OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of positive psychological characteristics on posttraumatic stress symptoms after traumatic experiences. METHODS: The subjects were 97 firefighters (83 males and 14 females), who completed the Life Events Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised Korean version. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were computed to examine the relationships among the variables, and Structural Equation Modeling was used to investigate the mediation process in the relationships among traumatic experiences, positive psychological characteristics, and posttraumatic stress. RESULTS: The results showed that self-esteem had a mediating effect on the relationship between traumatic experiences and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Traumatic experiences affected posttraumatic stress symptoms not only directly, but also through self-esteem to posttraumatic stress symptoms. Therefore the lower firefighters' self-esteem was, the more posttraumatic stress symptoms occurred. Resilience, however, apparently had no function as mediating variable in the relationship between traumatic experiences and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Traumatic experiences and resilience each seemed to affect posttraumatic stress symptoms directly. Hence, the lower firefighters' resilience was, the more posttraumatic stress symptoms occurred. CONCLUSION: This study showed that self-esteem had a mediating effect on the relationship between traumatic experiences and posttraumatic stress symptoms. We also found that resilience affects posttraumatic stress symptoms directly, regardless of the number of traumatic experiences. Likewise, these results showed that we should be concerned in positive psychological characteristics such as self-esteem and resilience in order to prevent posttraumatic stress symptoms.
Firefighters ; Humans ; Male ; Negotiating

We searched databases and used various online resources to identify and systematically review all articles on occupational psychiatric disorders among Korean workers published in English and Korean before 2009. Three kinds of occupational psychiatric disorders were studied: disorders related to job stress and mental illness, psychiatric symptoms emerging in victims of industrial injuries, and occupational psychiatric disorders compensated by Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI). Korea does not maintain official statistical records for occupational psychiatric disorders, but several studies have estimated the number of occupational psychiatric disorders using the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service (COMWEL, formerly KLWC) database. The major compensated occupational psychiatric disorders in Korea were "personality and behavioral disorders due to brain disease, damage, and dysfunction", "other mental disorders due to brain damage and dysfunction and to physical diseases", "reactions to severe stress and adjustment disorders", and "depressive episodes". The most common work-related psychiatric disorders, excluding accidents, were "neurotic, stress-related, and somatoform disorders" followed by "mood disorders".
Accidents, Occupational/*psychology ; Brain Damage, Chronic/epidemiology ; Depression/epidemiology ; Humans ; Mood Disorders/epidemiology ; Neurotic Disorders/epidemiology ; Occupational Diseases/*epidemiology/psychology ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Somatoform Disorders/epidemiology ; Stress, Psychological/*epidemiology/psychology ; Workers' Compensation/*economics

The purpose of this study was to compare the nutrient intakes, blood pressure, and blood lipids in Korean adults according to BMI. Subjects were recruited and divided into three groups according to BMI, which included normal group (18.5< or =BMI<23), overweight group (23< or =BMI<25), obese group (25< or =BMI). The average age, height, weight, BMI of the subjects were 53.1years, 159.2cm, 54.5kg, 21.4kg/m2 for normal group, 52.3years, 159.4cm, 61.4kg, 24.1kg/m2 for overweight group, 55.9years, 158.7cm, 68.5kg, 27.2kg/m2 for obese group, respectively. There were not significant differences in energy and food intakes by BMI groups. The blood pressure, serum cholesterol, serum triglyceride, serum LDL-cholesterol, and AI were significantly increased and serum HDL-cholesterol decreased with increment of BMI. The age and BMI were significantly positively correlated with blood pressure and serum lipids except HDL-cholesterol. There was significantly negative correlation between percentage of protein energy intake and AI. To summarize these results, energy, nutrient, and food intakes were not significantly correlated with BMI, and blood pressure and blood lipids increased with increment of BMI. Further systematic study of relation among nutrient intakes including various life factors, BMI, blood pressure, and blood lipid profile is needed.
Adult* ; Blood Pressure* ; Body Mass Index* ; Cholesterol ; Energy Intake ; Humans ; Overweight ; Triglycerides

No abstract available.
Mass Screening* ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

Cognitive deficits due to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affect patients’ social and occupational functioning and lead to social costs. Thus, it is important to understand the nature and extent of PTSD-related neurocognitive deficits to clarify the mechanisms underlying cognitive changes, identify factors that interfere with treatment, and help interpret clinical profiles. This study reviewed recent studies on the relationships between PTSD and neurocognitive domains. The magnitude of the influence of PTSD differs across cognitive function domains. Also, the extent of the effect on any given domain may also differ according to the type of trauma experienced by the subject. In addition to its negative effects on cognitive functioning, PTSD was associated with increased response to threats or trauma-related stimuli, which compromised task performance. Although each PTSD symptom may have a different effect on each cognitive function, it was difficult to generalize the results. This study is significant in that our conclusions, which emerged through a review of studies regarding the relationship between PTSD and cognitive functioning, provide a theoretical basis for further research.

OBJECTIVE: This study was done to explore the relationship between circadian types, depressive mood, and sleep quality and to identify the mediating effect of depression between circadian types and sleep quality in shift work nurses. METHODS: Participants were 510 females selected by convenience sampling. Data were collected from October to November 2008 using the Composite Scale for Morningness, Beck Depression Inventory, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index-Korean. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, logistic regression and multiple regression. RESULTS: There were significant relationships between sleep quality and circadian types(r=-0.160, p<0.001), and depressive mood (r=0.438, p<0.001). In addition, the circadian types was significantly correlated with depressive mood (r=-0.236, p<0.001). Depressive mood showed mediating effect between circadian types and sleep quality (beta=0.424, p<0.001). Evening type subjects showed higher scores in depressive mood and sleep quality than morning type ones. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that depression and circadian rhythm management in nurses with evening type would contribute to the prevention of sleep disturbance.
Circadian Rhythm ; Depression ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Negotiating

We studied the association of nonspecific bronchial hyperresponsiveness with general characteristics, exposure concentration, respiratory symptoms, chest x-ray findings, past histories and pulmonary function. We determined bronchial hyperresponsiveness by methacholine challenge test. And we conducted a respiratory symptom questionnaire and performed spirometry on 111 workers occupationally exposed to isocyanates in various industries. About 21.6% of subjects had bronchial hyperresponsiveness. No significant differences were observed between the hyperresponsive and non-responsive group with respect to age, sex, employment period, height, and smoking histories cough and breathlessness were significantly associated with the bronchial hyperresponsiveness. The hyperresponsive group had more experience of bronchitis and asthma in the past than the non-responsive group. The lower FEV1 and FEV1 % were closely related with bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Bronchial hyperrespoosiveness seems to be associated with some of respiratory symptoms, past histories and pulmonary function parameters in workers exposed to isocyanates.
Asthma ; Bronchitis ; Cough ; Employment ; Isocyanates* ; Methacholine Chloride ; Occupations ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Spirometry ; Thorax

OBJECTIVES : A neural circuit including amygdala, the hippocampal complex and prefrontal cortex was associated with deficits in facial processing in schizophrenia. These deficits have a significant impact on social functioning in schizophrenia. Both neuropsychological deficits and brain structural abnormalities in first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients suggest that they may also have the deficit in facial information processing as genetic factors. The purpose of this study was to explore the dysfunction of facial information processing in first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients using functional magnetic neuroimaging (fMRI). METHODS : Ten non-affected siblings of schizophrenic patients and 10 normal comparison subjects having no schizophrenic siblings underwent fMRI during the d ynamic facial change procedure consisting of presentations of facial emotion and gender discrimination stimuli. The emotion discrimination condition consisted of the presentation of 12 happy faces and 12 disgust/fear faces. The gender discrimination condition consisted of the presentation of 12 male faces and 12 female faces. Condition-specific brain activations were compared between non-affected siblings and normal comparison subjects RESULTS : The facial information processing related brain regions including fusiform gyrus, several areas of frontal, temporal, occipital, and cerebellar regions exhibited more activation during gender discrimination than emotion discrimination tasks in each group. During gender discrimination task, siblings of schizophrenic patients showed less activation in right fusiform gyrus, both middle and superior frontal gyrus, left cuneus, and left inferior frontal gyrus, compared with normal comparison subjects. CONCLUSION : Dysfunctional facial information processing, such as a deficit in gender discrimination, might be an endophenotype of schizophrenia.
Amygdala ; Automatic Data Processing ; Brain ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Endophenotypes ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnetics ; Magnets ; Male ; Neuroimaging ; Prefrontal Cortex ; Schizophrenia ; Siblings

This study was conducted among the university students to investigate the effects of working in an daytime and studying in an evening class on dietary behaviors and nutrient intakes. A 24-hour recall method was used along with food frequency questionnaires. The subjects were composed of three groups : 172 were in the daytime calss regular student group(RS), 178 were evening class students without a job(ESWOJ), and 140 were evening class students with a job(ESWJ). An average age of the ESWJ was 31 years old, which was 9 years older than the RS and 7 years older than the ESWOJ. The types of the residence were significantly different among the groups ; were seif-boarding 74% of the ESWJ stayed at home while 47% of the RS were self-boarding and 61% of the ESWOJ. The survey shows that while a great majority of the RS and ESWOJ has breakfast and supper at home, about 10% and 17% of the ESWJ ate breakfast and supper, respectively, at the cafeteria in their work place. The most frequently skipped meal was the breakfast in all groups. Approximately 9% of the ESWJ tended to skip the breakfast, while 27% of the RS and 33% of the ESWOJ did. It turns out that the mose common reason why ESWJ skipped meals was due to a lack of time. About 71% of the ESWJ ate out more than once a week compared to 57% and 62% of the RS and ESWOJ, respectively. Approximately 30% of the ESWJ ate out more than once a week compared to 57% and 62% of the RS and ESWOJ, respectively. Approximately 30% of the ESWJ spent less than 10 minutes at meal time, showing a hurried eating habit. The results show that the ESWJ tended to eat a variety of food s and eat less instant foods, but drink coffee more often compared to the other two groups. The results also show that in all groups, the intakes of energy, Ca, and vitamin A were lower than the Korean Recommended Daily Allowances(RDA). In addition to these nutrients, protein, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and niacin were also lower than the RDA in all make students, and Fe was lower than the RDA in all female students. Among the deficient nutrients, vitamin A showed the lowest % RDA : 48% in the male and 64% in the female students. Among the deficient nutrients, vitamin A showed the lowest % RDA ; 48% in the male and 64% in the female students. The intakes of Ca, Fe, and niacin in the ESWJ were significantly greater than those in the RS and ESWOJ groups, and the vitamin C intake in the ESWJ was greater than that in the ESWOJ(p<0.01). In conclusion, university students in all three groups have a serious imbalance in the nutrient intakes, and the evening class students with a daytime job have unhealthy dietary behaviors in the light of high frequency of eating out and heavy coffee drinking, a rushed eating pattern, and therefore showing a strong need of proper nutritional education for them.
Adult ; Ascorbic Acid ; Breakfast ; Child ; Coffee ; Drinking ; Eating ; Education ; Female ; Food ; Humans ; Male ; Meals ; Niacin ; Riboflavin ; Thiamine ; Vitamin A ; Workplace ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to assess the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after occupational physical injuries and the risk factors in occupational accident patients for PTSD. METHODS: Forty-seven occupational accident patients with physical injuries were administered BDI, STAI I and II, SCL-90-R, IES and questionnaires for risk factors and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale(CAPS). RESULTS: 1) 12 patients(25%) were diagnosed as PTSD. 2) The BDI, STAI I and II and IES scores are significantly high(<0.05) in PTSD group than non-PTSD group. 3) The subscales of SCL-90-R, with an exception of PAR subscale, showed higher scores(<0.05) in PTSD group. 4) The loss of consciousness(LOC) was only significant risk factor in the occupational accident-related factors(<0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of this study show the development of PTSD among occupational accident patients. The loss of consciousness(LOC) was the only signiticant risk factor for PTSD in occupational accident patients.
Accidents, Occupational* ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic*