• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.28-40
• /
• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of the study >was to examine the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs) and to identify the relationship between work-related psychosocial and acculturative factors and WMSDs among Korean-Chinese workers living in Korea. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 195 Korean-Chinese workers who have worked full-time for the past 6 months. A structured questionnaire, including measures for musculoskeletal symptoms, physical demand, work-related psychosocial(job demand, job control, interpersonal conflict), acculturative (acculturation strategy and acculturative stress), and personal factors, was used. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were conducted using the SPSS WIN 17.0. Results: The prevalence of WMSDs was 64.1%. In comparison to Korean workers, job demand of this group was lower while both interpersonal conflict and lack of job control were higher among them. Integration was the most commonly used acculturation strategy and mean scores of acculturative stress were below the median. Acculturative stress was positively correlated with integration and assimilation while negatively correlated with separation and marginalization. Interpersonal conflict and integration appeared to be related to WMSDs among male and female Korean-Chinese workers, respectively. Conclusion: The WMSD interventions need to be planned in consideration of different influences of work-related psychosocial and acculturative factors on WMSDs by gender.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.39-46
• /
• 2012

Purpose: This study was to examine the relationship between mental health status and suicidal thinking among cancer patients. Methods: The data set of the 4th Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey (2009) was used and 230 subjects with cancers were included in the present study. Using SPSS/WIN 18.0 program, data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, ${\chi}^2$ test and logistic regression analysis. Results: About one-third of subjects had stress, symptoms of depression and suicidal thinking. Female had more suicidal thinking than male (${\chi}^2$=5.44, p=.020). In addition, subjects with high income level had more thinking about suicide compared with those in low income level (${\chi}^2$=7.54, p=.023). There was a significant difference in suicidal thinking according to the educational levels (${\chi}^2$=13.25, p=.004). In the logistic regression analysis, it was indicated that gender, depression and stress were significant predictors on suicidal thinking, accounting for 26.7~38.1%. Conclusion: From the findings in this study, it was suggested that the healthcare providers should try to improve their mental health status in order to prevent suicidal thinking among the individuals diagnosed with cancer.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.277-289
• /
• 2018

Background: Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS), the subject of this evaluative research document employs 1400 people. 80% of employees are operational firefighters and officers whom operate across a range of duty systems and support functions, providing prevention, protection and emergency response to the communities of Lancashire. Methods: The overarching purpose of this epidemiological study is to assess the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) amongst operational LFRS personnel and to analyse the effects upon those who may be suffering from it, whether brought about by a single traumatic event or by repeated exposure to traumatic occurrences over a period of time. A combination of primary and secondary research was carried out. Primary data was collated using two recognised clinical questionnaires and statistical analysis was conducted with the aid of the software package SPSS. Results: The findings and statistical analysis showed that out of the 100 people surveyed, 30% of respondents had signs of probable distress. Of this quota, 4% showed symptoms of PTSD. The study considers how an organisation can recognise and manage PTSD and provides recommendations to assist in better recognising and managing the associated risks. Conclusion: Based upon the findings, the authors conclude that the level of PTSD within LFRS is slightly lower than those found in other studies undertaken within the Fire and Rescue Service sector. The paper provides recommendations for future studies and a series of actions for consideration by LFRS senior management to improve PTSD support services for employees.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.55 no.4
• /
• pp.190-194
• /
• 2014

Objective : Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a group of diseases that are observed in patients who had experienced a serious trauma or accident. However, some experienced it even after only a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), and they are easily ignored due to the relatively favorable course of mild TBI. Herein, the authors investigated the incidence of PTSD in mild TBI using brief neuropsychological screening test (PTSD checklist, PCL). Methods : This study was conducted on patients with mild TBI (Glasgow coma scale ${\geq}13$) who were admitted from January 2012 to December 2012. As for PCL, it was done on patients who showed no difficulties in communication upon admission and agreed to participate in this study. By using sum of PCL, the patients were divided into high-risk group and low-risk group. PTSD was diagnosed as the three major symptoms of PTSD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth-edifion. Results : A total of 314 TBI patients were admitted and 71 of them met the criteria and were included in this study. The mean age was 52.9 years-old (range : 15--94). The mean PCL score was 28.8 (range : 17--68), and 10 patients were classified as high-risk group. During follow-up, 2 patients (2.7%) of high risk group, were confirmed as PTSD and there was no patient who was suspected of PTSD in the low-risk group (p=0.017). Conclusion : PTSD is observed 2.8% in mild TBI. Although PTSD after mild TBI is rare, PCL could be considered as a useful tool for screening of PTSD after mild TBI.

• Anxiety and mood
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.80-87
• /
• 2018

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate prevalence and clinical characteristics of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in North Korean defectors (NKD). Methods : The study population consisted of 300 NKDs registered in the multi-regional adaptation center (Hana Center), within three years of settling in South Korea. We conducted in-person interviews and a survey with each subject, based on the North Korean version of the WHO-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (NK-CIDI) and various clinical scales. Results : Lifetime prevalence of PTSD in NKDs was 15.3%, approximately nine times higher than South Koreans (1.7%). Although experiencing broader type of traumas with higher rate than South Koreans, NKDs revealed lower odds of PTSD in most type of trauma (p<0.05). Conclusion : NKDs are at higher risk of experiencing different types of trauma than the general population in South Korea, and it is further validated that prevalence of PTSD is also higher. Careful evaluation for comorbid psychiatric symptoms and type of traumas prior to PTSD treatment for NKDs is necessary to facilitate more appropriate intervention for each subject, according to personal experience.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.57-64
• /
• 2021

Purpose: The relationship between the staff area and the patient's private area is the key factor in designing the structure and the environmental characteristics of ward spaces in a psychiatric hospital. Recent research has found that for the purpose of treatment and securing privacy, psychiatric patients need to be in an open space of relief rather than closed confined environment and under the watch of nursing staffs. Methods: A survey at three kinds of wards in a private psychiatric hospital in Japan was conducted in October 2002. These wards include an acute ward, a psychiatric convalescence ward, and a stress care ward. All three kinds of wards have the same structure. At each ward, spatial preferences of the 145 psychiatric inpatients were surveyed and data concerning the patient's diagnostic category, symptoms, and activities of daily living were recorded. Results: The patients in the stress care ward prefer to stay in private spaces than public spaces. On the other hand, in the acute ward the patients seem to have a preference between managed public spaces where are monitored by nursing staffs and their private rooms where the nurse station is close. In addition, the patients in the psychiatric convalescence ward spend most of their time in the public space, such as the hallways or the day room. Implications: Base on this research, the spaces at the acute ward that could be monitored by the nursing station serves effectively as a safety space for patients was concluded. However, in the stress care ward, the patients may perceive the monitoring by the nursing staff as interruption or nuisance to their relaxation. In order to design an ideal healing environment for psychiatric patients in psychiatric ward, it is important to consider how environmental characteristics of space affect the environmental sense of patients in each ward.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
• /
• v.11 no.12
• /
• pp.419-427
• /
• 2020

This study is designed to explore the effects of symptoms severity and stress on depression in patients with overactive bladder syndrome in the middle age. The subjects of the study were 167 middle-aged patients aged 40 to 60 who were diagnosed with overactive bladder syndrome in outpatient clinics and hospitals located in G Metropolitan City. The data analysis was using the SPSS 23.0 program and frequency analysis, Pearson's correction, t-test, and multiple regulation. The study found that the factors that affect depression in patients with the disease in middle age are symptom severity, age, living with a spouse. Therefore, in order to reduce the subject's depression, it is necessary to develop a program that can educate active treatment induction, lifestyle habit correction, and behavior therapy, and perform customized nursing interventions according to age group and spouse presence.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.54 no.2
• /
• pp.86-95
• /
• 2021

Objectives: This study investigated associations between perceptions of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in workers at hospitals designated to treat COVID-19, as well as the difference in the magnitude of these associations by occupational type and previous Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) experience. Methods: The participants were workers at hospitals designated to treat COVID-19 who completed a questionnaire about their perceptions related to COVID-19, work experience during the previous MERS-CoV outbreak, and symptoms of PTSD ascertained by the PTSD Checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Participants' characteristics were compared using the chi-square test. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to evaluate the associations between perceptions and the prevalence of PTSD, stratified by occupational type and previous MERS-CoV experience. Results: Non-medical personnel showed stronger associations with PTSD than medical personnel according to general fear (odds ratio [OR], 6.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.92 to 23.20), shortages of supplies (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.56), and issue-specific fear (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.59). Those with prior MERS-CoV quarantine experience were more prone to PTSD than those without such experience in terms of general fear (OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.22 to 2.37), shortages of supplies (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.40), and issue-specific fear (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.38). Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic, non-medical personnel tended to have higher odds of being categorized as having PTSD. Workers with prior MERS-CoV experience were more susceptible than those without such experience. These findings suggest the need for timely interventions to manage human resources for a sustainable quarantine system.

• CELLMED
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.19.1-19.8
• /
• 2021

Background: Dysmenorrhea is the most common menstrual complaint in young women with a prevalence as high as 90% and is responsible for substantial repeated short-term absenteeism from school and work in young women. The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of Commiphora myrrha and honey with mefenamic acid in primary dysmenorrhea. Materials and Methods: This prospective standard controlled trial was conducted at Luqman Unani Medical College Hospital and Research Center Vijayapura, India where 40 diagnosed patients of primary dysmenorrhea were randomly assigned to receive test drug (powdered Commiphora myrrha gum resin10g with 30g honey in two divided doses) or active control drug (mefenamic acid 250mg TID) for first 3days of menstruationfor two consecutive cycles. The primary outcome measure was reduction in severity of pain assessed by numerical pain rating scale (NPRS), and secondary outcome measures were improvement in quality of life (QOL) assessed by SF-36 and reduction in perceived stress score (PSS). Results: During first cycle treatment no significant difference was found in NPRS score (p=0.085) between the groups however significant difference in NPRS score (p<0.001) was seen during 2^nd treatment cycle. Significant reduction (p=0.022) in the perceived stress score was noted and overall quality of life was markedly improved after treatment in both the groups. Conclusion: These data suggest that Commiphora myrrha gum resin with honey is an effective herb in reducing symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea. These results need to be confirmed by a properly designed trial with a larger sample size. Trial registration: Clinical Trial Registry India CTRI/2017/09/009596.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.21 no.12
• /
• pp.621-631
• /
• 2021

This study examines the effect of adolescents' experiences of school violence on complex post-traumatic stress disorder(cPTSD) and the moderating effect of self-esteem on this relationship. For this purpose, the data surveyed on 291 adolescents was used in the study, and the research model was verified through moderated regression analysis. The results are as follows: Experience of school violence and self-esteem had a significant effect on cPTSD. It was confirmed that self-esteem had moderated an effect of the experience of school violence on cPTSD. Even if the level of experiences of school violence was the same, high self-esteem could reduce the cPTSD. Based on the results of the study, methods to reduce the problem of school violence among adolescents and the cPTSD caused by it were suggested.