• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.73-80
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• 2016

This study highlights the main effect of job demand, work shift, work environment and stressors on the railway traffic controller's health, and the moderating effect of work0life balance. The result of empirical analysis based on questionnaires received from 328 traffic controllers working at 10 railway operating companies indicates that job demand, work shift, work environment and stressors have significant effect on their health, among which stressors is a major factor. In the respect of moderating effect, WLB showed no significance except for job demand. This result implies that controller's health can not be enhanced through their individual family or leisure life. Therefore, effective countermeasures and policy to mitigate their health problems and heal their symptoms are urgent.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.98 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2009

The use of natural environments to change lifestyle and health has been long recognized. In particular, forests, trees, and open space have been shown to promote mental health. In this study, we examined the effectiveness of the structured psychotherapeutic program using forest environment ("forest activity program") to improve the symptoms of nine patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) who were taking variable doses of antidepressants. We assessed the depressive symptoms, quality of life, and autonomic nerve regulation among the MDD patients. Hamilton Rating Scales for Depression (HRSD) scores significantly decreased after the forest therapy (13.56 vs. 5.56, p=0.003), and some subscores of Short Form 36 health survey questionnaire (SF-36) and heart rhythm coherence are improved as well. Combined with antidepressant pharmacotherapy, the structured psychotherapeutic program using forest environment showed an improved health status for MDD patients and thus has potential as an adjuvant treatment for MDD, especially for rehabilitation and relapse prevention.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.154-161
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• 2008

The physiological and photochemical responses of rice seedling to NaCl stress were investigated through measuring leaf relative water content (RWC), root water uptake and chlorophyll fluorescence. When plants were exposed to increased salinity stress, the visual symptoms of injury were significant at ${\geq}$500 mM NaCl concentration for 4 and 5 day stress periods. The differences in Fv/Fm between control treatment and plants treated with 500 mM and 1,000 mM NaCl were evident after 5 day and 4 day, respectively, whereas in root water uptake its effect was observed at 500 mM and 1,000 mM NaCl at 2 day of salt-stressed periods. Leaf RWC in salt-stressed plants decreased gradually with increasing salinity in exogenous solution and duration of salt stress, and these decrease showed leaf RWC of 58-68% atduration over 2 day stress of 1,000 mM NaCl treatment and 88% at 1 day stress. NaCl stress led to a significant inhibition of the light-induced greening in etiolated rice plants, especially in 4 and 5 day salt-stressed plants, which linearly decreased with NaCl concentration ($R^2$=0.812 and 0.918, respectively). The effects of NaCl stress in rice seedlings indicate that water uptake in root is more sensitive to increasing NaCl concentration and stress duration than Fv /Fm in leaves compared with the same NaCl concentration.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.217-229
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• 2007

Purpose: This study sought to investigate the relationship between smoking, drinking and the mental health of adolescents. Method: The study subjects included 1,092 randomly sampled third-year middle and high school students from N-City and the L-Kun area in Chonbuk Province. The data were collected using an anonymous questionnaire developed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare(2005). The data were analyzed using the SPSSWIN 15.0 Program. Result: The smoking rate in the adolescents was 10.1%, and the drinking rate was 43.2%. The stress recognition rate in normal daily life was 45.5%, the frequency of depressive symptoms was 33.2% and 40.0% of the subjects reported that they wanted to die at some point within the past year. The rate of stress recognition, depressive symptom experience, suicidal planning and attempt in smokers and drinkers was higher than that in non-smokers and non-drinkers (p<.05). Especially, the frequency of suicidal thoughts was higher in the drinkers than in the non-drinkers (p<.05). Conclusion: The smoking and drinking status of the adolescents was correlated with their mental health a sit relates to stress, depression and suicide. Therefore, an effective program for the prohibition of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption is needed in order to prevent smoking and alcohol consumption in adolescents and improve their mental health status.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.90-101
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate influencing factors of health problems which the vinyl house farmers had experienced. Method: Based on PRECEDE model, this study was done with 110 respondents(50 to 69 years old), working in vinyl house and living in the remote area where the primary health post located. Results: Quality of life was low in economical status, emotional status, and physical function. Health problems were founded as pain and chronic fatigue that were caused by physical symptoms, weakened physical strength, and increased blood pressure and cholesterol. Behavioral and environmental factors were related with lack of exercise, irregular eating habit, curtailed sleep, overwork, wrong working postures, stress, and non-fulfillment of safety standard during spraying pesticide. Self efficacy was low in excercise practice, working way, and stress management. Conclusion: The Health Promotion Program for vinyl house farmers should be developed to improve health promoting behavior and self efficacy, to reduce stress, and to strengthen physical function.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.216-227
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• 2022

Background: Food insecurity may contribute to mental health indicators such as stress, anxiety, or depression. We investigated whether food insecurity was associated with mental health indicators and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a representative sample of the Korean population. Methods: This study enrolled 12,987 adults without a history of medically serious disease from the 2012, 2013, and 2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Household food security status was categorized as "food security," "mild food insecurity," and "moderate/severe food insecurity." The association between mental health and HRQoL was evaluated using a multivariate logistic regression model with food security as the reference group. Results: The adjusted odds ratio of adverse mental health or low HRQoL increased significantly in mild or moderate/severe food insecurity compared to food security. In the moderate/severe food insecurity group, it was 1.98% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.31-2.99) higher for perceived stress, 3.58% (95% CI, 2.44-5.26) higher for depression symptoms, 4.16% (95% CI, 2.68-6.45) higher for suicidal ideation, and 2.81% (95% CI, 1.91-4.15) higher for quality of life. Conclusion: Food insecurity was strongly associated with negative mental health status and poor HRQoL. There is a need for a dietary support program that provides psychosocial support to those experiencing food insecurity.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.45-60
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• 2010

Objectives : The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between the effectiveness of Brief Qigong-based Stress Reduction Program(BQSRP) and personality. Methods : Twenty nine women and nine men from the community with symptoms of distress(mean age 39.4 years, SD=11.4) were randomized into a group receiving a 4-week intervention of BQSRP(n=19) or a waiting-list control group. All subjects completed the temperament and character inventory (TCI) before the intervention. Before and after the intervention period, questionnaires were completed on perceived stress scale(PSS), anxiety, and quality of life. Results : 1. Those who have higher temperament of harm avoidance or lower character of self-directedness showed higher PSS, Hwa-Byung character, Hwa-Byung symptom, STAI and lower WHOQOL-BREF scores. 2. In the BQSRP training group, a correlation analysis demonstrated an association between higher temperament of harm avoidance and greater improvement of perceived stress and an association between lower character of self-directedness and greater improvement of perceived stress. 3. Those who have high Hwa-Byung symptom scores prefer the breathing meditation and there were no differences in effects of BQSRP group by the preference Brief Qigong-based Meditation(BQM) component. Conclusions : These results suggest that a BQSRP training may be effective for those with higher harm avoidance trait and low self-directedness.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.101-114
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• 1999

This study was designed to investigate the effects of an aquatic exercise program on the shoulder joint function. physical symptom. quality of life and stress among the patients who received modified radical mastectomy between 6 to 12 months prior to their visits. The subjects were 31 women aged between 40 and 60 who visited the out-patient department at Kang Nam St. Mary's Hospital for follow-up care. and were not under the treatment of intravenous cancer chemotherapy or radiation therapy. and had no complications. Twelve of them were assigned to the control group. while nineteen subjects to the experimental group. The aquatic exercise program was developed by the author with the assistance of exercise specialists. The program includes warming uP. aerobic and cooling down exercises in water. The aquatic exercise program for the experimental group was carried out 3 times a week with 60 minutes in each time for 8 weeks from September 20th to November 15th. 1995 in a regular swimming pool in Seoul. Changes in the range of motion of the shoulder joint. muscle strength. physical symptom. quality of life. and stress were examined after the completion of treatment. The data were collected through isokinetic muscle strength evaluation and questionnaire survey before and after the treatment. Paired and unpaired t-test were adopted to analyze the data. The results were as follows ; 1. The increment in the range of motion of the shoulder joint in the experimental group after the exercise was significantly greater than those in the control group. 2. The peak torque of shoulder girdle muscles increased significantly after the exercise in the experimental group only. 3. The physical symptom score decreased significantly after the exercise in the experimental group only. 4. The experimental group revealed significantly higher level of quality of life and lower level of stress after the exercise compared with those before the exercise. whereas the control group showed no significant changes in those levels. These findings may indicate that the aquatic exercise program is effective in increasing the range of motion of the shoulder joint and muscle strength and quality of life. and also effective in decreasing physical symptoms. and the level of stress in postmastectomy patients. Accordingly. the acquatic exercise program' can be adopted as an effective nursing intervention for postmastectomy rehabilitation.

• Korean Security Journal
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• no.15
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• pp.89-105
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• 2008

The aim of this study is to examine the primary causes of security guard's stress by conducting a survey of 50 guards engaging in security companies in Seoul and Gyeonggido. The following results are attained by an inductive content analysis of conviction interview data through in-depth interview of qualitative study method. 1. Factors of stress related to personal problems. The stress by personal problems is resulted from two factors. One is the physical strength inferiority, which leads to negative thoughts, dismay, mental conflict and tension. The other is complex about not-specializing security, which causes discord with his/her supervisor or co-workers and a feeling of uneasiness. 2. Factors of stress related to human relationship. The stress due to human relations is constantly resulted from discord with his/her supervisor and inclined to be accumulated. The mental conflict is elated in feeling that the manager's instructions are not right. So this factor makes them want change of occupation. Also working conditions are different from those of their friends, which causes them not to spend a lot of time with their friends. 3. Factors of stress related to domestic life It appears that most security guards are under stress due to their spouses' discontent with a small number of wages. Also it is reported that male guards are under stress in case of unhappy conjugal relations. And security guard's life is restricted much more than that of workers in a general occupation because of standing ready for mobilization and 24-hour service. So some of male guards experienced an early symptoms of a morbid suspicion about their wife's chastity and are suffering from insomnia as an occupational disease.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.72-78
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• 2023

Objectives : This study aims to identify various psychiatric symptoms and psychosomatic symptoms caused by COVID-19 infection and investigate their long-term impact. Methods : A systematic literature review was conducted, selecting papers from domestic and international databases using keywords such as "COVID-19" and "psychosomatic." A total of 16 papers, including those using structured measurement tools for psychosomatic symptoms, were included in the final analysis. Results : Psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and somatic symptoms have been reported in acute COVID-19 infection, while long-term post-COVID symptoms include chest pain and fatigue. The frequency of long-term psychosomatic symptoms has been estimated to be 10%-20%. Factors contributing to these symptoms include psychological and social stress related to infectious diseases, gender, elderly age, a history of psychiatric disorders, and comorbid mental illnesses. It is suggested that systemic inflammation, autoimmune responses, and dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system may be involved. Conclusions : Psychosomatic symptoms arising after COVID-19 infection have a negative impact on quality of life and psychosocial functioning. Understanding and addressing psychiatric aspects are crucial for symptom prevention and treatment.