• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.423-433
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• 2016

This study compared the effect of different types of sounds(no sounds, sounds of nature, music, and sounds of children playing) on profile of mood states(POMS) in a healing forest. Data were collected from 231 respondents selected from among visitors to the 'Healing Field' in 'Jangseong Chukryongsan Pyeonbaek Healing Forest' in October, 2012. Each respondent was exposed to one type of sound. The results showed that there were differences in POMS among the different sound treatment groups. Sounds of children playing showed negative effects on POMS. Unexpectedly, however, sounds of nature and musical sounds had no effects on POMS. These tendencies were consistently found not only for total mood disturbance score (TMDS) but also for POMS by factors (i. e. tension, anger, vigor, fatigue, confusion, depression). Perceived crowding level was positively correlated with TMDS(r=0.568) and POMS by factors (range: r=0.331 - 0.571). This paper discusses the research results and suggests several managerial implications.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.63-68
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• 2013

Objectives: Several evidence has been suggested that the circadian gene variants contribute to the pathogenesis of seasonal affective disorder. In this study, we aimed to investigate the polymorphism in RORA (Retinoid-related orphan receptor A) gene in relation to seasonal variations among healthy young adults in Seoul, Korea. Methods: A total of 507 young healthy adult subjects were recruited by advertisement. Seasonal variations were assessed by the Seasonality Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ). Single-nucleotide polymorphism in the RORA rs11071547 gene was genotyped by PCR in 507 individuals. Considering summer type as confounding factor, we conducted analysis 478 subjects except 29 subjects of summer type. The Chi-square test was conducted to compare differences between groups of seasonals and non-seasonals. Association between genotypes and Global Seasonality Score (GSS) were tested using ANCOVA (Analysis of covariance). Results: In this sample, the prevalence of SAD was 12.1% (winter type 9.3%, summer type 2.8%). There is no significant difference in genotyping distribution of RORA rs11071547 between groups of seasonals and non-seasonals. Global seasonality score (GSS) and scores of all subscales except body weight and appetite were not significantly different between the group with C allele homozygote and the group with T allele homozygote and heterozygote (p-value 0.138). Scores of body weight and appetite were significantly higher in group with C allele homozygotes. Conclusion: These results suggest that RORA gene polymorphism play a role in seasonal variations in appetite and body weight and is associated with susceptibility to seasonal affective disorder in some degree in the population studied.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.19-29
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• 2010

Objectives：Authors hypothesized that bipolar tendency of non-psychiatric person would be associated with stress vulnerability. To test the hypothesis, we compared perceived stress level, Type A Behavioral Pattern (TABP) and unhealthy lifestyle between person with and without bipolar tendency. Methods：The study cohort consisted of 1987 subjects without past and current psychiatric history. In this study, bipolar tendency was determined by MDQ response which requires endorsement of at least 7 of the 13 "yes or no" questions. We compared the scores of Perceived Stress Scale, A/B lifestyle questionnaire, and unhealthy lifestyle(alcohol, smoking, lack of exercise, irregular meal) between MDQ positive and negative respondents. Results：We identified the bipolar tendency group determined by the MDQ positive response were 329 subjects(16.6%). The overall score of the bipolar tendency group was significantly high on the A/B lifestyle questionnaire compared to the non-bipolar tendency group(125.4 vs. 115.9, p<0.001), and the rate of the subjects defined as TABP was also significantly high(41.3% vs. 30.1%, p<0.001). In comparison of subjectively perceived stress level, the bipolar tendency group was observed to be significantly higher than the non-bipolar tendency group (18.5% vs. 16.5%, p<0.001). The bipolar tendency group was significantly higher than the non-bipolar tendency group on the rate of answering：'irregular eating habit' (20.1% vs. 14.3%, p=0.002), '4-or-more-times alcohol intake per week' (29.8% vs. 16.5%, p<0.001), 'currently smoking' (41.9% vs. 23.0%, p<0.001), '2-or-less-times physical exercises per week' (63.2% vs. 55.1%, p=0.007). Conclusion：By clinical diagnosis, even a person who does not meet the criteria of bipolar disorder has a high risk of stress-related behavioral pattern, and perceived stress when possessing bipolar tendencies such as the (hypo) maniac tendency or affective instability. Such individual has significantly higher risk of having unhealthy life-style such as smoking, drinking, irregular eating habit and lack of exercise compared to non-bipolar tendency group. Since these risk factors lead to increase the risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, the individual with the bipolar tendency requires a more effort to manage stress and to maintain healthy lifestyle.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.95-99
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• 2004

Objectives: Although many studies on seasonal variations in mood and behavior have been carried out in foreign countries, no such study has previously been undertaken in Korea. The goal of this study was to estimate the frequency of seasonal variations in mood and behavior among Korean medical students. Methods: 297 medical students from Korea University College of Medicine participated in this study. The subjects were surveyed with a Korean translation of the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ), and their responses were evaluated for seasonal patterns of mood and behavioral change, including seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and subsyndromal seasonal affective disorder (S-SAD), derived from the case-finding criteria of Kasper et al. Results: The mean global seasonality score was 6.6 (SD=3.6). 83.5% (N=248) of the subjects reported some changes in behavior and mood associated with the seasons. Only 3.7% (N=11) reported no behavioral changes across the seasons. Total prevalence rates were 15.2% for SAD, and 2.7% for S-SAD. The estimated frequencies were 3.0% for summer SAD, 2.7% for summer S-SAD, 11.4% for winter SAD, and 5.8% for winter S-SAD. The prevalence rates for winter SAD or S-SAD were higher than the prevalence rates for summer SAD or S-SAD. Conclusion: These results suggest that seasonal variations in mood and behavior are common among Koreans. The higher prevalence rate of winter SAD or S-SAD than summer SAD or S-SAD is consistent with most western studies and stands in contrasts to studies in other Asian countries, such as Japan and China.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2020

Objectives : Evidence regarding the association between untreated depression in adolescence and suicidal risk in male young adults is scarce. We aimed to assess the effect of untreated illness during adolescence on the suicidal risk and attempt after that first episode. Methods : As part of a cross-sectional study, between May 2017 and April 2018, a total of 260 patients with currently unipolar or bipolar depression were included in the final analysis. Multiple linear and logistic regression analysis were performed to evaluate the association between untreated mood disorder in adolescence and its effect on the suicidal risk and attempt. Results : In total 260 patients, 189 were classified as untreated group. The proportion of suicide attempts, total depression score, suicidal risk and number of suicide attempts were significantly higher in the untreated group. The most predictive factors of suicide attempts were history of untreated depression [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR)=4.19, 95% Confidence Interval (CI)=2.25-7.81, p<0.001] and diagnosis of bipolar depression (AOR=2.60, 95% CI=1.52-4.46, p<0.001). Conclusions : Although the untreated depression suggests higher rates of suicidality, a significant proportion (86.7%) of adolescent depression in this study did not receive psychiatric treatment. Future research should be needed to find better ways to decrease barriers in using mental health treatment and its contribution to reduction and prevention of adverse outcome.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.68-77
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• 2024

Background: Depressive disorders can be categorized into daily depression and clinical depression. The experience of depressive disorder can increase health care utilization due to decreased treatment compliance and somatization. On the other hand, the clinical depression group may also experience social prejudice associated with the illness, which can limit their access to health care utilization. In terms of the significance of health care utilization as a factor in individual and social issues, this study aims to compare the health care utilization of the clinical depression group with that of the non-depressed group and the daily depression group. Methods: The analysis utilized the inverse probability of treatment weighting based on the generalized propensity score. Results: As a result of the analysis, clinical depression and daily depression were higher among women, low-income groups, individuals with low education levels, and so forth. The clinical depression group was also higher among individuals who were not economically active, did not have private health insurance, or had multiple chronic diseases. The number of outpatient department visits in the depression group was significantly higher than in the non-depressed group. In addition, the number of outpatient department visits for the clinical depression group was significantly higher than that for the daily depression group. Outpatient medical expenses were higher in the depression group than in the non-depressed group, and there was no significant difference between the clinical depression group and the daily depression group. Conclusion: Health care utilization was higher in the depression group than the non-depressed group, it was also higher in the clinical depression group than the daily depression group.

• Korean Journal of Health Psychology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.579-596
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• 2009

This study aimed to develop the Korean tool of competency to consent to psychiatric treatment and to analyze the reliability and validity of this tool. Also the developed tool's efficiency in determining whether a patient possesses treatment consent competence was checked using the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve and the relevant indices. A total of 193 patients with mental illness, who were hospitalized in a mental hospital or were in community mental health center, participated in this study. We administered a questionnaire consisting of 14 questions concerning understanding, appreciation, reasoning ability, and expression of a choice to the subjects. To investigate the validity of the tool, we conducted the K-MMSE, insight test, estimated IQ, and BPRS. The tool's reliability and usefulness were examined via Cronbach's alpha, ICC, and ROC analysis, and criterion related validation was performed. This tool showed that internal consistency and agreement between raters was relatively high(ICC .80~.98, Cronbach's alpha .56~.83)and the confirmatory factor analysis for constructive validation showed that the tool was valid. Also, estimated IQ, and MMSE were significantly correlated to understanding, appreciation, expression of a choice, and reasoning ability. However, the BPRS did not show significant correlation with any subcompetences. In ROC analysis, full scale cutoff score 18.5 was suggested. Subscale cutoff scores were understanding 4.5, appreciation 8.5, reasoning ability 3.5, and expression of a choice 0.5. These results suggest that this assessment tool is reliable, valid and efficient diagnostically. Finally, limitations and implications of this study were discussed.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.72-80
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• 2020

Objectives : The aim of this study was to compare the effect of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) and Serotonin Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor (SNRI) for mood symptoms, pain, and somatic symptoms in elderly depression patients with pain and somatic symptoms. Methods : This study is a prospective open-label study conducted by a single institution. A total of 43 subjects diagnosed with major depressive disorder under the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria participated in this study (average age: 72.53, 58.1% women). The subjects were classified as SSRI and SNRI groups. Depressive symptoms, pain, and somatic symptoms were evaluated by Korean version of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (K-HDRS), visual analogue scale (VAS) and Patient Health Questionnare-15 (PHQ-15) respectively at baseline and six weeks later. Two-way repeated-measure ANOVA was performed to analyze changes in the KHDRS, VAS, and PHQ-15 scores. Results : In the SSRI and SNRI groups, K-HDRS, VAS, and PHQ-15 all showed significant improvement after 6 weeks compared to each baseline values. There were no differences in therapeutic effect between the two groups. Conclusions : We found that SSRI and SNRI both improved somatic symptoms and pain in elderly depression patients. The results of this study are thought to help select antidepressants when administering medication to elderly depression patients who complain pain and somatic symptoms. Further research is needed on the longterm effects of the SSRI and SNRI.