1.Spinal Cord Injury From the Psychiatric Perspective
Journal of the Korean Society of Biological Therapies in Psychiatry 2022;28(2):57-66
Spinal cord injury is a devastating condition in which motor, sensory, and autonomic nerve functions are impaired due to traumatic or non-traumatic causes on the spinal cord. Patients with spinal cord injuries may experience paralysis caused by nerve damage secondary to various physical complications such as pain, spasticity, neurogenic bladder, neurogenic bowel, pressure ulcer, and sexual dysfunction. These physical symptoms of patients with spinal cord injuries bring about psychological difficulties, ranging from emotional reactions such as sadness and feelings of low selfesteem to depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, and suicidal tendencies. Conversely, mental health problems in patients with spinal cord injuries can also have negative effects on physical complications such as neuropathic pain and pressure ulcers, as well as rehabilitation therapy and prognosis. In other words, the physical and psychiatric symptoms of a patient with spinal cord injury bidirectionally influence each other. Existing medical approaches focus only on the physical rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injuries and do not recognize these patients’ need for mental health support. Therefore, screening, evaluation, and appropriate management for psychiatric problems such as depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, and suicidal tendencies in clinical practice are required, which may ultimately benefit the quality of life and prognosis of patients with spinal cord injuries.
2.Needs and Related Factors for Return-to-Work Support in Cancer Survivors
Sungwon LEE ; Kwang-Min LEE ; Gyu-Han OH ; Chan-Woo YEOM ; Sanghyup JUNG ; Bong-Jin HAHM
Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine 2020;28(2):126-134
Objectives:
:The purpose of this study was to investigate the needs for return-to-work support of cancer survivors and related factors in patients with cancer and their caregivers.
Methods:
:182 patients and 114 caregivers were recruited. Distress Thermometer and Problem List and scale ranging 0~10 measuring the degree of needs for return-to-work support were utilized. The needs for return-towork support between the patient group and caregiver group (patient’s needs evaluated by the caregiver) were compared, and related factors were investigated using logistic regression analysis.
Results:
:34.6% and 28.1% of patients and caregivers reported return-to-work support of cancer survivors is “very necessary”. The degree of needs was 6.60±3.365 points in the patient group and 6.17±3.454 points in the caregiver group, with no significant difference (p=0.282). The needs for return-to-work support evaluated by patients was high when they underwent surgery (OR=2.592, p=0.007), has fertility problems (OR=6.137, p=0.025), has appearance problems (OR=2.081, p=0.041), or has fatigue (OR=2.330, p=0.020). The needs for return-towork support of patients evaluated by caregivers was high when patients treated with breast cancer (vs respiratory cancer, OR=13.038, p=0.022 ; vs leukemia/lymphoma, OR=4.517, p=0.025 ; vs other cancer, OR=13.102, p= 0.019), has work/school problems (OR=4.578, p=0.005), or has depression (OR=3.213, p=0.022).
Conclusions
:The degree of needs for return-to-work support of cancer survivors was high, and factors related to the needs were different between the two groups. This suggests that return-to-work support of cancer survivors is required, and clinical characteristics, the distress of patients, and differences between patients and their caregivers should be considered in establishing a support plan.
3.Needs and Related Factors for Return-to-Work Support in Cancer Survivors
Sungwon LEE ; Kwang-Min LEE ; Gyu-Han OH ; Chan-Woo YEOM ; Sanghyup JUNG ; Bong-Jin HAHM
Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine 2020;28(2):126-134
Objectives:
:The purpose of this study was to investigate the needs for return-to-work support of cancer survivors and related factors in patients with cancer and their caregivers.
Methods:
:182 patients and 114 caregivers were recruited. Distress Thermometer and Problem List and scale ranging 0~10 measuring the degree of needs for return-to-work support were utilized. The needs for return-towork support between the patient group and caregiver group (patient’s needs evaluated by the caregiver) were compared, and related factors were investigated using logistic regression analysis.
Results:
:34.6% and 28.1% of patients and caregivers reported return-to-work support of cancer survivors is “very necessary”. The degree of needs was 6.60±3.365 points in the patient group and 6.17±3.454 points in the caregiver group, with no significant difference (p=0.282). The needs for return-to-work support evaluated by patients was high when they underwent surgery (OR=2.592, p=0.007), has fertility problems (OR=6.137, p=0.025), has appearance problems (OR=2.081, p=0.041), or has fatigue (OR=2.330, p=0.020). The needs for return-towork support of patients evaluated by caregivers was high when patients treated with breast cancer (vs respiratory cancer, OR=13.038, p=0.022 ; vs leukemia/lymphoma, OR=4.517, p=0.025 ; vs other cancer, OR=13.102, p= 0.019), has work/school problems (OR=4.578, p=0.005), or has depression (OR=3.213, p=0.022).
Conclusions
:The degree of needs for return-to-work support of cancer survivors was high, and factors related to the needs were different between the two groups. This suggests that return-to-work support of cancer survivors is required, and clinical characteristics, the distress of patients, and differences between patients and their caregivers should be considered in establishing a support plan.
4.Validation of the Patient Health Questionnaire–9 and Patient Health Questionnaire–2 in the General Korean Population
Minah KIM ; Sanghyup JUNG ; Jee Eun PARK ; Jee Hoon SOHN ; Su Jeong SEONG ; Byung-Soo KIM ; Sung Man CHANG ; Jin Pyo HONG ; Bong-Jin HAHM ; Chan-Woo YEOM
Psychiatry Investigation 2023;20(9):853-860
Objective:
The Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ-9) and PHQ-2 have not been validated in the general Korean population. This study aimed to validate and identify the optimal cutoff scores of the PHQ-9 and PHQ-2 in screening for major depression in the general Korean population.
Methods:
We used data from 6,022 participants of the Korean Epidemiological Catchment Area Study for Psychiatric Disorders in 2011. Major depression was diagnosed according to the Korean Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Validity, reliability, and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were performed using the results of the PHQ-9 and Euro Quality of life-5 dimension (EQ-5d).
Results:
Of the 6,022 participants, 150 were diagnosed with major depression (2.5%). Both PHQ-9 and PHQ-2 demonstrated relatively high reliability and their scores were highly correlated with the “anxiety/depression” score of the EQ-5d. The optimal cutoff score of the PHQ-9 was 5, with a sensitivity of 89.9%, specificity of 84.1%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 12.6%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 99.7%, positive likelihood ratio (LR+) of 5.6, and negative likelihood ratio (LR-) of 0.12. The optimal cutoff score of the PHQ-2 was 2, with a sensitivity of 85.3%, specificity of 83.2%, PPV of 11.6%, NPV of 99.5%, LR+ of 5.1, and LR- of 0.18.
Conclusion
The PHQ-9 and PHQ-2 are valid tools for screening major depression in the general Korean population, with suggested cutoff values of 5 and 2 points, respectively.
5.The Effect of Temperament on the Association Between Pre-treatment Anxiety and Chemotherapy-Related Symptoms in Patients With Breast Cancer
Jung-In CHOI ; Sanghyup JUNG ; Gyu Han OH ; Kyung-Lak SON ; Kwang-Min LEE ; Dooyoung JUNG ; Tae-Yong KIM ; Seock-Ah IM ; Kyung-Hun LEE ; Min-Sup SHIN ; Bong-Jin HAHM ; Chan-Woo YEOM
Psychiatry Investigation 2022;19(11):949-957
Objective:
Pre-treatment anxiety (PA) before chemotherapy increases complaints of chemotherapy-related symptoms (CRS). The results on the association have been inconsistent, and the effect of temperament remains unclear. We aimed to determine whether PA is a risk factor for CRS and the effect of differing temperaments on CRS.
Methods:
This prospective study comprised 176 breast cancer patients awaiting adjuvant chemotherapy post-surgery. We assessed CRS, PA, and temperament using the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the short form of the Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised, respectively. The MDASI was re-administered three weeks after the first chemo-cycle.
Results:
PA showed weak positive correlation with several CRS after the first cycle; no CRS was significantly associated with PA when pre-treatment depressive symptoms and baseline CRS were adjusted in multiple regression analysis. Moderation model analysis indicated that the PA effect on several CRS, including pain, insomnia, anorexia, dry mouth, and vomiting, was moderated by harm avoidance (HA) but not by other temperament dimensions. In particular, PA was positively associated with CRS in patients with low HA.
Conclusion
The results in patients with low HA indicate that more attention to PA in patients with confident and optimistic temperaments is necessary.