OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the association among the identified conditions of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), eating habits, and depression and to identify risk factors of depression in female college students.METHODS: There were a total of 285 students who were recruited from universities in the Jeju area. All participants accepted to the study completed self-report questionnaires that included demographic variables, a Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool, a Korean Eating Attitude Test-26 and a Patient Health Questionnaire-9. We noted that a total of 268 students who completed the questionnaires were analyzed, and the results were as follows.RESULTS: As we have seen, the prevalence of depression, PMS, and associated eating problems were 52.4%, 67.2%, and 10.2%, respectively. It was discovered that female students who have prolonged or irregular menstrual period had experienced significantly high levels of depression. The students with PMS or eating attitude problems were more likely to have depression than those without PMS or an eating attitude problem. Also the study identified that a prolonged menstrual period, irregular menstrual period, PMS, and eating problems were significant risk factors of depression among female college students.CONCLUSION: In summary, this study provides evidence of the significant relationships among premenstrual syndrome, eating attitude problems, and depression in female college students. Based on the results, professionals need to consider physiological and psychological symptoms of PMS and provide treatment for comorbid depression in female college students as individually recommended according to their associated issues in this regard.
Depression ; Eating ; Female ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Premenstrual Syndrome ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to inquire into the relationship between the association of suicidal ideation and the plasma C-reactive protein level in the general population.METHODS: This study selected a total of 5,090 subjects who have responded to the survey item on suicidal ideation status, and received the plasma C-reactive protein test, as a research subject using the 2015 data of the National Health and Nutrition Survey. This study conducted a covariance analysis by correcting a potential influence of demographic and hematological factors. Besides, this study intended to define the cut-off value of the optimum plasma C-reactive protein level, which once identified can distinguish between a subject with and without suicidal ideation using the model of the decision tree.RESULTS: The Plasma C-reactive protein level of a subject having suicidal ideation was noted as being significantly higher than the one having no suicidal ideation in the covariance analysis (p=0.046). In addition, the proper cut-off value of the plasma C-reactive protein level between the subjects with and without suicidal ideation was found to be 1.30 mg/L (p=0.003).CONCLUSION: It is noted that the high plasma C-reactive protein level showed a significant correlation with individuals with noted suicidal ideation. In addition, this study has significance in that it presented that the plasma C-reactive protein concentration has the possibility as an accurate and significant marker of suicidal ideation in the general population.
C-Reactive Protein ; Decision Trees ; Humans ; Nutrition Surveys ; Plasma ; Research Subjects ; Suicidal Ideation

OBJECTIVES: Suicide has become one of the most serious public health problems today in Korea. In this study, we investigated the demographic and social characteristics affecting the use of various suicide methods.METHODS: The data relating to the types of suicide deaths including factors such as the age, gender, education level, the time of death, the place of death, and the method of death reported from 2008 to 2014 in Yeoungdeungpo-gu, Seoul, which were reviewed and analyzed in this study. The variants of each suicide method were compared using a Chi square and the Fisher's exact test. Additionally, a Spearman correlation analysis and a logistic regression analysis were also performed.RESULTS: The results noted that more than half of suicide victims (68.4%) were male. The most frequent suicide deaths were in the spring (29.1%), and were performed during the afternoon (33.4%). In this review, it is noted that the methods of hanging (59.4%), leaping (17.0%), and gas intoxication (8.9%) were the most frequent suicide methods used by the suicide victims. A logistic regression analysis showed that poisoning had a lower risk of occurrence in night/morning time. In fact, gas poisoning was more dangerous in males, especially males who were younger, and occurred more frequently in the winter months. In this respect, the method of hanging was found to be higher in the low-educated group of people who committed suicide as reviewed. It is noted that drowning was a riskier factor in females, who were elderly and who committed suicide more frequently in the summer. The risk of leaping was increased in elderly populations who were also noted to be highly-educated.CONCLUSION: There was a significant difference in sex, age, educational level, season, suicide time, and suicide location according to each suicide method as reviewed and utilized in this study. The results note that it is necessary to emphasize the prevention of different suicide methods according to population groups.
Aged ; Drowning ; Education ; Female ; Gas Poisoning ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Methods ; Mortality ; Poisoning ; Population Groups ; Public Health ; Seasons ; Seoul ; Sociological Factors ; Suicide

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pain and somatic symptoms on depressive symptoms and quality of life in the elderly population.METHODS: This study analyzed 147 elderly people living in a small city. This study used the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT-K), Short Geriatric Depression Scale (SGDS-K), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15), Geriatric Pain Measurement (GPM-K), World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHQQOL-BREF), and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) as measuring tools for review of the elderly population. The student-t test and chi-square test were used to compare the characteristics of depression in the case of the participants. A hierarchical regression analysis was performed by the utilization of a Pearson's correlation test.RESULTS: Among the 147 elderly people studied, there were 43 (29.2%) who showed depressive symptoms. There was a difference in psychological variables according to depressive symptom between MSPSS (p < 0.01), GPM-K (p < 0.001), PHQ-15 (p < 0.001), and WHOQOL-BREF (p < 0.001). The quality of life of the elderly participants was significantly correlated with age (p < 0.05), annual income (p < 0.05), MSPSS (p < 0.01), and GPM-K (p < 0.01). As a note, the final regression model of the quality of life showed that 40.0% of the quality of life was related to high social support, low educational attainment, pain experienced by the participants and other characteristic physical symptoms.CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the effects of pain and somatic symptoms on the incidence of depression and quality of life in the elderly urban dwelling populations.
Aged ; Depression ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pain Measurement ; Quality of Life ; World Health Organization

OBJECTIVES: We revised the Korean Medication Algorithm Project for Bipolar Disorder (KMAP-BP) 2014 to provide more timely information for the use of the information by clinicians.METHODS: We performed the survey using a questionnaire for the treatment of manic or hypomanic episode in the participants. There were sixty-one members of the review committee who completed the survey. The executive committee analyzed the results and discussed the final production of the applicable algorithm as considering the scientific evidence.RESULTS: The combination of a mood stabilizer (MS) and an atypical antipsychotic (AAP) was recommended as the treatment of choice (TOC), and a monotherapy with an AAP was the first-line pharmacotherapeutic strategy for the initial treatment of mania, with or without psychotic features. The MS monotherapy was the first-line choice therapy, but only for the non-psychotic mania patients. When the initial treatment failed, the TOC was a combination of a MS and an AAP in mania with or without psychotic features, and a combination of two AAPs was TOC for the psychotic mania, as well. For hypomania, the monotherapy with MS or AAP was the first-line as initial treatment, and the recommended switch to or add an AAP was recommended when the initial strategies failed.CONCLUSION: Compared with the previous version, the experts recommend more intensive interventions earlier when initial treatment failed to respond to a recommended monotherapy.
Advisory Committees ; Bipolar Disorder ; Drug Therapy ; Humans

OBJECTIVES: The Korean Medication Algorithm for Bipolar Disorder (KMAP-BP), which was first published in 2002 and updated in 2006, 2010 and 2014, is revised again through the expert's consensus of opinion.METHODS: Out of eighty-four member of the review committee, sixty-one members completed the survey. We analyzed the answers, and thus discussed the data and held a clinician hearing on the results. Therefore, we report the results of KMAP-BP 2018.RESULTS: The preferred first-step strategies for acute euphoric mania are the combination of mood stabilizer (MS) and atypical antipsychotics (AAP), MS monotherapy and AAP monotherapy. For psychotic mania, combination of MS and AAP, and AAP monotherapy are preferred. The first-step strategies for acute bipolar, mild to moderate, depression are MS monotherapy, lamotrigine (LTG) monotherapy, AAP monotherapy, MS+AAP combination, AAP+LTG combination and MS+LTG combination. For non-psychotic severe depression, the MS+AAP combination, AAP+LTG combination and MS+LTG combination are preferred. For psychotic severe depression, the MS+AAP, AAP+antidepressant (AD) and AAP+LTG are preferred.CONCLUSION: We surveyed the expert consensus for the treatment of bipolar disorders and developed KMAP-BP 2018. We hope that this KMAP-BP 2018 is going to be helpful for clinicians to treat the patients with bipolar disorder.
Advisory Committees ; Antipsychotic Agents ; Bipolar Disorder ; Consensus ; Depression ; Hearing ; Hope ; Humans

OBJECTIVES: Patient insight is a very important factor in the management of schizophrenia. Manic symptoms can occasionally be identified by the patient, even in cases of schizophrenia. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship among patient insight, the psychotic and manic symptoms, and the demographic clinical variables.METHODS: Seventy-four participants (male 44, female 30) with chronic schizophrenia in community mental health facilities were evaluated according to the Korean version of the Scale to assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder (SUMD-K), the Korean version of Mood Disorder Questionnaire (K-MDQ), and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS).RESULTS: The mean number of previous admissions was 3.85. The mean CGI-S score was 3.8 and a significant negative correlation (r=0.26) was shown with “awareness of mental disorder”. Thirty-five percent of subjects were K-MDQ positive (cutoff point=7 or more). Among the SUMD-K, “awareness of effect of medication” showed a significant negative correlation (r=−0.33) with the total K-MDQ score, but not with the total BPRS score. The negative correlation was more obvious in participants with negative K-MDQ (total K-MDQ score 6 or less, r=−0.31).CONCLUSION: A possible relationship was observed between these manic symptoms and patient insight. Identification of manic symptoms in schizophrenia would be considerable in a clinical setting.
Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale ; Female ; Humans ; Mental Disorders ; Mental Health ; Mood Disorders ; Schizophrenia

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to estimate the prevalence of problem drinking among female university students, and also aims to identify whether satisfaction with life and happiness moderate the relationship between problem drinking and depressive symptoms in this population.METHODS: A stratified clustered sample of 1,267 female university students were recruited in a cross-sectional study. Data were obtained using a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire included questions on socio-demographic characteristics, as well as questions about problem drinking (Alcohol Use Disorders of Identification Test, AUDIT), depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI), satisfaction with life (Satisfaction with Life Scale, SWLS) and happiness (Positive Psychotherapy Inventory, PPTI).RESULTS: The prevalence of problem drinking among the female university students that participated in the survey was 38.5%. By moderated regression analysis, happiness showed a moderating effect between problem drinking and depressive symptoms (β=−0.248, p < 0.01). However, the moderating effect of satisfaction with life was not significant (β=−0.095, p=0.215).CONCLUSION: This study suggests that a positive psychology-based program for female university students with problem drinking may be useful for the alleviation of depressive symptoms.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depression ; Drinking ; Female ; Happiness ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Psychotherapy

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we evaluated the maintenance-treatment strategies of bipolar I and bipolar II disorders of KMAP-BP 2018.METHODS: The questionnaire used to survey experts for their opinions of medication used for the treatment of bipolar disorder was completed by the review committee consisting of 84 experienced psychiatrists. It is composed of 50 questions, and each question includes various sub-items. The questionnaire for maintenance treatments was composed of overall treatment strategies after acute mood episodes in bipolar I and II disorders, including the choice of antipsychotic and antidepressant drugs, duration of medication, and treatment strategies used to achieve a breakthrough in symptoms.RESULTS: In case of bipolar I disorder, mood stabilizer monotherapy, a combination of mood stabilizer and atypical antipsychotic drugs, and atypical antipsychotic drug monotherapy were the first-line treatments. In maintenance management for bipolar II disorder, combinations of mood stabilizer and mood stabilizer monotherapy or atypical antipsychotic monotherapy were preferred. Atypical antipsychotic drugs were favored as the maintenance treatment for bipolar I and II disorders in KMAP-BP 2018.CONCLUSION: There have been growing bodies of tendency that atypical antipsychotics are more preferred than previously in the KMAP-BP 2014.
Advisory Committees ; Antidepressive Agents ; Antipsychotic Agents ; Bipolar Disorder ; Mood Disorders ; Psychiatry

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to revise the Korean Medication Algorithm Project for Bipolar Disorder 2014 for rapid cycling.METHODS: The questionnaires, which were intended to survey experts for their opinions of medication used for rapid cycling, were completed by the review committee, which consisted of 84 Korean expert psychiatrists. We classified the responses into three categories. based on the lowest category in which the confidence interval fall (6.5≤ for first-line and 3.5≤ for high second-line treatment).RESULTS: The first-line treatment was the combination of a mood stabilizer and an atypical antipsychotic. This combination strategy was the treatment of choice for manic episodes. Additionally, a mood stabilizer with lamotrigine therapy and an atypical antipsychotic with lamotrigine combinations were the first-line treatments for the depressive phase. Atypical antipsychotic monotherapy, mood stabilizer monotherapy, the combination of two mood stabilizers, and the triple combination of mood stabilizers, atypical antipsychotics, and antidepressants were preferred as the next strategies. The first-line medications in all cases were valproate, quetiapine, olanzapine and aripiprazole. Lithium was the first-line medication in depressive and hypomanic episodes, and lamotrigine was the first-line medication for the treatment of the depressive phase.CONCLUSION: Compared to the surveys in 2014, the preference for atypical antipsychotics and lamotrigine have increased, and modalities used as a second-line treatment were more diverse.
Advisory Committees ; Antidepressive Agents ; Antipsychotic Agents ; Aripiprazole ; Bipolar Disorder ; Lithium ; Psychiatry ; Quetiapine Fumarate ; Valproic Acid