PURPOSE: A new strain of the H1N1 subtype of influenza A virus resulted in a pandemic outbreak. In South Korea, cases of pandemic influenza have increased. Therefore, we explored perception or preventive behaviors for this virus in hospital employees and outpatients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data was collected from hospital employees and outpatients at three university hospitals located in Daegu, Gyeongju in South Korea between the 21st and 30th of September, 2009 using a self-administrated questionnaire. We estimated perception by components of The Health Belief Model (HBM), preventive behaviors consisted of avoidance behaviors, and the recommended behaviors by the Korea Center of Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Desire for vaccination was identified. RESULTS: The 1,837 participants comprised hospital employees (n = 880, 47.9%) and outpatients (n = 957, 52.1%). Of all hospital employees, 491 (55.8%) and 708 (80.5%) perceived susceptibility of the pandemic influenza and benefits of the preventive behaviors, respectively. Among all outpatients, 490 (51.2%) and 651 (68.0%) perceived susceptibility of the pandemic influenza and benefits of the preventive behaviors, respectively. Recommended preventative behaviors were adopted by 674 (76.6%) of hospital employees and 631 (65.9%) of outpatients. Vaccination was desired by 479 (54.4%) of hospital employees and 484 (50.6%) of outpatients. Factors influencing preventative behaviors included gender, economic status (for hospital employees) and educational level (for outpatients). All HBM components except perception of barriers were associated with the preventive behaviors in both groups. CONCLUSION: The majority of the surveyed hospital employees and outpatients perceived the benefits of preventive behaviors for pandemic influenza and performed them.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Hospitals/statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; *Influenza, Human ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Outpatients/*psychology/*statistics & numerical data ; *Pandemics ; Personnel, Hospital/*psychology/*statistics & numerical data ; Republic of Korea ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: A new strain of the H1N1 subtype of influenza A virus resulted in a pandemic outbreak. In South Korea, cases of pandemic influenza have increased. Therefore, we explored perception or preventive behaviors for this virus in hospital employees and outpatients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data was collected from hospital employees and outpatients at three university hospitals located in Daegu, Gyeongju in South Korea between the 21st and 30th of September, 2009 using a self-administrated questionnaire. We estimated perception by components of The Health Belief Model (HBM), preventive behaviors consisted of avoidance behaviors, and the recommended behaviors by the Korea Center of Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Desire for vaccination was identified. RESULTS: The 1,837 participants comprised hospital employees (n = 880, 47.9%) and outpatients (n = 957, 52.1%). Of all hospital employees, 491 (55.8%) and 708 (80.5%) perceived susceptibility of the pandemic influenza and benefits of the preventive behaviors, respectively. Among all outpatients, 490 (51.2%) and 651 (68.0%) perceived susceptibility of the pandemic influenza and benefits of the preventive behaviors, respectively. Recommended preventative behaviors were adopted by 674 (76.6%) of hospital employees and 631 (65.9%) of outpatients. Vaccination was desired by 479 (54.4%) of hospital employees and 484 (50.6%) of outpatients. Factors influencing preventative behaviors included gender, economic status (for hospital employees) and educational level (for outpatients). All HBM components except perception of barriers were associated with the preventive behaviors in both groups. CONCLUSION: The majority of the surveyed hospital employees and outpatients perceived the benefits of preventive behaviors for pandemic influenza and performed them.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Hospitals/statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; *Influenza, Human ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Outpatients/*psychology/*statistics & numerical data ; *Pandemics ; Personnel, Hospital/*psychology/*statistics & numerical data ; Republic of Korea ; Young Adult

INTRODUCTIONLiterature has shown that individuals with various psychiatric disorders experience a lower quality of life (QoL). However, few have examined QoL across disorders. The current study explored differences in QoL and symptom severity across 4 psychiatric diagnostic groups: anxiety disorders (including obsessive compulsive disorder [OCD]), depressive disorders, schizophrenia, and pathological gambling.

MATERIALS AND METHODSData analysed was from a previous study that examined the prevalence of hoarding symptoms among outpatients (n = 500) in a tertiary psychiatric hospital in Singapore. Measures utilised included the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction QuestionnaireShort Form (Q-LES-Q-SF). Sociodemographic information and details on type and number of comorbidities were also collected.

RESULTSThe depressive disorder group had the highest level of depressive and anxiety symptoms and the lowest QoL whereas; the schizophrenia group had the lowest level of depressive symptoms and the highest QoL. Age and employment status were the only sociodemographic correlates which were significantly associated with QoL. After controlling for sociodemographic factors, only the type of mental disorder was found to have a significant effect in explaining BAI, BDI-II and Q-LES-Q-SF.

CONCLUSIONFindings offer insight in terms of the burden associated with the various disorders.

Adult ; Anxiety Disorders ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Comorbidity ; Cost of Illness ; Demography ; Depressive Disorder ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Female ; Gambling ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Outpatients ; psychology ; statistics & numerical data ; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales ; Quality of Life ; Schizophrenia ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Socioeconomic Factors

OBJECTIVEDescribe the prevalence and risk factors for suicidal ideation and suicide attempt among outpatients at general hospitals in Beijing.

METHODSTrained psychiatric nurses obtained data about the characteristics of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts from 2877 persons 15 years of age or older who were consecutive outpatients at 35 level-1, 8 level-2 and 7 level-3 general hospitals selected from all hospitals in Beijing by stratified random sampling. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for suicidal ideation and suicide attempt.

RESULTSThe lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt were 6.08% (95% CI: 5.25% - 7.25%) and 1.18% (0.82% - 1.65%), respectively. Mutivariate logistic analysis found that the most important risk factors for suicidal ideation were hopelessness in the prior year (OR = 7.96), current depression (OR = 3.41), younger age (OR for < 35 = 2.83; OR for 35 - 55 = 2.08), having a blood relative with prior suicidal behavior (OR = 2.58), and so forth; the most important risk factors for suicide attempt were younger age (OR for < 35 = 4.96; OR for 35 - 55 = 4.40), hopelessness in the prior year (OR = 4.02), self-report of health status in last weeks as poor (OR = 2.81), not currently married (never married, divorced, widowed, etc) (OR = 2.80), and so forth. Four variables were independent risk factors for both suicidal ideation and suicide attempt: hopelessness in the last year, younger age, having associates with prior suicidal behavior and female gender.

CONCLUSIONSMany patients treated at medical, surgical and other outpatient departments of general hospitals in Beijing are depressed and at risk for suicide; this is particularly true of young female patients who feel hopeless about their future. Outpatient clinicians need to be trained to identify such patients, to assess the severity of their psychological problems and, if necessary, to provide appropriate treatment or refer them for psychiatric evaluation.

Adult ; Age Factors ; China ; epidemiology ; Depression ; epidemiology ; Female ; Health Surveys ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Outpatients ; psychology ; statistics & numerical data ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors ; Suicide ; psychology ; statistics & numerical data ; Suicide, Attempted ; psychology ; statistics & numerical data

INTRODUCTIONDeliberate self-harm (DSH) is frequently seen in adolescents with a range of mental health problems. The prevalence and features of DSH vary among different countries and settings. This study examines the prevalence of self-harm in a sample of adolescents seen at a psychiatric outpatient clinic in Singapore.

METHODSInformation regarding self-harm, as well as its associated demographic and clinical risk factors, was extracted from the clinical records of 542 consecutive, new patients, aged 12-19 years, who presented between 2006 and 2010.

RESULTSDSH was reported in 23.6% of patients, and was positively associated with the female gender (odds ratio [OR] 4.54), mood disorders (OR 4.58), adjustment disorders (OR 3.41) and regular alcohol use (OR 4.80). However, there was no association with parental marital status, anxiety disorder, habitual smoking or family history of psychiatric illness.

CONCLUSIONDSH is a significant clinical problem that may be influenced by biological and clinical factors. Adolescents presenting with DSH should be examined for mood and alcohol use disorders.

Adolescent ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Health ; Odds Ratio ; Outpatients ; psychology ; statistics & numerical data ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Self-Injurious Behavior ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult