• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.27 no.4 s.48
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• pp.711-734
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• 1994

Among chemical agents in herbicides, dioxin (2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachloro dibenzo-$\rho$-dioxin : TCDD), a chemical contaminant in herbicides sprayed during the Vietnam War has been known to be the major agent causing toxic effects. Approximately 320,000 korean soldiers participated the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1974. Although the potential hazards of the herbicides among Korean veterans exposed were implicated, the problem had not been a public issue until 1991 when Korean veterans were informed U.S. companies, the herbicides manufacturer payed fund, from which a trust fund for New Zealand and Australian Class members were established in 1985. After a series of appeals and demonstration by the Korean Veterans demanding medical care and compensation for their serious health damages, a bill of medical care and compensation for herbicides victims was promulgated in March 1993 and become effective from May 1993, This study was carried out with two major objectives : the first to understand the health problems caused from the herbicides by reviewing literatures published, and the second to examine the nature and extent of health impacts among Korean veterans exposed and to develop valid study methods for the major study by interviewing and reviewing records on a part of veterans (638 persons) registered and completed medical examination in Seoul Veterans Administration Hospital from June to October 1993. The results obtained are as followings: 1. The literature review of 107 papers revealed that 1) Dioxin is teratogenic, carcinogenic and affects almost all organs including nervous, endocrine, and reproductive systems in animal experiments. 2) The diseases showing evidence of causal association were Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's disease, lung cancer, lymphoma, soft tissue sarcoma, chloroacne and polyneuropathy when judged on the basis of consistency in study results and biological plausibility. 2. Interview and medical record review study on 638 veterans, though limited validity owing to lack of control group, crude estimates of dioxin exposure levels (no biomarkers measurable), and uncertainty of diagnosis, showed that: 1) Most of the study subject's were in their 40's of age and had been dispatched to Vietnam during the period from $1965{\sim}1970$ around one year. 2) Most frequently complained symptoms in medical examination were motor weakness (32%), sensory abnormalities in extremities (23%), skin diseases (22%), and pain in extremities (20%) whereas in Interview they were more frequent in order of skin problem (44%), motor weakness (38%), sensory abnormalities and pain in extremities(17% and 19% each). Kappa indices on the same category of complaints between two sources of information were variable and relatively low. 3) On medical examination, only a part of the 638 subjects had initial impression (442 pts) and final diagnosis (218 pts) suggesting decision making on diagnosis appeared to be difficult even with all available modern medical technologies: in initial impression disorders from peripheral and central neuropathy were predominant whereas in final diagnosis various types of skin disorder were most frequent 4) When dose-response relationship between several conditions (from questionnaire) and arbitrary exposure scores were examined by CMH linear trend test, spontaneous abortion, sexual problems and health problem of offsprings showed statistically significant linear trends. However, pregnancy, accident and suicidal attempts did not show any relationship in this study capacity. 5) Among complaints, psychosis and neurosis (anxiety, phobia) in interview study, and memory disorder and psychosis in medical record study revealed linear trend. 6) Skin disorder was the only condition showing linear trend in initial impression and none in final diagnosis on medical examination. Even though objective to select out dioxin-related disease or group of diseases from this study was not achieved the research experiences provided firm basis for developing various methodological approaches. 3. From this preliminary study we concluded that a larger scale major epidemiologic study on health impacts of herbicides among Korean veterans exposed is not only Indispensible but also well designed study with more valid exposure information and diagnosis may be able to establish causal relationship between certain groups of diseases and exposure to the herbicides among Korean veterans.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.127-145
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• 2000

The objectives of this study are to identify health behaviors and health problems. and the relations between health behaviors and health problems of female workers in the retail business. The number of subjects were 200 female workers of 6 department stores in Seoul and Kyonggi area, whose jobs last more than 6 months as retail employees. The data was collected during 2 months from July 1 to August 30, 1998. The Cornell Medical Index Health Questionnaire(CMI) was used to measure their health problems, while health behaViorn were investigated in terms of 'smoking', 'alcohol', exercise', 'diet', and 'sleeping'. The data were analyzed with frequency. percentage, t-test, ANOVA test, and $X^2-test$ by SPSS PC+ program. The results of this study are as follows: 1. Out of health problems. Digestive symptoms occupied the highest percent number. nervous ones the second and cardiovascular ones the third among physical health problems of retail female workers. The most frequent mental health problem was 'adequacy' and the next, 'tension' and 'anger', 2, Health problems according to general characteristics of subjects were shown that the younger or the unmarried complained more than the older or the married, especially in the items of 'eye and ear', 'respiratory system', 'cardiovascular system', 'digestive tract', 'nervous system', 'adequacy', and 'depression'. The longer working duration they have had, the more they complained of 'respiratory system' and 'adequacy'. The lower academic careers complained of 'nervous' than the higher ones with statistical significance. 3. The analysis of daily health clinic notes showed that respiratory complaints were the highest percent, successively followed by digestive tract, nervous one, external injury, musculoskeletal system, urinary-reproductive system and others. 4. The level of their health practice was generally low in smoking, diet habit and alcohol intake, exercise, sleeping, very low especially in smoking, diet, alcohol intake, and exercise among them all. 5. Present smokers and ones with past experience complained of physical and mental health problems of 'respiratory system', 'digestive tract', 'skin', 'nervous', 'urinary-reproductive system', 'fatigability', adequacy', 'depression', 'anxiety', 'anger' and 'tension', than non smokers, with statistical difference. Workers without having breakfast and with irregular diet had more complaints on 'digestive tract', 'adequacy' and 'tension', than those who had regular dietary habit. The less the subjects slept, the more they complained of eye and ear, cardiovascular system. The subjects who drank alcohol complained more digestive problem. However, whether they exercise or not did not affect physical and mental health problems in a significant manner. 6. The subjects' age and marital status were statistically significant relating to health behaviors, as the younger or unmarried recorded a low level of health practice in smoking, drinking, dietary habit. Based on the results, the suggestions are made as follows: 1. Health education program on smoking, alcohol intake, diet habit is needed to improve health problems and health behavior of female retail workers. 2. The unmarried workers of late teen and twenties, who are transitional period from teenagers to adulthood are important targets for health promotion program especially for maternal health. 3. Better working environment with sufficient time and facilities for workers to relax is required to promote female sales workers' health. 4. Further research is required to identify the relation between workers' visual fatigue and intense lights for the display of goods.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.17-23
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• 1984

For nearly a century it has been known that chemical activity accompanies mental activity, but only recently has it been possible to begin to examine its exact nature. Positron-emitting radioactive tracers have made it possible to study the chemistry of the human mind in health and disease, using chiefly cyclotron-produced radionuclides, carbon-11, fluorine-18 and oxygen-15. It is now well established that measurable increases in regional cerebral blood flow, glucose and oxygen metabolism accompany the mental functions of perception, cognition, emotion and motion. On May 25, 1983 the first imaging of a neuroreceptor in the human brain was accomplished with carbon-11 methyl spiperone, a ligand that binds preferentially to dopamine-2 receptors, 80% of which are located in the caudate nucleus and putamen. Quantitative imaging of serotonin-2, opiate, benzodiazapine and muscarinic cholinergic receptors has subsequently been accomplished. In studies of normal men and women, it has been found that dopamine and serotonin receptor activity decreases dramatically with age, such a decrease being more pronounced in men than in women and greater in the case of dopamine receptors than serotonin-2 receptors. Preliminary studies in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders suggests that dopamine-2 receptor activity is diminished in the caudate nucleus of patients with Huntington's disease. Positron tomography permits quantitative assay of picomolar quantities of neuro-receptors within the living human brain. Studies of patients with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, acute and chronic pain states and drug addiction are now in progress. The growth of any scientific field is based on a paradigm or set of ideas that the community of scientists accepts. The unifying principle of nuclear medicine is the tracer principle applied to the study of human disease. Nineteen hundred and sixty-three was a landmark year in which technetium-99m and the Anger camera combined to move the field from its latent stage into a second stage characterized by exponential growth within the framework of the paradigm. The third stage, characterized by gradually declining growth, began in 1973. Faced with competing advances, such as computed tomography and ultrasonography, proponents and participants in the field of nuclear medicine began to search for greener pastures or to pursue narrow sub-specialties. Research became characterized by refinements of existing techniques. In 1983 nuclear medicine experienced what could be a profound change. A new paradigm was born when it was demonstrated that, despite their extremely low chemical concentrations, in the picomolar range, it was possible to image and quantify the distribution of receptors in the human body. Thus, nuclear medicine was able to move beyond physiology into biochemistry and pharmacology. Fundamental to the science of pharmacology is the concept that many drugs and endogenous substances, such as neurotransmitters, react with specific macromolecules that mediate their pharmacologic actions. Such receptors are usually identified in the study of excised tissues, cells or cell membranes, or in autoradiographic studies in animals. The first imaging and quantification of a neuroreceptor in a living human being was performed on May 25, 1983 and reported in the September 23, 1983 issue of SCIENCE. The study involved the development and use of carbon-11 N-methyl spiperone (NMSP), a drug with a high affinity for dopamine receptors. Since then, studies of dopamine and serotonin receptors have been carried out in over 100 normal persons or patients with various neuropsychiatric disorders. Exactly one year later, the first imaging of opitate receptors in a living human being was performed [1].

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.3
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• pp.35-58
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• 2002

This research attempted to investigate the real state of adolescent smoking and drinking, and to study how stress influences on smoking and drinking of high school students. This data was collected from 837 first and second grade students in a vocational high school in Go-yang city, Gyeonggi province. Data analysis consisted of frequency, percentage, Chi-square, T-test, step-wise regression analysis, using SPSSWIN. The results of analysis were as follows: First, 51.7% of the students have never smoked, while 48.3% have experienced smoking. Most students started smoking in the second year of the middle school, though 17.6% of the smokers already started in the elementary school. The strongest motive of initial smoking was curiosity, next the inducement of friends, and 10.9% of them smoked to get rid of stress. Their favorite place for smoking was in the order of the entertainment centers, schools, and private academies. They personally purchased cigarettes mostly at the store. Most of them smoked less than 5 cigarettes a day, but 3.7% smoked more than a pack of cigarettes a day, usually with friends rather than alone. Second, the ratio of drinking was relatively high 78.1%, and their initial drinking experience was most frequent at the third year of the middle school. The initial motive of drinking was mostly curiosity and the inducement of friends, but 10.7% of them started drinking to reduce stress and anxiety. The places for buying alcohol and drinking were bars or restaurants. The ratio of habitual drinking was 45.1%, and the ratio of irregular drinking was 53.3%. 1.8% of the drinking students enjoyed drinking everyday. The amount of drinking varied from half a bottle to two bottles of Soju, and the drinking problem was serious to see that 11% of them drank more than two bottles at a time. Because 84.4% drank in groups with friends, a thorough and systematic supervision and education of the peer group drinking is essential. Third, as for the relationship between personal matters and smoking, it was found that there was a positive relation between smoking and sex, but there was no correlation between smoking and school years. Adolescent smoking was also related with scholastic achievement, the number of friends, and the existence of parents. Fourth, as for the relationship between personal matters and drinking, it was found that there was no correlation between drinking and sex, but there was a positive relation between drinking and school years. Fifth, the average index of stress was students themselves(2.58), school life(2.53), family life(2.19), friends(2.00), and the total index of stress was 2.33. Sixth, there appeared a marginal negative correlation between stress and 'drinking and smoking' in Pearson coefficient of correlation r to see the influence of stress on smoking and drinking. The difference of the average index of stress according to smoking and drinking bears meaningful difference for all students, smokers and non-smokers, drinkers and abstainers in students themselves, school life, family life, friends, and total stress. Smoking has an effect on family life most, school life next, and drinking has an effect on school life most, family life next, with the explanation power of 11% and 9% respectively, in a regression analysis to analyze the factors influencing on smoking and drinking among the factors of stress.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.26-41
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• 1999

The perceived stress response inventory(PSRI) was developed to measure 4 types of current stress responses : emotional, somatic, cognitive, and behavioral responses. 242 patients with psychiatric disorders(71 patients with anxiety disorders, 73 patients with depressive disorders, 47 patients with somatoform disorders, 51 patients with psychosomatic disorders) and 215 healthy subjects completed the questionnaire including the PSRI. Global assessment of recent stress(GARS) scale, perceived stress questionnaire(PSQ) and symptom checklist-90-revised(SCL-90-R) were also administered at the same time. Factor analysis for each of 4 types of stress responses yielded 8 factors : negative emotional responses, general somatic symptoms, specific somatic symptoms, lowered cognitive function and general negative thinking, self-depreciative thinking, impulsive-aggressive thinking, passive-responsive and careless behavior, and impulsive-aggressive behavior. Both test-restest reliability(r= .83 -.93) and internal consistency(Cronbach's alpha : .79 -.96 for each of 8 subscales and .98 for total items of the scale) were all at statistically significant levels. Total scores of the PSRI significantly correlated with total scores of GARS scale, PSQ, and global indicies of SCL-90-R, respectively. The patient group had significantly higher scores than healthy subjects in each of all the subscales except impulsive-aggressive behavior subscale. These results suggest that the PSRI is a reliable and valid tool stable over time which may be effectively used for the research in stress-related field including psychosomatic medicine.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.68-75
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• 2018

Objectives : Since pain in cancer patients is an important factor that greatly affects the quality of life and prognosis, many attempts have been actively made to reduce the pain. Despite continuous effort on reducing pain after Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), research has not been done on psychological factors as much as on biological factors affecting pain. The objective of this study is to investigate the psychological factors affecting postoperative pain in gastric tumor patients who underwent gastric ESD. Methods : 91 gastric tumor patients who visited National Health Service Ilsan Hospital in Korean between May 2015 and June 2016, and received ESD were evaluated. Baseline characteristics including sociodemographic factors, anxiety, depression, and resilience were evaluated before the procedure. Multivariate logistic regression was done to analyze factors affecting postoperative pain. Results : The group with high postoperative pain showed lower alcohol consumption and higher depressive symptom scores than the group with low postoperative pain. Also, the group with high postoperative pain showed lower total resilience score with lower subtotal scores in self-control and positive item. Multivariate logistic regression analysis of the postoperative pain showed that patients with lower score in self-control of resilience [odd ratio (OR), 0.911 ; 95% CI, 0.854-0.971, p=0.004) reported more pain after ESD. Conclusions : This study showed that patients with lower self-control ability of resilience felt more pain after ESD. Among the psychological factors evaluated in this study, resilience of an individual seems to have effect on pain.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.108-118
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to develop a relationship of measuring method for the social security network and verify its validity and reliability and apply it to investigate the due to security life satisfaction. This study is based by setting general residents of Seoul in 2013 and using the stratified cluster random sampling method to analyze a total amount of 203 examples. The measuring methods for the social security network was developed through document research, conceptual definition and drafting the survey, experts' conference, preliminary inspection and original examination, verification of the validity and reliability of the survey. An experts' conference took pace to verify the validity of the survey, and 6 factors were extracted through exploratory factor analysis crime prevention design, street CCTV facilities, volunteer neighborhood patrol, local government security education, police public peace service, private security service. The conclusion are the following. Collected data was analyzed based on the aim of this study using SPSSWIN 18.0, and practice frequency analysis, F test, factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis. First, the validity of the social security network measurement is very high. Thus, the factors constituting the social security network were found to be crime prevention design, street CCTV facilities, volunteer neighborhood patrol, local government security education, police public peace services, and private security services, and the crime prevention design factor was found to be most explanatory. Second, the reliability of the social security network measurement is very high. Thus, the correlation between the questions and the sector, the questions and the social security net was very high, and the internal consistency showed a Cronbach's${\alpha}$ value of over 0.865. Third, the establishment of a social security network had the biggest effect on people in their forties. Thus, when the crime prevention design, street CCTV facilities, local government security education, police public peace services are systematically established, the social anxiety of citizens was reduced.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2015

Objectives: Whether daytime sleepiness is proportional to the severity of sleep apnea in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is controversial. In this study we investigated how insomnia severity affects the association between daytime sleepiness and sleep apnea severity in OSAS. Methods: The present study included 235 male subjects who were diagnosed with OSAS based on clinical history and nocturnal polysomnography. Pearson's correlation analysis was conducted among sleep and mood-related self-reported data, polysomnographic data and demographic data of all subjects. Based on Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the subjects were divided into 2 groups; group A (n = 75; $PSQI{\leq}5$) and group B (n = 160; PSQI > 5). Partial correlation analysis was performed between the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and other data in both groups. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to investigate the factors which affected the ESS in group A. Results: Pearson's correlation analysis showed weak or non-existent correlations between ESS and apnea severity data such as apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) (r = 0.148, p = 0.023), apnea index (AI) (r = 0.137, p = 0.036), hypopnea index (HI) (r = 0.058, p = 0.377), oxygen desaturation index (ODI) (r = 0.149, p = 0.022) and arousal total index (ATI) (r = 0.129, p = 0.048). Positive correlations between ESS and apnea severity data such as AHI ($r_p=0.313$, p = 0.008), AI ($r_p=0.339$, p = 0.004), ODI ($r_p=0.289$, p = 0.015) and ATI ($r_p=0.256$, p = 0.031) were observed only in group A. Multiple regression analysis showed that AI (t = 2.996, p = 0.004) and BAI (t = 2.721, p = 0.008) were associated with ESS in group A. Conclusion: The correlation between daytime sleepiness and sleep apnea severity was shown only in group A. This result suggests that associations between daytime sleepiness in OSAS and sleep apnea severity will become prominent when controlling for insomnia-related variables.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.224-239
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• 2000

This descriptive study was conducted to understand the contents and degree of parental stress level in the NICU patients, and to give a baseline data in developing nursing intervention program. Subjects were the 62 mother of hospitalized newborn in NICU of 1 University Hospital in Taejon City from May 1st, 1999 to November 30th, 1999, who agreed to take part in this study. The instrument used in this study were Parental Stressor Scales : NICU(PSS:NICU) developed by Miles et al. and validated by 3 NICU practitioners and 3 child health nursing faculties. The questionnaire has 4 dimensions and 45 items; sight and sounds of NICU(5 items), babies' appearance and behavior(19 items), parental role alteration and relationship with their baby(10 items), communication with health team(11 items). The questionnaire asks parents to rate each item on a five-point Likert type scale that ranges from (1) to (5). Total scores representing overall stress from the NICU environment are calculated by summing response to each item. A high score indicates high stress. A subscale score is calculated by summing the responses to each item in the subscale. Cronbach's α coefficients were .93. The data was analyzed as average, Frequency, Standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient by use of SPSS/PC+. The results of this study is summarized as follows ; 1. The total perceived stress level score of mothers was slightly high(3.6±.7). The highest scored dimension was 'appearance and behavior of the baby'(3.9±1.5), and next were 'relationship with their baby and parental role change'(3.5±1.4), 'communication with health team'(3.4±.9), 'sight and sounds of NICU'(3.2±.8). 2. Two variables were statistically significant with PSS:NICU total scale ; mother's perceived severity of the baby's condition (r=.482, P=.002) and mother's religious attendance(t=2.83, P=.01). The more the mother perceive their baby's condition severe, the higher the total stress score. There were high stress score noted in the mother of no religious attendance. 3. Four variables were statistically significant with NICU environment subscale ; mother's educational background(F=3.45, P=.04), religious attendance(t=2.28, P=.04), sex of the baby(t=2.83, P=.01) and NICU patients' hospital day(r=.359, P=.004). That is mother with high educational background and girl baby were high NICU environment subscale score. 4. Four variables were statistically significant with appearance and behavior of the baby subscale ; when first saw baby(F=3.52, P=.04), incubator care(t=2.83, P=.01), mother's perceived severity of the baby's condition(r=.303, P=.017), number of NICU visit(r=.441, P=.002). That is, seeing the baby first in the NICU and recieved incubator care was very stressful. Also, the more the mother perceive their baby's condition severe and more NICU visit, the higher the appearance and behavior of the baby subscale stress score. 5. Four variables were statistically significant with relationship with their baby and parental role change subscale ; when first saw baby(F=3.37, P=.04), sex of the baby(t=2.36, P=.03), incubator care(t=5.60, P=.00), mother's perceived severity of the baby's condition(r=.401, P=.001). That is, seeing the baby first in the NICU and girl baby was very stressful. Also, the more the mother perceive their baby's condition severe, the higher the relationship with their baby and parental role change subscale stress score. 6. Three variables were statistically significant with communication with health team subscale ; mother's educational background (F=3.63, P=.04), incubator care(t=4.24, P=.00), gestational age(r=-.394, P=.047), and birth weight(r=-.460, P=.004). That is, mother with high educational background and receiving incubator care were high communication with health team subscale score. Also, the shorter the gestational age and smaller the baby's birth weight, the higher the communication with health team subscale score. In conclusion, information about physical environment of NICU, the mother's perceived severity of baby's illness state, maternal role change related variables and the knowledge of characteristics of NICU patients must be included in nursing intervention program of mother's of NICU patients in reducing the maternal stress and anxiety level.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.25-37
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• 2011

Objectives：This study was conducted to develop a Korean algorithm of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment strategies in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and its specific comorbid disorders (e.g. tic disorder, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder). Methods：Based on a literature review and expert consensus, both paper- and web-based survey tools were developed with respect to a comprehensive range of questions. Most options were scored using a 9-point scale for rating the appropriateness of medical decisions. For the other options, the surveyed experts were asked to provide answers (e.g., duration of treatment, aver-age dosage) or check boxes to indicate their preferred answers. The survey was performed on-line in a self-administered manner. Ultimately, 49 Korean child & adolescent psychiatrists, who had been considered experts in the treatment of ADHD, vol untarily completed the questionnaire. In analyzing the responses to items rated using the 9-point scale, consensus on each option was defined as a non-random distribution of scores as determined by a chi-square test. We assigned a categorical rank (first line/preferred choice, second line/alternate choice, third line/usually inappropriate) to each option based on the 95% confidence interval around the mean rating score. Results：Specific medication strategies for key clinical situations in ADHD and its comorbid disorders were indicated and described. We organized the suggested algorithms of ADHD treatment mainly on the basis of the opinions of the Korean experts. The suggested algorithm was constructed according to the templates of the Texas Child & Adolescent medication algorithm Project (CMAP). Conclusion：We have proposed a Korean treatment algorithm for ADHD, both with and without comorbid disorders through expert consensus and a broad literature review. As the tools available for ADHD treatment evolve, this algorithm could be reorganized and modified as required to suit updated scientific and clinical research findings.