PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of a stress relief program on burden, anxiety, depression and stress response in family members of patients with mental illness. METHODS: A quasi-experimental study using a non-equivalent comparison group pretest and posttest design was used. Participants were family members of patients with mental illness at a mental health center in C city (15 in the experimental group and 17 in the comparison group). The program was provided for 90-100 minutes/session once a week, for 8 weeks. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi2-test and Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS: After a stress relief program, we found statistically significant decreases in burden, depression and stress response for the experimental group. But there was no significant decrease in anxiety. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that stress relief program combining disease education and therapeutic recreation could reduce burden, depression and stress response in family members of patients with mental illness.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Recreation

Adults of Maritrema obstipum (Digenea: Microphallidae) were found in the intestines of 4 species of migratory birds, including the sanderling (Crocethia alba), Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrines), Mongolian plover (Charadrius mongolus), and red-necked stint (Calidris ruficollis), collected from Yubu Island, Chungcheongnam-do, Korea. The worms of were 451x265 microm in size, and were easily identifiable as Maritrema species by the presence of the cirrus sac, and the ring-like distribution of the vitellaria. More specifically, the ejaculatory duct curved posteromedially, and the 2 parts of vitelline follicles were found to be distinct at the posterior end. The eggs were brown-colored, and 19.8x12.3 microm in size. All these findings implicated M. obstipum as the pertinent species of the worms. Beside these, adult worms of Gynaecotyla squatarolae, Parvatrema duboisi, and Acanthoparyphium sp. were also discovered. This is the first report establishing migratory birds as the natural definitive hosts for M. obstipum.
Animals ; Bird Diseases/*parasitology ; Charadriiformes/*parasitology ; Host Specificity ; Intestines/parasitology ; Islands ; Republic of Korea ; Trematoda/anatomy & histology/classification/*isolation & purification ; Trematode Infections/parasitology/*veterinary

Adult worms of Parvatrema spp. (Digenea: Gymnophallidae) were found in the intestines of 2 species of migratory birds, i.e., a great knot, Calidris tenuirostris, and 2 Mongolian plovers, Charadrius mongolus, in the coastal area of Gunsan-si, Jeollabuk-do in October 2009. The recovered Parvatrema worms were 79 in total number and composed of 2 species. The worms from a great knot were 289 micrometer in length with the oral and ventral sucker ratio of 2 : 1. They had a single vitellarium, and their intrauterine eggs were 25.0 x 17.5 micrometer in size. These findings were compatible with P. duboisi (Dollfus, 1923) Bartoli, 1974 (syn. P. timondavidi Bartoli, 1963). The worms recovered from the Mongolian plovers were smaller in length than P. duboisi and had 2 vitellaria. The oral and ventral sucker ratio was 2.5 : 1, and the eggs were 17.5 x 8.8 micrometer in size. These worms were assigned to be P. homoeotecnum James, 1964. This is the first report on the natural final hosts of Parvatrema spp. in Korea.
*Animal Migration ; Animals ; Bird Diseases/*parasitology ; Charadriiformes/*parasitology/physiology ; Trematoda/anatomy & histology/*isolation & purification ; Trematode Infections/parasitology/*veterinary

Maritrema spp. (Digenea: Microphallidae) are parasites of birds, but have not been found in the Republic of Korea. In this study, metacercariae of Maritrema sp. were discovered in the Asian shore crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus, caught in the mud-flats of Jebu-do, Hwasung-gun, Gyeonggi-do, and the adult flukes were confirmed by experimental infection into mice. Based on the symmetric ribbon-like vitellarium, adult flukes of Maritrema sp. were identified, but did not belong to previously described species in terms of the following morphologic characteristics: ceca reaching to the lateral wall at the anterior border of the ovary; ventral sucker larger than oral sucker; a prominent metraterm; and vitellarium forming a complete ring. Hence, we named this microphallid M. jebuensis n. sp. after the island where the second intermediate hosts were collected. From this study, it has been shown that Maritrema sp. is distributed in Korea and transmitted by the Asian shore crab, H. sanguineus.
Animals ; Brachyura/*parasitology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Metacercariae/anatomy & histology/isolation & purification ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Republic of Korea ; Trematoda/anatomy & histology/*classification/*isolation & purification ; Trematode Infections/parasitology/pathology