• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2004

The objective of this study was to make a comparison on anger level between patients with coronary artery diseases and healthy individuals. 233 patients with coronary artery diseases and 215 normal controls were enrolled in this study. The Anger Expression Scale, the anger and aggression subscales of the Stress Response Inventory(SRI) and the hostility subscale of the Symptom Checklist-90-revised(SCL-90-R) were used to assess the level of anger. The patients with coronary artery diseases scored significantly higher on the anger-out and anger total subscales of the anger expression scale, the anger and aggression subscales of the SRI than the normal controls. The patients with angina pectoris had significantly higher scores in the anger-out and anger-total subscale than those with myocardial infarction. Male subjects scored significantly higher on the anger-in subscale than females, whereas female subjects scored significantly higher on the anger-out subscale than male subjects. These results suggest that patients with coronary artery diseases are likely to have a higher level of anger or anger expression than normal controls and that there may be difference in anger expression between male and female patients. It is emphasized that anger management is needed to prevent the coronary artery disease patients from aggravating the illness.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.106-113
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the triallelic serotonin transporter gene and stressful life events to determine their effect on depression with alcohol dependence. Methods : Ninety-five hospitalized patients with alcohol dependence (73 male, 22 female) were enrolled in this study. Thirty-two (33.7%) of the total patients were diagnosed with major depressive disorder and dysthymic disorder by Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV. The characteristics of stress were evaluated using the stressful life events scale, and depressive symptoms were assessed using the depression scale (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI). Alcoholism with depression (n = 32) and alcoholism without depression (n = 63) were genotyped for the triallelic serotonin transporter gene ($L_A$ : higher expressing allele, $L_G$/S : lower expressing allele). Results : There was no significant difference in the allele frequency between the depression group and the non-depression group (${\chi}^2$ = 0.345, p = 0.619). $L_G$/S alleles had more comorbid depression in the higher score of stressful life events scale [Mental-Haenszel (MH)-${\chi}^2$ = 4.477, p = 0.034]. But there was no significant difference in the comorbidity according to the scores from the stressful life event scale in the $L_A$ alleles (MH-${\chi}^2$ = 0.741, p = 0.399). In the results, alcohol-dependent individuals with $L_G$/S alleles had more comorbid depression than those with $L_A$ alleles when they had experienced severe stressful life events (MH-odds ratio = 2.699, p = 0.028). Conclusions : These results suggest that there is no direct relationship between triallelic serotonin transporter gene and depression in the alcohol dependent patients. But alcohol dependent individuals with the lower expressing alleles of the serotonin transporter gene were more susceptible to depression than those with the higher expressing alleles in response to stressful life events.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.71-85
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• 2000

Social support was found to have buffering effects on the stress response of stroke patients. Especially, the aspects of social support found to be most influential were support from a close, personal source, and overall satisfaction with support. The purpose of this study was to identify the current social network and its characteristics according to gender difference in post-hospitalized stroke patients in Korea. The sample consisted of a convenience sample of 254 patients was recruited 129 men and 125 women who were receiving follow-up care at outpatients clinics. Four aspects of social support-source, quantity, qualify & type- were measured using the modified Social Support Inventory for Stroke Survivors(SSISS) which was developed by McColl & Friedland(1989). Regarding sources of social support, 61.4% reported for 'spouse' as primary caregiver and 31.9%, 'children'. But the distribution of sources of personal support were related to gender; 82.2% of male patients had support from their spouses, while only 40% of female patients reported from 'spouse' but 51.4% from 'children'. Among the children, daughters and sons were more significant support persons than daughters-in-law. The percentages for sources of these significant other support persons were 55.5% for 'children', 8.7% for 'spouse', and 8.3% for 'brothers'. The physician at the outpatient department was the main source of professional support. For the quantify and qualify of social support, the primary caregiver's support was more significant than support by significant other persons. Male patients reported that primary the caregiver' support was greater than that of significant other persons, while female patients perceived significant other persons as giving greater support. Regarding the type of perceived social support, the stroke patients were highly satisfied with the primary caregiver's support in aspects of instrumental, emotional, and informational support. They also reported high satisfaction with support from significant others' support in the aspect of emotional support, while emotional and informational support from professionals was reported as satisfactory. In conclusion, gender difference in the social support network was found in that male patients perceived more support from their spouses, while female patients perceived more support from their children as compared to their spouses.