• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2006

Thyroid disease is highly Prevalent, and many Physicians encounter the Patients with thyroid disease on many occasions. However, many doctors may make an erroneous diagnosis because of its variable clinical manifestation. Thyroid tumor is the most common disease which is detected in more than 30% of general population. Recently, the incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing to be a leading position in female cancer. Therefore, clinical physicians should be familiar with thyroid disease due to its high prevalence and heterogeneous clinical features.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.28-38
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• 1995

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between irrational belief and psychopathology. The Korean version of Symptom Check List-90-R and Irrational Belief Test were administered to 621 high school students in group. The author used Pearson correlation coefficiency and multiple regression analysis to seek the regression patterns of the irrational belief. The results were as follows. 1) Most of the subscales of the SCL-90-R and Irrational Belief Test were correlated significantly. 2) In multiple regression analysis, the irrational belief associated with anxious overconcern was the most predictable variable for psychopathology.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 1995

To evaluate body image disturbance in Korea, the Body Image Scale(BIS) was developed and it's reliability and validity was tested. The BIS was administered to 33 subjects of normal controls and 64 patients consisting of mainly neurotic patients. The correlation coefficient, of test-retest reliability with an interval of 2 weeks was 0.88 and internal consistency coefficient Cronbach's alpha, was 0.80. Discriminant validity test indicated that there were significant differences in total BIS score between normal control group and psychiatric patients group after controlling the effects of age, sex, and educational level. Factor analysis showed two distinct dimensions, namely 'physical appearance' and 'physical health and strength'. The BIS appears to be a reliable, internally consistent and valid scale which can be used for assessing body image in Korea pupulations.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.3-7
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• 2009

Psychiatric disorders are quite common in surgical patients. However, surgeons are less likely to refer patients to psychiatrists than other physicians, who also have a tendency to under-recognize psychiatric disorders among their patients. Therefore, a large proportion of psychopathology in surgical patients is either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed and not optimally treated, if treated at all. This column focuses on common psychiatric issues that generally arise in surgical patients and reviews psychiatric issues specific to specialized surgical settings and patients (eg, burn units, obesity surgery).

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.81-91
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• 1993

The consulting internist will encounter patients with psychiatric symptoms and those who take psychotropic medications in many settings. The internist must loam to feel comfortable interacting with patients who display psychiatric symptoms. while maintaining an open and unprejudiced attitude toward their evaluation. The proper delineation of psychiatric disorders from normal emotional reactions resets on a careful history, a mental status evaluation. and a knowledge of psychiatric syndromes. Many physicians tend erroneously to view behavioral changes only in a psychological framework Abrupt changes in behavior, personality, mood. or ability to function should be evaluated for possible organic causes. Then, the internists should take their consultation to psychiatrists and freely discuss psychologic problems of the patients.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.87-94
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• 2008

Every anesthetic begins with preoperative evaluation. This meeting of patient and anesthesiologist allows for an exchange of information, an assessment of physical status, and the formulation of an anesthetic plan. The aim is to have the patient in the best possible condition, both mental and physical, prior to surgery. The preoperative visit is as important as any aspect of introperative management in providing a safe, effective anesthetic.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.197-206
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• 1995

Obesity is a major nutritional problem in the developed countries. The prevalence of obesity may range from 10 to 50 per rent or mort of adult population and it may be increasing tendency. Many efforts have been made to understand the pathogenesis of obesity, but except a few metabolic obesities in the most of obese patients, the mechanisms are not understood. The treatment modalities of obesity, ranging from dietary and pubilc health intervention through the pharmacological and surgical therapy, have been developed and tested. In the obese patients mortalities and mobilities are significantly increased than non obese subjects due to hypertension, diabetics, and other problems. There are four possible mechanisms by which energy balance might be altered to enhance metabolic efficiency. futile metabolic pathway, alteration of protein rum over, alteration in sodium-potassium ATPase and alteration in uncoupled oxidation in brown adipose tissue are considered as possible mechanisms. Low calory and very low calory diets are recommended as a dietary program. Several pharmacological agent such as benzphetamine, fenfluramine, mazindol and fluoxetin are currently popular drugs for the treatment of obesity.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.85-89
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• 1998

Psychogenic cough is barky, croupy, and explosive and disappears during sleep, and is not affected by antitussive drugs. Physical and radiological examinations of the respiratory tract and other routine laboratory test are normal. It is helpful to recognize this condition early in its course so that appropriate treatment can be instituted before iatrogenic problems resulting in multiple hospitalizations and chronic steroid use occur. We experienced two child and adolescent cases that showing typical psychogenic cough so reported it with the literatures review.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.52-58
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• 1993

Before studying the effectiveness of amitriptyline in alleviating the pain of diabetic neuropathy, this study was designed to compare the severity and nature of depressive symtoms of diabetic patients with neuropathy with those of diabetic patients without neuropathy and patients with somatoform disorder whose complaints were mainly somatic pain, respectively. The authors administered Beck Depression Inventory(BDI) to the three groups of patients. The mean total scores of BDI were relatively low in all groups and not significantly different among the three groups. The mean scores of four subscales of BDI were also not significantly different among the three groups. These results might suggest that the pain of diabetic neuropathy did not influence on the severity and the nature of depressive symptoms of preexisting diabetes.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.71-78
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• 1996

The objective of this study is to evaluate the relationship of hopelessness and suicidal lethality of suicide attempters. The subjects were 72 persons who attempted suicide and came to the emergency room of Chungbuk National University Hospital from April 1st, 1995 to March 31st, 1996. The hopelessness of suicide attempter was assessed by Beck Hopelessness Scale(BHS), and the suicidal lethality was assessed by Risk-Rescue score. The Risk-Rescue Scores exhibited no significant differences in demographic characteristics (sex, age, education, religion, marital status, socioeconomic class, occupation) and psychiatric diagnoses. But the Risk-Rescue scores were significantly higher in high BHS group(BHS score ${\geq}$ 9) than in low BHS group(BHS score <9) and positive correlation was observed between the BHS and the Risk-Rescue score(Rs=0.77 : p<0.05). These results suggest that level of hopelessness be a major risk factor for suicidal lethality.