• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.112-118
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• 2007

Purpose: There have been relatively few reports of chlorophenoxy herbicide poisoning. The purpose of this study is to analyze the general characteristics and clinical aspects of the chlorophenoxy herbicide intoxicated patients in Korea. Methods: We prospectively evaluated the chlorophenoxy herbicide intoxicated patients visiting to the 38 emergency medical centers in Korea from the 1 August 2005 to the 31 July 2006. Results: 24 patients were enrolled during the study periods. Their mean age was 55.7 years old. The median amount of the chlorophenoxy herbicide intoxicated is 150 mL. The most frequent location where the patients obtained and took the chlorophenoxy herbicide was their home. Frequent compounds involving chlorophenoxy herbicide poisoning were dicamba(66.7%), MCPP(16.7%), and 2,4-D(12.5%). The most common symptom of the patients was confusion and vomiting. 16 patients(66.7%) intended to suicide. 3 patients out of 24 patients(13.0%) were died. Conclusion: There were 24 patients intoxicated by the chlorophenoxy herbicide during the study periods. The mortality rate was 13.0%. The suicidal attempts and the numbers of death involving chlorophenoxy herbicide were high in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.306-312
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• 2016

Objectives: We aimed to compare the smoking behaviors in adolescents from monocultural and multicultural families and to evaluate the associations between their smoking behavior and number of suicide attempts. Methods: The data used in this study was collected from The Tenth Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. The differences in the sociodemographic characteristics between the adolescents in the multicultural and monocultural families were analyzed through the ${\chi}^2$-test, and a logistic regression was conducted to evaluate the relationships between the smoking behavior and number of suicide attempts of the adolescents in multicultural families. The process involved an analysis using a complex sample design. Results: There was significant difference in the weighted rates of the current smoking behavior (13.3% vs. 8.4%, p<0.001), experience of violence (6.8% vs. 2.3%, p<0.001), and number of suicide attempts (5.4% vs. 2.7%, p<0.001) between the adolescents from the multicultural and monocultural families. In both groups, the current smoking behavior was associated with the number of suicide attempts (multicultural families OR=6.5, p=0.005; monocultural families OR=1.5, p<0.001). Conclusion: Our results showed that the percentage of current smokers in the adolescents from multicultural families was higher than that in the monocultural families and that current smoking behavior is related to the number of suicide attempts in both groups, after adjustment for age, sex, socioeconomic status, academic achievement, current smoking behavior, depressive mood and experience of violence.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.79-87
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• 1990

Using Zung's self-rating depression scale, the authors studied depression in 310 elderlies residing in the 9 home for the aged (HFA) in Kyungbuk area, and 234 elderlies living in Taegu city and 107 elderlies attending a Life-long education program in Taegu, which serve as a control group, Community resident elderlies(CRE). The research had been administered during the period from June to August, 1986. The results were as follows : 1. The mean scores of male. female. and the total of the elderlies in HFA were $38.95{\pm}11.55$, $44.18{\pm}14.15$:: and $42.8{\pm}13.7$ respectively while CRE marked $40.8{\pm}11.3$ for male, $45.2{\pm}12.0$ for female, and $43.4{\pm}11.9$ for the total. Therefore there were significant differences between male and female in both groups(p<0.01, p<0.001), though no significant difference between the two groups. However, the depression score of elderlies in HFA might be much higher than that of CRE if 81 elderlies(14.2%) in HFA who had been left out of the statistical evaluation due to their having severe depression, organic brain syndrom, or pseudoementia, etc had been included. 2. The score distribution by items for the elderlies in HFA were from highest scores hopelessness, worthlessness, emptiness, decreased appetite, confusion, while for CRE, hopelessness, decreased appetite, psychomotor retardation, indecisiveness, and worthlessness. Elderlies in HFA showed significantly high scores in depressed mood, weight loss, suicidal rumination(ideation) and psychomotor excitement, while CRE showed significantly high scores in decreased appetite, psychomotor retardation, indecisiveness, and dissatisfaction. 3. Elderlies who scored over 50 numbered 10 males(16%), 57 females(34%), and total of 67(29%) in HFA and 28 males(21%), 77 females(37%), and total of 105(31%) in CRE : female showed higher seores in both groups. 4. Psychosocial factors such as getting older(respectively p<0.01, p<0.01), being Buddhist(respectively p<0.01, p<0.01), and monthly pocket money less than \30,000(respectively p<0.001, p<0.001) were found to have a noticable impact on the depression level of the elderlies in both groups. Factors such as illiteracy (p<0.001, monthly pocket money less than \10,000(p<0.05), and having no family(p<0.01) recorded significantly higher scores among CRE than the elderlies in HFA.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.123-133
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• 1985

The authors studied depression in 5,869 college students (male: 3,893, female: 1,976) using Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). The results are as follows: 1) Female college students showed significantly higher total depression scores than male college students (p<0.001). 2) The items of confusion, indecisiveness, and psychomotor retardation were scored higher in both groups and the Items of suicidal rumination, psychomotor agitation, constipation and tachycardia were scored lower in both groups. 3) 18.2% of male college students showed rather serious depression level of score 50 or higher, while 33.1 % of female college students showed the same scores. 4) The psychosocial factors relating to pessimistic views to past, present & future self images showed significantly high depression scores. 5) The depression items of fatigue, irritability, palpitation, hopelessness & dissatisfaction and the anxiety Items of fatigue, anxiousness, tachycardia, apprehension, fear, and body aches & pain were correlated significantly over 0.40 of correlation coefficient.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.218-226
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• 2011

Objectives: Paraquat (PQ) is a widely used ionic pesticide that is fatal when ingested accidentally or for suicidal purposes. It is thought that chronic exposure of PQ is related with the development of Parkinson's disease, but epidemiological studies have not yet confirmed that theory. This study attempted to estimate the possibility of environmental PQ exposure through soil and water. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the amount of decomposed PQ solution in wet soil after exposure to ultraviolet light. An artificial rainfall condition was simulated over soil sprayed with PQ to measure the amount of eluted PQ. In addition, PQ was diluted in water from three differently rated rivers and the changes in PQ concentration were measured after ultraviolet exposure over one month. High performance liquid chromatography/ultra violet detection was used to analyze the concentrations of PQ. Results: In the method we used, the recovery rate of PQ showed a precision rate less than 5%, an accuracy greater than 88%, and the calibration equation was y=5538.8x-440.01($R^2$=0.9985). There were no significant differences in the concentrations of PQ obtained from the three specimens over a 1-week period. From the PQ-sprayed soil, the artificial rainfall conditions showed no PQ elution over a 1-month period, and there was no significant differences in PQ concentrations according to ultraviolet exposure among the three samples. Conclusions: PQ remains well adsorbed naturally in soil. However, it may still exist in an integrated state for a long time in the hydrosphere, so the possibility of PQ exposure through drinking water cannot be disqualified.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.341-347
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• 2010

The majority of forensic autopsies in Korea are performed by the National Institute of Scientific Investigation (NISI), and the NISI has carried out about 4,000 cases annually. Total 4,578 autopsies were performed by NISI in 2009, among them 2,918 cases (64%) were carried out at main office of NISI in Seoul, which is in charge of Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi province. In this study we investigated pattern of drugs & poisons in autopsy cases for recent three years in Korea. Postmortem specimens (bloods, gastric contents, etc) from autopsy cases by main office of NISI during 2007~2009 were screened for drugs & poisons. Using laboratory information management system of NISI (iLIMS), the kinds of drugs & poisons and the frequency were investigated. As the results, 1,705 cases were negative to drugs & poisons, it occupied 58% of total 2,918 autopsy cases in 2009. During three years (2007~2009), the kinds of drugs & poisons detected in specimens were 206, 185 and 203, respectively, and top three drugs were atropine (anticholinergic), chlorpheniramine (antihistamine) and lidocaine (local anaesthetic/anti-arrythmic). These drugs were supposed to be used not so much for suicidal or homicidal purpose as for therapeutic purpose in hospital. Meanwhile cyanide showed the highest frequency of poisons during 2007~2009, and the frequency was 32 cases in 2009. In case of pesticides, poisoning by paraquat (herbicide, 17 cases) showed the highest frequency, and methomyl (insecticide, 9 cases) and glyphosate (herbicide, 7 cases) were followed. Finally we selected 62 drugs as target drugs for systematic toxicological analysis (STA) for Korea. Poisons such as pesticides, natural toxins, volatile compounds should be included for STA in further study.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.685-697
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• 2020

This study conducts meta-analysis of the effect size of related factors using research papers published within the past 20 years in relation to adolescent bullying experience in Korea. The verification results are as follows. First, in inducing factors, the overall effect size, personal psychology factor, and school life factor group showed a medium effect size. In the causative factors, the aggression, anxiety, stress, depression, suicidal thoughts, and school stress of school psychological factors showed a moderate effect size. Second, in terms of deterrent, the overall effect size, family environment factor, personal psychology factor, and school life factor group showed a medium effect size. In the sub-factors of determinants, the parenting attitude, parental support, and self-esteem and self-resilience of the family environmental factor group also showed a medium effect size. In conclusion, this study is meaningful in that it tried to quantitatively integrate the previous studies to examine objective results. It is meaningful that it provided basic data in program development and policy making to prevent and reduce the bullying of youth.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.3139-3147
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• 2015

The aim of this study was to investigate the condition surrounding attempted suicide and related factors among middle and high school students in Korea. Methods : Data from 72,435 participants of 2013 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Based Survey were analyzed. Statistical analyses were conducted on weighted data using SPSS 21 software to account for the complex sampling designs. Results : Complex samples logistic regression analysis, school level, socioeconomic status, drinking alcohol, drug use, experience of school bullying were associated with an increased proportion of attempted suicide for boys and girls. Particularly, male students was associated with living type. Conclusion : The results of this study highlight the important of developing a program that focuses on enhancing suicidal prevention & respect life program with life skills program, to effectively reduce the likelihood of attempted suicide among adolescents in Korea.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1283-1293
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to compare the health behaviors, mental health and internet addiction by gender differences among Korean adolescents and to examine relevances between health behaviors, mental health and internet addiction. The subjects were 73,238 Korean adolescents(male: 38,391, female: 34,847) who were recruited through national web-based survey. The data were derived from the Sixth Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey 2010 in South Korea. There were significant differences in health behaviors, mental health and internet addiction. by gender differences. Prevalence of internet addiction was male: 3.9%, female: 1.9% in this study. As the result of multiple logistic regression, the risk of internet addiction was increased in the case of smoking experience, substance experience, subjective health status, feeling of stress, depression experience, suicidal ideation, feeling of happiness, and sufficiency of sleeps in both male and female. Therefore, to decrease internet addiction prevalence, it is necessary to detect and manage the influencing risk factors of internet addiction such as health behaviors and mental health. And the health-promotion intervention to improve the internet addiction of adolescents should be planed and provided considering such differences by gender differences.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.88-98
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• 2018

Objective : The purpose of this study was to establish a school-based mental health intervention. The success of which was indexed by its effects on the social anxiety symptoms of the enrolled adolescents. Methods : This program for promoting mental health among adolescents in the community was adopted by three middle schools that volunteered to participate in the project. The program included screening for emotional problems related to social anxiety, depression, suicide, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Case management was provided for groups considered high-risk for depression, suicide, or post-traumatic stress disorder; cognitive-behavior therapy was provided for those at high-risk of developing social anxiety. Additionally, educational programs for the prevention of suicide, a "loving life" module, and mental health promotional campaigns were also included. In total, 1,100 middle school students completed self-report questionnaires. Twenty-five students in the high-risk group for social anxiety participated in a cognitive-behavior therapy program, comprising eight sessions, and conducted by two clinical psychologists. Results : Following the suicide prevention education program, suicide awareness among students increased and coping strategies were improved. In addition, the loving life program was associated with positive self-perceptions by many students. Furthermore, social anxiety symptoms showed a statistically significant difference after the cognitive-behavior therapy program. After the therapy, not only did social anxiety symptoms improve, depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation decreased significantly, while self-esteem and psychological resilience significantly increased. Conclusion : A school-based mental health intervention was successfully implemented in three middle schools and improved the mental health of the participating students. Therefore, this intervention could be widely implemented to promote positive mental health among middle school students.