• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.79-85
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• 2009

In this study, the effects of psychosocial stress (box color and precision demand) on muscle activity were evaluated in laboratory setting. Eight subjects performed sagittally symmetric lifting tasks. Box color (yellow, black), precision demand (yes, no), and box weight (5%MVC, 10%MVC, 15 %MVC) were varied and surface EMG signals from seven muscles(medial deltoid right, biceps brachii right, lateral triceps right, latissimus dorsi right, erector spinae right, external oblique right, internal oblique right) were recorded. EMG signals were band-pass filtered($10{\sim}400\;Hz$), rectified, RMS smoothed and normalized (NEMG). Analysis of variance tests were conducted on the total NEMG (TNEMG: the sum of the seven muscles' NEMGs) and on the individual muscle's NEMGs. Box color had no effect on the TNEMG and on the seven muscles activities(p>0.05). When precision demand was required at the end point of lifts, the mean NEMG showed higher values than no precision demand conditions: TNEMG (14% increase) and medial deltoid(40% increase), biceps brachii(10% increase), lateral triceps(26% increase), latissimus dorsi(25% increase) muscles. Those increases showed more conspicuous as the box weight increased in the muscles of medial deltoid, lateral triceps, and latissimus dorsi.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.82-90
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• 2012

Objectives : Though gastric cancer is one of the most common cancer in Korea, there have been few studies to explore psychological distress in gastric cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors of psychological distress among patients with gastric cancer. Methods : With consecutive sampling, a total of 274 patients with gastric cancer who admitted to a cancer center in a general hospital were recruited and assessed on psychological distress using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS). Sociodemographic and cancer-related clinical variables were also evaluated. Results : One hundred fifty-three(55.8%) patients with gastric cancer showed psychological distress. Logistic regression models revealed that having alcohol drinking experience[odds ratio(OR)=2.10, p=0,034] and low performance status(OR=2.40 p=0.002) were significantly associated with psychological distress in patients with gastric cancer. Conclusions : These findings indicate that approximately half of patients with gastric cancer suffered from psychological distress and having alcohol drinking experience and low performance status would be associated risk factors, suggesting the need for distress screening and psychosocial supportive care in patients with gastric cancer.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.106-113
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• 2013

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics and the psychosocial factors associated to the referral to psychiatric care in the suicide attempters visiting emergency center. Methods: We conducted a systematic chart review of 377 suicidal attempters visiting emergency center of the Korea University Ansan Hospital between January 2008 and December 2011. We gathered a data contain 20 items including psychosocial characteristics and factors related to suicide and factors related to psychiatric treatment. Multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to data to estimate the unique effects of sex, drunken status, companion, suicidal methods, place of suicide and current use of psychiatric medication on the referral to psychiatric care. Results: The female gender(OR=1.63, 95% CI=0.99-2.69), suicidal attempts at home(OR=3.40, 95% I= 1.21-9.56) and drunken state at visit(OR=2.34, 95% CI=1.10-5.01) are the factors that predict the risk of the non-referral of the patients to psychiatric intervention. Place of suicidal attempt was the most important factor do play a role in determining whether referral to psychiatric care will take place or not. Current use of psychiatric medication showed a trend toward significance(p=0.08, OR=1.67, 95% CI=0.95-2.95). Conclusions: These results suggest that when deciding whether to adapt or to refuse the referral to psychiatric care, the factors such as suicidal intent, lethality of suicide methods, familiar factors and alcohol may contribute onto the referral to psychiatric care. Additional research is required to investigate an association of these factors with referral to psychiatric care.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.19
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• pp.8483-8488
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• 2014

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-induced mortalities in Iranian women, following gastric carcinoma. The survival of these patients depends on several factors, which are very important to identify in order to understand the natural history of the disease. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, 313 consecutive women with pathologically-proven diagnosis of breast cancer who had been treated during a seven-year period (January 2006 until March 2014) at Towhid hospital, Sanandaj city, Kurdistan province of Iran, were recruited. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for data analysis, and finally those factors that showed significant association on univariate analysis were entered in a Cox regression model. Results: the mean age of patients was $46.10{\pm}10.81$ years. Based on Kaplan-Meier method median of survival time was 81 months and 5 year survival rate was $75%{\pm}0.43$. Tumor metastasis (HR=9.06, p=0.0001), relapse (HR=3.20, p=0.001), clinical stage of cancer (HR=2.30, p=0.03) and place of metastasis (p=0.0001) had significant associations with the survival rate variation. Patients with tumor metastasis had the lowest five-year survival rate (37%)and among them patients who had brain metastasis were in the worst condition (5 year survival rate= $11%{\pm}0.10$). Conclusions: Our findings support the observation that those women with higher stages of breast malignancies (especially with metastatic cancer) have less chance of surviving the disease. Furthermore, screening programs and early detection of breast cancer may help to increase the survival of those women who are at risk of breast cancer.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2020

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of depressive/anxiety symptoms with psychosocial factors including ego resilience, social conflict, and social support as well as hemoglobin A1c in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods : The subjects were 144 patients with DM. Depressive/anxiety symptoms were evaluated by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Sociodemographic factors, hemoglobin A1c, ego resilience, social conflict, and social support were measured. Multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the impact of hemoglobin A1c, ego resilience, social conflict, and social support on depressive/anxiety symptoms. Results : A total of 32.6% and 24.3% of participants were identified with depressive and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Depressive/anxiety symptoms positively correlated with the social conflict score. Conversely, ego resilience and social support negatively correlated with depressive/anxiety symptoms. In the final model of the multiple regression analyses, ego resilience was associated with a lower level of depressive (β=-0.083, p=0.019)/anxiety (β=-0.125, p=0.001) symptoms whereas social conflict was related to a higher level of depressive (β=0.353, p=0.011)/anxiety (β=0.460, p=0.003) symptoms. Also, hemoglobin A1c positively associated with anxiety symptoms (β=0.495, p=0.012) whereas social support negatively related to depressive symptoms (β=-0.464, p=0.004). Conclusion : We found possible risk and protective psychosocial factors of underlying depressive/anxiety symptoms among patients with DM. Our findings suggest that enhancing ego resilience and social support as well as decreasing social conflict would be crucial in the prevention and management of depressive/anxiety symptoms in patients with DM.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.13-22
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• 2014

Objectives : Breast cancer has been the most prevalent female cancer in South Korea since 2001. Early detection of this disease is the most effective strategy for reducing mortality. The objective of this study was to identify factors which could predict advanced stage at diagnosis of breast cancer. Methods : Participants who were initially diagnosed with breast cancer and referred to the Stress Clinic of the Breast Cancer Center at Kyungpook National University Hospital were included. Through a semi-structured interview, the authors investigated psychosocial variables such as the extent of marital and family functioning and emotional-economic family burden as well as sociodemographic and health behavior-, health characteristic- and cancer-related variables. Results : Data were collected from 219 participants. One hundred and twenty(54.8%) subjects were diagnosed with advanced-stage breast cancer. Variables that were significantly different between the advanced-stage and early-stage groups included : monthly breast self examination(p<0.000), annual mammographic screening(p<0.000), mode of tumor detection(p<0.000), nature of the first symptoms(p<0.000), time to treatment after diagnosis(p<0.000), overloaded economic and family burden(p=0.018), marital functioning(p<0.000) and family functioning(p<0.00). Logistic regression analysis indicated that irregular annual mammography screening(OR=7.431 ; 95% CI 2.407-22.944) or a lack of screening(OR=25.299 ; 95% CI 7.855-81.482) and a dysfunctional marital relationship(OR=4.772 ; 95% CI 2.244-10.145) were significantly associated with advanced stage at diagnosis of breast cancer. Conclusions : We reconfirmed screening behavior to be a risk factor for delayed diagnosis of breast cancer. Our findings also emphasized the importance of psychosocial factors such as marital functioning in early detection of breast cancer. Psychiatric consultation in the area of martial functioning could be beneficial for increasing early detection in breast cancer.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.311-320
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was to analyze research reports published in Korea on cardiac rehabilitation for patients with cardiovascular disease. Methods: Based on inclusion criteria, 19 research reports were included in this review. Published year of selected articles was between 1996 and 2008. Nineteen studies were analyzed by guidelines of the cardiac rehabilitation programs done by the American Heart Association(AHA) and Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network(SIGN). Results: The characteristics of patients were mostly of ischemic heart disease, 50-59 yr old, and male. Educational sessions were administered twice, and each lesson lasted less than 30 min. Exercise was done 3 times per week for 6 weeks. Most educational content were about risk factors, but there was no information, such as coping with feelings. Most exercise was performed as ROM, treadmill, and cycle ergometer. A large percentage of outcome indicators were health behavior, hemodynamic changes, and exercise capacity. There was more 'no effect' than 'positive effect' in trait anxiety and depression, whereas similar in physiologic domain. Conclusion: Various types of cardiac rehabilitation in Korea were performed by researchers. Therefore, we need to develop the standard protocol, to add psychosocial intervention, and to study cost effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 2007

Purpose: This study was to explore the prevalence of alcohol experiences and to identify the expectancy on the effects of alcohol and alcohol knowledge in early adolescents. Method: The cross-sectional survey of 1854 students from seven middle schools in one district of Seoul was conducted by convenience sampling. Alcohol experience and early onset of alcohol use were measured by the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Alcohol expectancy was measured by an Alcohol Effects Questionnaire. Result: Over sixty five percent of adolescents reported that they had previous drinking experiences. The participants with no alcohol drinking experience had a lower level of alcohol knowledge than those with experience(t=2.73, p=.007). In expectancy on effects of alcohol, girls had a more positive alcohol expectation than boys(t=-2.54, p=.011). Alcohol knowledge negatively correlated with alcohol expectancy(r=-.40 p=.000). In regression of alcohol expectancy, gender and alcohol knowledge were significant predictors explaining 17%. Conclusion: The results support that alcohol expectancy is an important link with early drinking experiences and alcohol knowledge, focusing on the importance of gender differences. Therefore, an alcohol prevention program in early adolescence is needed and should be focused on multidimensionality of the alcohol expectancy with developmental and psychosocial factors for early adolescents.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.35-49
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• 2011

Objectives: This article reviewed research on smoking behaviors and smoking-related health problems among university students to suggest evidences for developing smoking control strategies for them. Methods: Domestic research papers were screened through Research Information Sharing Service (RISS), Koreanstudies Information Service System (KISS), Medical Library Information System (MEDLIS), Korean Medical Database (KMbase), and digital national assembly library. International papers were searched mainly via PubMed. Results: Smoking prevalence among male college students were found to be over 50% in majority of Korean studies. While studies on smoking-related health problems were scant in Korea, several recent studies overseas showed possible effects of smoking on health among young adults, including decreased lung function, respiratory symptoms, cardiovascular problems, glucose intolerance, buccal disease, depressive symptoms, and so forth. Besides, smoking behaviors were closely related with other risk behaviors including drinking, and several psychosocial factors. Conclusions: To explore the smoking problem among college students, the first step should be a national representative survey with scientific methods. More research should be focused on the smoking-related problems among college students. To prevent smoking among college students, smoking prevention education, and smoking cessation counseling, and the initiatives of smoke free campus are needed.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.63 no.12
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• pp.477-482
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• 2020

The childhood obesity pandemic has emerged as an important public health problem in many countries. Obese children are likely to become obese adults, and adult obesity is associated with an increased risk of morbidity. Therefore, controlling the childhood obesity epidemic has become a top public health priority worldwide. The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may significantly impede this important mission and constitute an unprecedented tragedy in the global battle against childhood obesity. This manuscript presents evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic will aggravate the childhood obesity epidemic and lead to significant weight gain in school children by creating an unprecedented obesogenic environment. Within the last few months, many countries took uncompromising measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including school closures and quarantine. While these steps are often necessary to ensure infection control, they may have a significant negative effect on children's mental and physical health. Physical, nutritional, and psychosocial factors that promote obesity in children during this special situation complementarily contribute to an unprecedented obesogenic environment. Large-scale quarantine and home confinement will impose new and unfamiliar stressors on children, thereby worsening the childhood obesity epidemic. Most importantly, adverse childhood events resulting from a predicted increase in domestic violence within the next few months will significantly contribute to this concern. The scenario presented in this review is of paramount public health importance and must be considered during future pandemic planning. Involved stakeholders, including governments, schools, and families, must make all possible efforts to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on childhood obesity.