• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.245-257
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the present condition of drug abuse and its association with depression, self-rated health and health behaviors by job status in Korean adults. Methods: Data were derived from the study on four addiction problem and suicide in 2014. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze patterns of drug abuse according to depression, self-rated health and health behaviors. Results: The prevalence of drug abuse during the past year was 17.1% of the 4,018 subjects. About 3.3 times risk for drug abuse was found among individuals who had high depression scores. The risk of drug abuse was higher among those who were smoking (OR:1.46, 95% CI:1.17~1.83), drinking more frequently (OR:1.30, 95% CI:1.07~1.58), sleeping insufficiently (OR:1.31, 95% CI:1.03~1.67), eating irregularly (OR:1.45, 95% CI:1.19~1.76). Drug abuse problem was detected more seriously among employed than unemployed adults. Conclusion: Health-related behaviors, such as smoking, drinking, sleeping, eating should be considered simultaneously when designing strategies to deal with drug abuse problem, and it is important to understand the interaction between drug abuse and mental health. Furthermore, workplace based intervention can be effective in solving drug abuse problem.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.68 no.3
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• pp.181-201
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• 2016

Using a nationally representative sample from three recent waves of the Korean Welfare Panel Study, this study examined the association between experiencing material hardship and suicidal ideation among low-income households in South Korea. Overall, we found that experiencing material hardship was associated with a higher likelihood of having suicidal ideation. We also found that, among individual items of material hardship, experiencing food insecurity or credit problems was associated with a higher likelihood of having suicidal ideation. Furthermore, we found that the association of experiencing material hardship with having suicidal ideation was more pronounced for male-headed or elderly-headed households. Policy implications to improve living condition among low-income households and reduce their suicide-related behavior were discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.168-176
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the combined influence of the frequency and the intensity of smoking on suicidal ideation and attempts in Korean high school students. Methods: This cross sectional study used secondary data from the 2014 Adolescent Health Behavior Online Survey. A total of 35,094 high school students were included in the study. The study set up two categories for the frequency of smoking - intermittent and daily - and another two for the intensity of smoking - heavy and light. Complex samples logistic regression was used to analyze the combined influence of smoking frequency and intensity on suicidal ideation and attempts. Results: Regardless of frequency and intensity, smoking was more likely to increase suicidal ideation and attempts than non-smoking. Among smokers, intermittent heavy smokers (suicidal ideation: Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]: 1.406, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.015~2.161, p=.012; suicidal attempts: AOR: 2.977, 95% CI: 1.814~4.886, p<.001) or daily heavy smokers (suicidal ideation: AOR: 1.274, 95% CI: 1.017~1.596, p=.035; suicidal attempts: AOR: 1.717, 95% CI: 1.250~2.359, p=.001) had significantly higher odds of suicidal ideation and attempts than intermittent light smokers. Conclusion: Based on the results, smoking prevention and cessation are essential to preventing suicides in adolescents. Especially, smoking intervention programs are needed to reduce smoking intensity in smokers.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.78-83
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• 2021

Objective : Current study investigated the association between internet addiction and suicidal attempts in psychiatric patients. Methods : Patients who visited emergency department or psychiatry outpatient unit of Chungnam National University Hospital from January 2020 to July 2021 were included in this study. Total of 192 participants, 96 suicidal attempt cases and 96 psychiatric control patients without history of suicidal attempt were matched by gender and baseline diagnosis. Depression and internet addiction were assessed by using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Independent t-tests, and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results : IAT scores were significantly higher in suicidal attempt case group (41.09±18.196 years) compared to psychiatric control patients without history of suicidal attempt (36.63±17.016 years) (p=0.040). Internet addiction (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]=2.049, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]=1.004-4.539, p=0.0493) was an independent risk factor for suicidal attempt in psychiatric patients after controlling age, gender, and sociodemographic factors, such as marital status, education level and employment status. Conclusion : This is the first study to investigate the relationship between internet addiction and suicidal attempt in psychiatric patients in Korea. Internet addiction is significantly associated with suicidal attempt in psychiatric patients, after adjusting sociodemographic variables. This study provides evidence to future studies to further investigate on causality of internet addiction and suicidality in psychiatric patients.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.42-57
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• 2020

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is indicated for various mental disorders (e.g., major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder) and the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in elderly patients. Furthermore, ECT is a useful first-line treatment in emergency and crisis situations such as suicide risk, violent behavior, catatonia, and food refusal, which are more frequent in elderly patients. ECT is also effective in the treatment of the motor symptoms of neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. Due to the high risk of various physical diseases, the comorbid physical conditions of elderly patients should be individually controlled to optimize ECT treatment. Compared to young adults, in elderly patients the seizure threshold is higher, the seizure duration is shorter, and the anesthetic dose is lower. On the contrary, the response rate in the elderly is both faster and higher. Considering potential cognitive decline and the prevention of further deterioration of cognitive function in elderly patients, in the absence of significant comorbidities, twice weekly sessions and right unilateral electrode placement with a lower seizure threshold and less cognitive effect are preferred to bilateral electrode placement, which has a high risk of adverse cognitive effects. After an acute course of ECT, continuation and maintenance of ECT, combined with prescription of therapeutic drugs, may prevent possible relapse or recurrence of mental disorders. In conclusion, ECT can be used to treat mental disorders in elderly adults, with safety and effectiveness comparable to that in young adults.

• Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2020

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate suicidal behaviors and the related psychopathology across the different stages of schizophrenia. Methods: We recruited 131 patients with schizophrenia and categorized them into two groups, according to the duration of illness (DI) as follows: ≤10 years (n=39) and >10 years (n=92). Psychopathology and suicidality were assessed using the 18-item Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS-18) and the suicidality module from the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview, respectively. Results: One-quarter of the patients with a DI ≤10 years and nearly one-sixth of the patients with a DI >10 years experienced suicidal behaviors in the previous month. Suicidality scores were significantly associated with the "affect" factor scores of the BPRS-18 in patients with a DI ≤10 years (β=0.55, p=0.003) and with the "resistance" factor scores in patients with a DI of >10 years (β=0.29, p=0.006). Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that psychopathological factors were differentially associated with suicidality in patients with schizophrenia according to the illness stage. Our findings suggest that for effective suicide prevention, different approaches are required for the management of each stage of schizophrenia.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2022

Background & Objectives: Self-rated health has been widely used to evaluate health status and accepted as a subjective measurement of quality of life. This study aimed to analyze the associations between self-rated health, health promotion behaviors, and mental health factors and suggest the approaches to improve health status among university students. Methods: Two thousand six hundred seventy-seven students who had stayed at dormitories on campus participated in the DU health survey by self-reported questionnaire from April 10 to 14, 2017. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of association of self-rated health with health-related factors among male and female students. Results: 38.6% of the respondents reported good self-rated health. Male and first-year students were more likely to report good self-rated health than female and third-year students. There were significant differences in sex, grade, health problems, BMI, sleeping hours, eating breakfast, consumption of fruits and vegetables, physical activity (regular walking, strength exercise, moderate exercise, vigorous exercise), perceived stress, depression, and suicide thought (p<0.05). Conclusion: Although health promotion programs for university students are essential to support their adaptation to campus life and academic achievement, evidence-based health programs to encourage their participation are still insufficient. Therefore, it should establish a campus-based health policy and develop health promotion programs to increase self-rated health levels and prevent mental health problems for university students.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.21-31
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of mental health factors on oral symptoms and the relationship between the two in Korean adolescents. Materials and Methods: Raw data of 54,948 Korean adolescents among the participants of the 17^th Korean Youth Health Behavior Survey conducted in 2021 by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency were analyzed in this study. Results: Mental health factors evaluated in this study included sadness and despair, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, loneliness, stress, depression, and anxiety. Our findings showed that all mental health factors were associated with oral symptoms. Particularly, factors affecting dental pain were suicidal thoughts, stress, anxiety, loneliness, depression, sadness, and despair. Further, all mental health factors affected ulorrhagia. Conclusion: In conclusion, the findings in this study are expected to contribute to the development of programs for the intervention of key mental health factors affecting oral symptoms to improve overall health in Korean adolescents.

• Journal of Practical Engineering Education
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.521-527
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• 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance of mental health both domestically and internationally. Korea has a high suicide rate, and there is a strong social demand to understand the causes and take measures. In this study, we identified the factors that significantly affect the experience of depression, a leading indicator of mental health. Using data from the 2021 Community Health Survey and KOSIS, we analyzed data at the individual and community level, and found that stress levels, subjective health, and basic living status are key influences. Local health authorities should strengthen mental health for the population, including expanding health education and promotion activities to reduce stress and improve lifestyle, and developing targeted programs for specific groups, such as those living on basic subsistence. They should also work with the central government to strive for comprehensive health care and implement effective mental health policies in harmony with population and family authorities.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.161-167
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• 2020

Objectives : Although the seasonality of suicide is a well-known phenomenon, little is reported about the seasonality of non-suicidal self-injury. The purpose of this study was to identify the seasonality of wristcutting behavior and to examine its relationship with meteorological factors. Methods : To identify the presence of seasonality, we investigated whether there was a difference in the average number of visits per month to an emergency room (ER) of an urban hospital for 226 patients with wrist-cutting behavior enrolled between December 2014 and May 2019. To ascertain significant meteorological factors, we used the multiple Poisson regression using generalized additive model with time, monthly temperature, monthly sunshine hour, and atmospheric pressure in the prior month as explanatory variables. Results : In males, the average number of monthly visits to the ER for wrist cutting behavior differed by month and was the highest in September (male : p=0.048, female : p=0.21, total : p=0.28). As a result of multiple regression analysis, the average number of patients admitted to the ER for wrist cutting behavior was related to the interaction between atmospheric pressure in the prior month and temperature in males (p=0.010), and showed a positive correlation with sunlight in females [p=0.044, β=4.70×10-3, 95% CI=(1.19×10-4, 9.27×10-3)]. Conclusions : Wrist cutting behavior shows seasonality in male, which is associated with changes in meteorological variables.