• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.519-526
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• 2020

Methamphetamine (MA) is one of the most commonly abused drugs in the world by illegal drug users. Addiction to MA is a serious public health problem and effective therapies do not exist to date. It has also been reported that behavior induced by psychostimulants such as MA is related to histone deacetylase (HDAC). MeBib is an HDAC6 inhibitor derived from a benzimidazole scaffold. Many benzimidazole-containing compounds exhibit a wide range of pharmacological activity. In this study, we investigated whether HDAC6 inhibitor MeBib modulates the behavioral response in MA self-administered rats. Our results demonstrated that the number of active lever presses in MA self-administered rats was reduced by pretreatment with MeBib. In the hippocampus of rats, we also found MA administration promotes GluN2B, an NMDA receptor subunit, expression, which results in sequential activation of ERK/CREB/BDNF pathway, however, MeBib abrogated it. Collectively, we suggest that MeBib prevents the MA seeking response induced by MA administration and therefore, represents a potent candidate as an MA addiction inhibitor.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.234-244
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• 2020

Background: Chronic pain affects approximately 22% of the world's population. Opioids can be useful in chronic pain management. However, some patients have negative perception of opioids. The purpose of this research was to evaluate patients' perception about opioids and investigate problems associated with prescribing and taking opioids in South Korea. Methods: Patients who visited a pain clinic in 14 university hospitals of South Korea from September through October 2018 were asked to complete anonymous questionnaires about taking opioids. Results: Of the 368 patients that were surveyed (female 53.3%, male 46.7%), 56.8% were prescribed opioids. In the opioid group, 92.8% patients had heard of opioids from their doctor and 72.6% of them had a positive perception about opioids. The side effects associated with opioid use were constipation (35.4%), dizziness (24.6%), nausea and vomiting (17.4%), dysuria (6.2%), and addiction (2.0%). In the no opioid group, the primary sources of information about opioids were doctors (49.2%), mass media (30.8%), and the internet (16.2%). The main reasons why 39.0% patients did not take opioids were fear of addiction (57.7%) and side effects (38.5%). There were 71.5% and 60.9% patients in the opioid and no opioid group, respectively, who wished to take opioids when their numeric rating scale pain score was ≥ 7. Conclusions: Perception of opioids among patients who take them was either neutral or positive. However, 39.0% patients who have not been prescribed opioids did not want an opioid prescription, citing fear of addiction and side effects as the primary reasons.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.7
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• pp.1007-1015
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• 2015

This study investigated the correlation between smartphone addiction and eating behaviors of 288 elementary school students (fifth and sixth grades) in the Ansan area. Addiction and normal groups consisted of 29 (10.1%) and 259 students (89.9%). Average usage time of the smartphone addiction group was higher than that of the normal group (P<0.001). Percentages of using a smartphone when eating meals as well as skipping meals due to using a smartphone were also higher in the addiction group than the normal group (P<0.01). Degree of reduction of physical activity and sleep disorders due to using a smartphone were higher in the addiction group than the normal group (P<0.001). However, nutritional knowledge related to protein and dietary life scored lower in the addiction group than the normal group (P<0.05). Correlation between smartphone usage time and eating behaviors was as follows: smartphone usage time on weekdays increased with elevated usage time on weekends in the addiction group (+0.742) (P<0.001) and the normal group (+0.762) (P<0.001). Frequency of snack intake in the addiction group increased with elevated usage time on weekdays (+0.460) (P<0.05). Sleeping time of the normal group decreased with elevated usage time on weekdays (-0.150) (P<0.05), and good eating behaviors decreased with elevated usage time the on weekend (-0.143) (P<0.05). Consequently, smartphone addiction in elementary school students showed negative eating behaviors. Therefore, effective nutritional education programs and national support policy are required to solve problems of unhealthy eating behaviors from smartphone usage in elementary school students.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was done to develop a cell phone addiction scale for Korean parents of young children, and to evaluate the reliability and validity of the developed scale. Methods: The scale was developed through construction of a conceptual framework, generation of initial items, verification of content validity, selection of secondary items, preliminary study, and extraction of final items. Participants were 465 parents and 178 children. Data were analyzed using item analysis, factor analysis, criterion related validity, internal consistency, and split-half reliability. Results: Twenty items were categorized into three factors explaining 60.3% of total variance. Factors were named as withdrawal - 4 items, loss of control - 9 items, and persistence - 7 items. Scores for the scale were significantly correlated with self-control, impulsiveness, cell phone use, and cell phone addiction of children as measured by a scale for Korean children. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the 20 items was .94, and Guttman coefficient was .87. Scale scores identified children as high risk users, at risk users, or average users by standard scores. Conclusion: The results suggest that the cell phone addiction scale for Korean parents is a reliable and valid instrument to measure cell phone addiction in young children.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.22-30
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• 2021

Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a public health emergency posing unprecedented challenges for health authorities. Social media may serve as an effective platform to disseminate health-related information. This study aimed to assess the extent of social media use, its impact on preventive behavior, and negative health effects such as cyberchondria and information overload. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted between June 10, 2020 and August 9, 2020 among people visiting the outpatient department of the authors' institution, and participants were also recruited during field visits for an awareness drive. Questions were developed on preventive behavior, and the Short Cyberchondria Scale and instruments dealing with information overload and perceived vulnerability were used. Results: The study recruited 767 participants with a mean age of about 45 years. Most of the participants (>90%) engaged in preventive behaviors, which were influenced by the extent of information received through social media platforms (β=3.297; p<0.001) and awareness of infection when a family member tested positive (β=29.082; p<0.001) or a neighbor tested positive (β=27.964; p<0.001). The majority (63.0%) of individuals often searched for COVID-19 related news on social media platforms. The mean±standard deviation scores for cyberchondria and information overload were 9.09±4.05 and 8.69±2.56, respectively. Significant and moderately strong correlations were found between cyberchondria, information overload, and perceived vulnerability to COVID-19. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that the use of social media as an information- seeking platform altered preventive behavior. However, excessive and misleading information resulted in cyberchondria and information overload.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.19-26
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• 2006

Objectives : The object of this study was to examine computer game playing patterns and psychopathologies related to computer game addiction in school-age children. Methods : The subjects were 533 elementary school students (4th to 6th grade) in Kangdonggu, Seoul. We evaluated computer playing patterns of all subjects using computer game playing pattern questionnaire, and determined the risk group of computer game addiction by internet game addiction scale score. We evaluated subscale score of K-CBCL from parents of all subjects, and conducted correlation analysis and logistic regression analysis between computer game addiction and subscale score of K-CBCL. Results : In 488 responders, 10.2% of started playing computer game in preschool age, and 67.2% started at low grade of elementary school. The mean frequency of computer game play per week was 3.66 days. Mean time spent playing computer games per day was 1.89 hours. 'Simply for fun' was the most common reason far playing computer games (40.8%). Male subjects showed statistically significant differences in age of starting computer game, frequency of computer game play per week, reasons for playing computer game and computer game addiction scale scores. There were significant correlations between computer game addiction scale scores and academic performance, somatic complaints, attention problems, and internalizing problems in K-CBCL. But In logistic regression analysis, only attention problems among K-CBCL subscales showed significant predictability to computer game addiction. Conclusion : Upper grade elementary school students experienced computer game playing at the very early age, and spend much time in playing computer games. There were significant correlation and predictability between computer game addiction and attention problems.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Child Welfare
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• no.53
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• pp.77-104
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between mothers' smartphone dependency(MSD) and their children's problem behavior and how children's smartphone dependency(CSD) mediates this relationship. A survey was conducted in the Seoul and Gyeonggi of 300 mothers having children from two to six years old. The results showed that MSD was directly related to both CSD and children's problem behavior, and in particular, had greater effects than CSD on children's problem behavior. CSD was found to mediate the relationship between MSD and children's problem behavior. The results suggest that mothers and their children should be provided with education on the proper usage of smartphone to prevent problem behavior in children, and that the development of preventive programs for smartphone addiction is needed.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.61-71
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• 2011

Objectives: This study aims to identify differences in problem gambling among Korean university students by gender and to analyze the relationship between problem gambling and health risk behaviors. Methods: With a sample of 2,026 4-year university students, a questionnaire included CPGI (Canadian Problem Gambling Index) scale and health risk behavior items was administered. Descriptive statistics, t-test, and ANOVA were performed on the data. Results: The prevalence of gambling addiction of male students(14.6%) was two times higher than that of female students(6.6%). The severity of problem gambling was higher in: smokers, those with drug use experience, heavy drinkers, and those with frequently recurring suicidal thoughts, respectively. Conclusions: This study suggests that the problem gambling of university students is a complicated and comprehensive public health problem that is related with health risk behaviors such as alcohol drinking, smoking, drug use, and suicidal thoughts. Prevention strategies and policies are suggested based on the study results.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.642-649
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was done to explore the relationship between aggression and internet over-use, depression-anxiety, self-esteem, all of which are known to be behavior and psychological characteristics linked to "at-risk" children for aggression. Methods: Korean-Child Behavior Check List (K-CBCL), Korean-Internet Addiction Self-Test Scale, and Self-Esteem Scale by Rosenberg (1965) were used as measurement tools with a sample of 743, 5th-6th grade students from 3 elementary schools in Jecheon city. Chi-square, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation and stepwise multiple regression with SPSS/Win 13.0 version were used to analyze the collected data. Results: Aggression for the elementary school students was positively correlated with internet over-use and depression-anxiety, whereas self-esteem was negatively correlated with aggression. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that 68.4% of the variance for aggression was significantly accounted for by internet over-use, depression-anxiety, and self-esteem. The most significant factor influencing aggression was depression-anxiety. Conclusion: These results suggest that earlier screening and intervention programs for depression-anxiety and internet over-use for elementary student will be helpful in preventing aggression.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.75-84
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• 2019

Addicts pay more attention to addiction-related cues, such as substance or behavior. And increased attention to these cues is associated with craving. Methamphetamine is the most abused drug among domestic drug offenders, with continually increasing rates of recidivism. Of the total number of reported drug offenders in the last three years, 21.1 percent have been women. Even so, research on female drug offenders is inadequate, rendering policies and fundamental data for the development of psychotherapy programs insufficient. The present study intended to investigate whether female methamphetamine addicts displayed an attention bias towards drug cues. A dot probe task was conducted on 22 female methamphetamine addicts (addiction group) and 22 non-addicts (control group). The task allowed the correct response rates and correct reaction times of the participants to be calculated according to the positioning of the drug and neutral cues. The analysis results revealed that the control group displayed no difference in correct reaction rates and correct reaction times between the drug or neutral cues. While, the addiction group showed lower correct response rate and slower response time for drug cues in comparison to neutral cues. The results of this study are significant in that it identified the attention bias characteristics toward drug cues of female methamphetamine addicts who were disconnected from drugs.