• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.51-60
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• 2008

Objectives : We examined the effect of sociodemographic factors, cancer, and psychiatric disorders on suicide by gender and age-specific patterns in South Korea. Methods : The study is a case-control study. Claim data was obtained from the national health insurance database and national death registration database. The number of people who committed suicide was 11,523, which was matched with a control group consisting of ten times as many people at 115,230 selected from the national health insurance and medical aids beneficiaries. The medical utilization of the case group was one year before death and that of the control group was from July 1,2003 to June 30, 2004. Four variables-address, economic status, presence of a psychiatric disease, and cancer-were used in multiple logistic regression analyses. Results : Living in cities or in rural areas showed a greater risk for suicide than living in a metropolitan city. Low economic status, the presence of a psychiatric disorder, and cancer were also statistically meaningful risk factors for suicide. The three major psychiatric diseases, schizophrenia, alcohol abuse, and bipolar disorder, were meaningful in all age groups, but the scale of the odds ratio differed by the age group. Only the psychiatric disorder variable was meaningful in the adolescent group, whereas a psychiatric disorder and economic status were meaningful for the young adult group, and all variables were meaningful for the middle-aged group. A psychiatric disorder and cancer were meaningful in the elderly group, economic status was meaningful for male subjects, and address was meaningful for female subjects. Conclusions : Factors such as living in city or rural areas, low economic status, the presence of a psychiatric disorder, and cancer were statistically meaningful risk factors in suicide. These factors also differed by age group. Therefore, policymakers should establish policies for suicide prevention that are relevant for each age group.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.3-11
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• 1997

Disturbances in memory are the most common problem in patients with an organic mental syndrome. Other patients with significant psychiatric disorders also often have difficulty with memory. So it is very important in the clinical practice of psychiatry to understand the biological and neurocognitive mechanisms of memory proessing, and to develop the assessment tools with which memory function can be evaluated reliably and validly. Moreover, memory researches provide an important viewpoint from which we can understand the pathophysiological mechanisms of major neuropsychiatric illnesses. This article focuses on our understanding of memory functions in clinical and neurobiological aspects. The relevant material will be presented in four parts : 1) terminologies needed in defining major stages of various types of memory processing : 2) neurochemical and neuroanatomical basis of memory processing : 3) brief bed-side screening tests and more comprehensive neuropsychological tests for the evaluation of memory function : 4) the characteristics of memory dysfunction in several major psychiatric illnesses.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.243-253
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• 2008

In the post-genomic era, the mechanisms controlling activation of genes are thought to be more important. Gene-environment interactions are crucial in both development and treatment of psychiatric disorders as they are complex genetic disorders. Epigenetics is defined as a change of gene expression that occurs without a change of DNA sequence and can be heritable by certain mechanisms. Epigenetic changes play essential roles in control of gene activation. DNA methylation, chromatin remodeling and RNAi act as key mechanisms for epigenetic modifications of genes. Here, we review the basic mechanisms of epigenetics and discuss their potential involvement of human diseases, including psychiatric disorders.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.208-216
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• 2016

Objectives : According to the recent Korean National Police Agency report, rape victims were 17.1%, but sexual molestation victims were more than the rape victims by 78.0%. Despite many international reports about the occurrence of severe psychiatric symptoms in sexual molestation victims, there is no domestic research. Therefore in this study, we investigated psychiatric symptoms of sexual molestation victims, and we also compared it with psychiatric symptoms in rape victims. Methods : 58 women who visited Busan Smile Center within 3months after sexual violence were the study subjects. Questionnaire about sociodemographic and sexual violence related characteristics were retrospectively investigated. Of the psychiatric symptoms, Beck Depression Inventory(BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory(BAI) for severity of depression and anxiety, and Impact of Event Scale-Revised(IES-R) to check the presence of posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD) symptoms were used. Results : Of 58 sexual violence victims, sexual molestation victims were 36(62.1%) and rape victims were 22(37.9%). In sexual molestation victims, 80.6% had more than moderate severity of depression, 83.3% had more than moderate severity of anxiety, and 94.4% had significant scores at PTSD screening test. Compared with rape victims' psychiatric symptoms(each 95.5%, 95.5%, 95.5%) there were no significant difference. Conclusions : The majority of sexual molestation victims were also accompanied by depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms as rape victims. There results suggest that appropriate assessment and early treatment for psychiatric symptom must be made in the early stage of injury in sexual molestation victims.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2005

Objective:The purposes of this study were to investigate heart rate variability(HRV) in patients with generalized anxiety disorder(GAD) compared with major depressive disorder in Korea. Methods:Fifty-six GAD patients(20 male and 36 female) was classified into their comorbid psychiatric illness. Among them, Twenty-five patients(10 male and 15 female) who do not have any psychiatric comorbidity were compared with 30 major depressive disorder patients(12 male and 18 female). Clinical symptoms, HRV and MMPI were analysed between two group. Results:Comorbid psychiatric illnesses of GAD were ranked into no diagnosis(44.6%), MDD(32.1%), panic disorder(10.7%), social phobia(5.3%), PTSD(1.7%), OCD(1.7%), MDD+panic disorder(1.7%) and MDD+specific phobia(1.7%). GAD patients showed low functioning in HRV, but degree of decreasing HRV is not so severe compared with MDD patient. Balance of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve tone is more severely impaired in GAD patients compared with MDD patient. The score of MMPI did not reveal any differences between two groups. Conclusions:The result showed that HRV can differenciate GAD and MDD patients. GAD patients could show decreased HRV functioning, less than MDD patients. But autonomic imbalance could be more severe in GAD than MDD patients.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.31-34
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• 2015

In Korea, cases of direct insertion of foreign bodies into the rectum are rare in the literature. Most cases of rectal insertion of foreign bodies are associated with sexual acts and psychiatric disorder such as schizophrenia. Objects inserted into the anus are usually blunt and shaped like the male genitalia. The removal method can be varied depending on the size and shape of the foreign object, its anatomical location, and the accompanying complications. In cases wherein attempts to remove the object fail or there are rectal perforation and peritonitis complications, immediate laparotomy may be required in order to prevent serious complications such as sepsis. Here, we report on a case of rectal perforation and peritonitis due to insertion of a foreign body in a middle-aged patient, with a literature review. He inserted a sharp pig backbone in his rectum and he only had depression. The patient underwent a Hartmann's operation as well as psychiatric counseling and treatment. Thus, after removal of foreign bodies, psychiatric counseling and treatment should be carried out in order to prevent similar accidents and to minimize the need for trauma medicine.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.31-42
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• 1997

This study was aimed to investigate dysfunctional attitudes, stress coping strategies and depressive symptoms in psychiatric patients. The subjects of this study consisted of 210 patients(138 schizophrenic patients, 29 depression patients, 43 alcohol dependence patients) according to DSM-IV criteria. Futhermore, the instruments were K-BDI(Beck Depression Inventory-Korean version), DAS(Dysfunctional Attitude Scale) and multidimensional coping strategy scale. The results were the following. 1) There were statistically significant correlations between depressive symptoms and dysfunctional attitudes in psychiatric patients. 2) In terms of coping strategies, there were positive correlations between depressive symptoms and focus on and venting emotions, accommodation, active forgetting, self-criticism, positive comparison, fatalism, passive withdrawal. Whereas, there was significant negative correlation between depressive symptom and active coping. 3) In terms of coping strategies, there were significant correlations between dysfunctional attitudes and focus on and venting emotions, active forgetting, self-criticism, positive comparison, fatalism, passive withdrawal. 4) Depression groups reported significantly higher BDI scores than schizophrenia groups. 5) In depression groups, DAS scores were significantly higher than those in schizophrenia groups. 6) In terms of coping strategies according to diagnosis, there were significant differences in venting emotions, active forgetting and self-criticism. As for venting emotions, alcoholic groups were scored significantly higher than schizophrenic groups. As for active forgetting, depression groups were scored significantly higher than schizophrenic groups. In self-criticism, depression groups and alcohol dependence groups reported significantly higher scores than schizophrenic groups.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.104 no.1
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• pp.133-139
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• 2015

In modern society, we are disconnected from nature and under a lots of stress. And this is cause of the various diseases. Also than in the past, People experiencing mental health problems and Psychiatric Inpatient rates appear to have increased. This study was performed to investigated the influence of forest experience program on Psychiatric Inpatients's mood and depressive state, stress responses. The subject of this study were 25 patients in the N Hospital in Naju, who were divided into an experimental group (n=12) and a control group (n=13), and experiment was conducted form 20 to March 29, 2013. Its effect was verified by utilizing the K-POMS-B and BDI, saliva. According to results of this study, there were improvements in their depressive state and degree of stress state. There was a meaningful difference(p<0.01). However, Cotrol group, these difference were not found.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.579-582
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• 2013

Background: In this study our aim was to determine the rate of smoking in a sample of psychiatric in-patients with diagnoses of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression and to examine factors related to smoking status and the level of dependence in this population. Materials and Methods: A total of 160 people were included in this descriptive study. 80 were inpatients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression and 80 people without any psychiatric diagnoses were included as a control group. The participants were interviewed face-to face using a semi-structured questionnaire and Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence was used to define smoking habits. Results: The mean age of the participants was $37.24{\pm}12.19$ years ranging from 18 to 81 years, 54.4% of the participants were (n=87) female, and 45.6% cases (n=73) were male. 70% (n=56) of the patients and 55% of the control group were smoking and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.01). Total score of Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence in the patient group was statistically significantly higher than in the control group (p<0.01). Conclusions: In our sample, the frequency of cigarette smoking and nicotine dependence among psychiatric inpatients was high, posing a high risk for smoking related diseases including cancers; therefore there should be counseling on tobacco control and smoking cessation programming targeting this population.

• Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.66-73
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• 2019

Objectives: This study aimed to elucidate the effectiveness of long-term psychosocial intervention in reducing the disabling period of patients with major psychiatric disorders by their rehospitalization rate. Methods: Of the 210 patients with major psychiatric disorders received psychosocial interventions in a Mental Health and Welfare Center, 192 patients (147 with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, 45 with mood disorders) who received interventions more than 6 months were selected. Review of case management records was conducted to obtain information. Results: The number and length of hospitalization and the hospital days per year significantly decreased after psychosocial intervention. Additional analysis of 102 patients followed up for more than 5 years suggested that the effectiveness of the intervention persisted for a sufficient period. However, no significant difference was observed in the number of rehospitalization in 45 patients with mood disorders, though the length of hospitalization significantly decreased. In addition, the hospital days per year of 21 patients with mood disorder followed up for more than 5 years also showed no significant decrease. Conclusion: Long-term psychosocial intervention had a significant effect on reducing the number and length of hospitalization for patients with major psychiatric disorder and the effectiveness maintained for more than 5 years.