<.007), job-related characteristics (${\beta}$=.11, p<.24), and career as a nurse in community mental health center (${\beta}$=.09. p<.045). These factors explained 70.3% of the total variance. Conclusion: The results indicated that the comprehensive understanding of job satisfaction to the independent variables could suggest the way how to increase the job satisfaction for psychiatric and community mental health nurse who are a catalysts promoting mental health in community mental health center.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.246-255
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• 2009

Objectives : The aims of this study are to estimate the prevalence of polydipsia and water intoxication and to identify risk factors of polydipsia and water intoxication in psychiatric inpatient. Methods : 1,108 Psychiatric inpatients at 2 mental hospitals in Yongin city were studied from September, 2008 to January, 2009. We diagnosed 'polydipsia' using staff reports(fluid intake>3L/day) or by specific gravity of urine(SPGU<1.008) and diagnosed 'at risk for water intoxication' using normalized diurnal weight gain (NDWG>4%). We attempted to identify clinical characteristics of patients by reviewing their medical records. Results : Two hundred forty seven patients(22.3%) were polydipsic. Sixty eight patients(6.1%) were at risk for water intoxication. The factors associated with polydipsia were lithium, smoking, younger age and increased smoking amounts. The factors associated with risk for water intoxication were valproic acid and polydipsia. Conclusion : Polydipsia and water intoxication in psychiatric inpatients are not rare conditions. Therefore, clinicians' attention should be paid to these conditions.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.120-125
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• 1998

Objectives : The purposes of present study were to identify weight increment in female psychiatric patients during hospitalization and to evaluate the relationship between weight gain and daily calorie intake, daily activity and other variables of disease itself. Methods : 20 patients were studied. Body weight were measured once a week, and daily activity(total amounts of walking/day) and total amount of daily calorie intake were measured twice a week. We examined psychiatric and medical illness history, eating disorders' history and family history of eating disorders and obesity. Results: Mean body weight and Body Mass Index(BMI) at admission are 49.40kg and 19.59kg/$m^2$. Mean weight increment during hospital stays of mean 65 days is 4.90kg. Mean amounts of daily calorie intake and daily activity(daily walks) were increased during hospital stays, but not statistically significant. The degree of weight increment is higher in longer hospital stay group, but not statistically significant. Mean body weight at admission of mood disorder group is higher than that of schizophrenia group, but not statistically significant. Conclusion : This results suggested that weight increment in female psychiatric hospitalized patients is present. However, it is not resulted by amount of calorie intake and daily activity level.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.533-540
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• 2008

Purpose: This study was designed to examine the effects of a weight control program on body weight and the sense of efficacy for control of dietary behavior in psychiatric inpatients. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used. Data were collected from March 1 to September 30, 2007. Female mentally ill patients in closing psychiatry ward of H University Hospital participated in the study (16 persons in the experimental group and 13 in the control group). Results: The weight control program including diet therapy, exercise, education and behavior modification therapy decreased the rate of weight gain in female mentally ill patients taking atypical anti psychotics, and effectively increased a sense of efficacy for control of dietary behavior. Conclusion: Weight control program had a positive effect as a nursing intervention to decrease obesity and to increase the sense of efficacy for control of dietary behavior of psychiatric inpatients in psychiatric inpatients.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.110-116
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• 2011

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effects of education program by illness on perception of illness and knowledge of medication in psychiatric inpatients. Methods: The research design was a non-equivalent and non-synchronized control group design. For this research, a total of 50 subjects was selected at a psychiatric unit of C university hospital in U-city. The experimental group consisted of 24 subjects and they received education program by illness 1 session per a week for 4 weeks. The remaining 26 subjects were assigned to the control group and they received standard services except the education program by illness. In data analysis, SPSS/WIN 15.0 program was used. Results: The experimental group significantly improved compared to the control group in perception of illness and knowledge of medication. Conclusion: This study results suggest that education program by illness could be effective to improve perception of illness and knowledge of medication in psychiatric inpatients.