Child Health Nursing Research

Korean Academy of Child Health Nursing (한국아동간호학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Physical and Psychological Health Status of North Korean Defector Children

북한 이탈 아동의 신체 및 심리적 건강상태 평가

  • Lee, In-Sook (Graduate School, The Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Park, Ho-Ran (College of Nursing, The Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Kim, Yun-Soo (College of Nursing, The Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Park, Hyun-Jeong (Department of Health Systems and Outcome, The Johns Hopkins School of Nursing)
  • Received : 2011.09.27
  • Accepted : 2011.10.19
  • Published : 2011.10.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the physical and psychological health status of North Korean defector children and identify associated factors. The participants in the study were 103 children ranging in age from 7 to 14 years old. Physical health status was evaluated through height and weight measurements as well as clinical laboratory results. Psychological health status was assessed using structured survey interviews. Data were analyzed utilizing Pearson correlation coefficients, t-test, ANOVA, and descriptive statistics. On arrival in South Korea, 19% of the children did not meet the child growth standards of South Koreans for height and 15% for weight. However, twelve weeks after, these percentages had decreased significantly. It found that 38.5% of children presented mild posttraumatic reaction and 40.4% presented moderate reaction. Scores for externalizing and internalizing behavior problems were $0.38{\pm}0.30$ and $0.59{\pm}0.36$ respectively. Posttraumatic reaction was higher in girls (t=0.41, p=.03), and boys showed higher externalizing problems (t=2.04, p=.04). Externalizing problems were correlated with gender and internalizing problems were associated with posttraumatic reactions and externalizing problems. The findings indicate that North Korean defector children need timely developmental assessments and tailored intervention programs to meet child growth standards need to be developed.

Keywords

References

  1. Zhou, L., He, G., Zhang, J., Xie, R., Walker, M., & Wen, S. W. (2011). Risk factors of obesity in preschool children in an urban area in China. European Journal of Pediatrics, Mar 2, 123-130.
  2. Agustini E. N., Asniar I., & Matsuo H. (2011). The prevalence of long-term post-traumatic stress symptoms among adolescents after the tsunami in Aceh. Journal of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, Aug: 18, 543-549. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2850.2011.01702.x
  3. Ahn, H. N. (2005). An exploratory study on the effects of psychological trauma on posttraumatic stress symptoms and personality characteristics in adolescents. Korean Journal of Counseling and Psychotherapy, 17, 217-231.
  4. Baik, J. W. (2009). Parenting behaviors and child behavior problems of depressed and non-depressed mothers: Comparisons between mother's perception and child's perception. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Ewha Woman's University, Seoul.
  5. Central Bureau of Statistics DPRK. (2004). Nutrition Assessment Report of Survey Report.
  6. Chung, M. J., & Kim M. J. (2004). Relationships between children's behavior problems and their perceptions of parental childrearing practices. The Korean Journal of Child Studies, 25(5), 11-27.
  7. Frederick, C. J. (Eds.) (1985). Selected foci in the spectrum of posttraumatic stress disorders. In S. Murphy & J. Laube, Perspectives on disaster recovery. New York: Appleton Century-Crofts.
  8. Goenjian A. K., Walling D., Steinberg A. M., Roussos A., Goenjian H. A., & Pynoos R. S. (2009). Depression and PTSD symptoms among bereaved adolescents 6(1/2) years after the 1988 Spitak earthquake. Journal of Affective Disorder, Jan ; 112(1-3), 81-84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2008.04.006
  9. Judit K. A., & Ali M.(1998). Malnutrition of children in the democratic people's Republic of North Korea. J. Nutr.; 128, 1315-1319. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/128.8.1315
  10. Jung I. H., Park Y. K., & Hwang H. J. (2008). Study on the effect of the patrntal attatchment, supervision and their stress that elementary and middle school students have perceived on the problem behaviors. Kyonggi University Research Exchange Service. 19-41.
  11. Keyes E. F., & Kane C. F. (2004). Belonging and adapting: mental health of Bosnian refugees living in the United States. Issues Mental Health Nursing, Dec; 25, 809-831. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840490506392
  12. Kim, H. R. (2007). Overview of nutritional status of policy directions of supporting childrens's nutrition in North Korea. Health and welfare policy forum, 132, 24-34.
  13. Kim, Y. Y. (2006). An evaluation of the health status of children from North Korea. Nursing Science, 17, 55-63.
  14. Korea National Statistical Office. (2008). The entry number of North Korean defectors. Retrieved October18, 2010, from http://kostat.go.kr/wnsearchNew/search.jsp.
  15. Kulbok P. A., & Cox C. L. (2002). Dimensions of adolescent health behavior. Journal of Adolescent Health, 31, 394-400. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1054-139X(02)00422-6
  16. Im, Woo Young. (2008, December 24). The warm touch to North Korea defectors. http://www.ekgib.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=315255
  17. Lee, H. K. (2007). North Korean Students in the South Korean School. Journal of Anthropological Studies, 12, 1-17.
  18. Lee, S. H. (1997). Development of adolescent mental health index. Seoul. Samsung Hospital Mental Health Research Institute.
  19. Linda M. A., van Loon, Isabela Granic, & Rutger C. M. E. E. (2011). The role of maternal depression on treatment outcome for children with externalizing behavior problems. Journal of Psychopathologic Behavior Assess, 33, 178-186. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-011-9228-7
  20. Marshell, G. N., Schell, T. L., Berthold, S. M., & Chun, C. A. (2005). Mental health of Cambodian refugees 2 decades after resettlement in the United States. Journal of American Medical Association, 294, 571-579. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.294.5.571
  21. Moon, Y. I., & Lee, I. S. (2005). Health risk behaviors and related variables in students rewriting college entrance examinations. Korean Journal of Child Health Nursing, 11, 90-98.
  22. Oh, K. J. (1991). Classification and diagnosis of youth problem behaviors. The Korean Association of Child Studies Fall Workshop Kit. 5-20.
  23. Shin, Y. H, Kang, K. H., & Lee, S. J. (2007). A Study on relationship among elementary schoolers' externalizing and internalizing behavior problems, self-esteem and social support. Journal of Special Education & Rehabilitation Science, 46, 289-303.
  24. Shin, Y. J. (2000). The impacts of long-term starvation on the children's development in North Korea. Korean unification studies, 4, 93-121.
  25. Thabet A. A., Abed Y., & Vostanis P. (2004). Comorbidity of PTSD and depression among refugee children during war conflict. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Mar; 45, 533-542. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2004.00243.x
  26. Yoon, I. J. (2007). Social adjustments of North Korean migrants and measures to facilitate their resettlement. The journal of asiatic studies, 50, 106-143.

Cited by

  1. 북한이탈 학령전기 아동을 위한 건강교육 프로그램 개발 및 중재효과 vol.43, pp.4, 2011, https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2013.43.4.478
  2. 일개 특성화 학교 북한이탈 청소년의 건강증진행위에 영향을 미치는 요인 vol.30, pp.3, 2011, https://doi.org/10.14367/kjhep.2013.30.3.013
  3. 다문화 및 북한이탈주민 가정 자녀의 정신건강 vol.24, pp.3, 2011, https://doi.org/10.5765/jkacap.2013.24.3.124
  4. 탈북청소년들을 위한 가정생활교육프로그램의 개발과 평가 vol.28, pp.1, 2011, https://doi.org/10.19031/jkheea.2016.03.28.1.41
  5. 예비의료인의 통일보건의료에 대한 인식 vol.30, pp.3, 2011, https://doi.org/10.5932/jkphn.2016.30.3.456
  6. Factors Affecting Depressive Symptoms among North Korean Adolescent Refugees Residing in South Korea vol.14, pp.8, 2017, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14080912
  7. Mental health status of North Korean refugees in South Korea and risk and protective factors: a 10-year review of the literature vol.8, pp.suppl2, 2011, https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2017.1369833
  8. Growth and Nutritional Status of Children in North Korean Refugee Families vol.24, pp.2, 2020, https://doi.org/10.21896/jksmch.2020.24.2.96
  9. 북한이탈청소년들의 남한 식생활 경험에 대한 질적 연구 vol.36, pp.1, 2011, https://doi.org/10.7318/kjfc/2021.36.1.56
  10. Reciprocal Prediction between Impulsivity and Problematic Internet Use among North Korean Refugee Youths in South Korea by Gender and Adverse Childhood Experience vol.18, pp.3, 2011, https://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2020.0231
  11. Changes in health status of North Korean children and emerging health challenges of North Korean refugee children vol.64, pp.11, 2011, https://doi.org/10.3345/cep.2021.00192