BACKGROUND: In women, the prevalence of depression is known to be more than twice as high as in men. Because many depressive women complain of their somatic symptoms instead of neurovegetative ones, many cases of depression have been misdiagnosed. Women also tend to use medicine more frequently than men do to manage depression. So we investigated the relationship between somatic symptoms and drug use in housewives for better management. METHODS: From 1st. March to 31st. March in 1996, the prepared questionnaires were presented to housewives living in the area of Kyung-ju city, who responded the questionnaires under direct interview. The questionnaire was composed of two parts. One part included demographic data, somatic complaints, drug use, places of drug purchase, current diseases that had been diagnosed by doctors. The other included Korean standard Beck Depression Inventory-questionnaire. The subjects were divided into two groups by BDI score(21 point), which was the cut-off point for depression in Korea. The relationships of somatic symptoms and drug use between the two groups were analyzed. RESULTS: There were 110 housewives who had depressive trends among 569 respondents. In general characteristics, there was significant difference between the two groups except the item of religion. In the items of somatic symptoms, there were more somatic symptoms in the group of high BDI score(>_21) except fatigue(P<0.01). More drug users were found in the group of high BDI score(>_21) (P<0.05). In the group of high BDI score(>_21), there was definite correlation between the items of somatic symptoms and drug use. There was no difference between the two groups in the item of drug purchase site. The most common site of drug purchase was the drug store in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive housewives complained of more somatic symptoms and more often used drugs as well.
Surveys and Questionnaires ; Depression ; Drug Users ; Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Prevalence

BACKGROUND: Even though there have been much improvment in general understanding of the climacteric period and increased knowledge of biological aspects of menopause such as Hormone Replacement Therapy, the psychosocial aspects of climacterium was relatively out of consideration. The purpose of this paper is to help make it easy understanding the psychosocial determinants of climacterium through the investigation of correlation between the life stress and the climacteric symptoms in the middle aged women. METHODS: This study was performed on climacteric women at the age ranging from 40 to 55 who reside in Kyong-Ju city. Self reported questionnaires composed of inquiry about demographic characteristics, climacteric symptom scale, and life stress scale were distributed and 123 cases were analyzed in June. and July 1996. The Climacteric Symptom Scale was developed by JG Greene in 1976. In this scale, climacteric symptoms were classified to 3 categories of psychological, somatic, vasomotor symptoms by factor analysis. For quantitative measurement of stress, we used Office Stress Measurement Scale developed by Bae JM et al in 1992. We studied the correlation between stress scores and each class of climacteric symptoms, and the difference of climacteric symptom scores according to the menopausal status and demographic characteristics. RESULTS: The correlation coefficient between the climacteric symptom scores and the stress scores was 0.329(P=0.000) but this correlation was significant in only premenopausal group(correlation coefficient=0.479). Among climacteric symptom classes, the correlation with stress scores is most prominent in psychological symptom class, then somatic symptoms, vasomotor symptoms. There was no difference in climacteric symptom scores to the menopausal status and demographic characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Women who had more stress complained more climacteric symptoms, especially psychological symptoms. This correlation was significant in the premenopausal group only. And the severity of climacteric symptoms didnt change by demographic characteristics.
Climacteric* ; Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Menopause ; Middle Aged ; Self Report ; Stress, Psychological* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Even though there have been much improvment in general understanding of the climacteric period and increased knowledge of biological aspects of menopause such as Hormone Replacement Therapy, the psychosocial aspects of climacterium was relatively out of consideration. The purpose of this paper is to help make it easy understanding the psychosocial determinants of climacterium through the investigation of correlation between the life stress and the climacteric symptoms in the middle aged women. METHODS: This study was performed on climacteric women at the age ranging from 40 to 55 who reside in Kyong-Ju city. Self reported questionnaires composed of inquiry about demographic characteristics, climacteric symptom scale, and life stress scale were distributed and 123 cases were analyzed in June. and July 1996. The Climacteric Symptom Scale was developed by JG Greene in 1976. In this scale, climacteric symptoms were classified to 3 categories of psychological, somatic, vasomotor symptoms by factor analysis. For quantitative measurement of stress, we used Office Stress Measurement Scale developed by Bae JM et al in 1992. We studied the correlation between stress scores and each class of climacteric symptoms, and the difference of climacteric symptom scores according to the menopausal status and demographic characteristics. RESULTS: The correlation coefficient between the climacteric symptom scores and the stress scores was 0.329(P=0.000) but this correlation was significant in only premenopausal group(correlation coefficient=0.479). Among climacteric symptom classes, the correlation with stress scores is most prominent in psychological symptom class, then somatic symptoms, vasomotor symptoms. There was no difference in climacteric symptom scores to the menopausal status and demographic characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Women who had more stress complained more climacteric symptoms, especially psychological symptoms. This correlation was significant in the premenopausal group only. And the severity of climacteric symptoms didnt change by demographic characteristics.
Climacteric* ; Female ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Menopause ; Middle Aged ; Self Report ; Stress, Psychological* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: There is much harmful influence for health promotion when general publics and medical group misunderstand common health knowledge. Therefore we investigated the proportion of misunderstanding about health knowledge of general publics and medical group. METHODS: The data were collected via questionnaire which consisted of 30 questions (ll health behavior, 5 symptom, 14 treatment knowledge) quoted or revised on the basis of the book ('Misunderstood common health knowledge 100' published by humanism practice medical doctor association, 1994, hanwol company, South korea). The subjects were nonmedical group (third grade elementary school teachers and parents of students in Kyong ju city) and medical group (doctors-specialist, resident, intern, oriental doctor, medical student, nurse, assistant nurse in Kyong-Ju, Pohang city). The score was given 0 for false answer or no answer and 1 for true answer. RESULTS: The dominant subclasses of study subjects were as follows .Sex; female(352:64.5%)/age; 30-40 years old(318 persons : 58.5%) education ; high school graduate group(232: 42.8%)/job; nonmedical group(housewives, 168:36.2%), rnedical group(nurse, 67:36.2%). Medical group acquired higher total average score than non-medical group. There were no differences in the total scores about treatment, symptom, and health behavior in nonmedical group by job. In the medical group, doctors earned significantly higher score than other jobs. The average score per question was 0.53 in nonmedical group and 0.69 in medical group. Non-medical group received average score below 0.5 in 14 questions among 30 questions, while medical group received only in 5 items. CONCLUSIONS: Medical group acquired higher total average score than nonmedical group. Average score per question was 0.53 in non-medical group and 0.69 in medical group.
Education ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Health Behavior ; Health Promotion ; Humanism ; Humans ; Parents ; Students, Medical ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis, previously called bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma is a dominantly inherited disorcler and usually manifested by blisters at or shortly after birth. We report a case of epidermolytic hyperkeratosis in 9 year old girl vrho developed generalized erythema &: easily eroded vesicles at birth. Later the skin lesions progresed to characteristic thick, grayish-dark brown verruform cais, affecting predominantly flexural and intertriginous areas. Fiistologic findings show typical granular degeneration.
Blister ; Child ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 ; Erythema ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperkeratosis, Epidermolytic* ; Parturition ; Skin

we report a case of elastosis perforans serpiginosa associated with pseudoxanthoma e1asticurn on t:he neck of 27-year-old male patient. The lesions showecl erythematous scaly hyperkeratotic papules forming serpiginous pattern on yellowish elevated plaques. A skin biopsy specimen from the neck lesion revealed dense accurmulations of coarse elastic fibers partly cngulfed by epithelium in the papillary dcrrnis and increase cif short, irregulary clumped and degenerated clastic fibers in the middermis. On funduscopic exarnination, angioid streak is noted around the optic disk.
Adult ; Angioid Streaks ; Biopsy ; Elastic Tissue ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Male ; Neck ; Optic Disk ; Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum* ; Skin

BACKGROUND: Although adults in 30s and 40s are at risk for hypertension management due to low rates of awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension, there has been a lack of study on hypertension management for this population. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine blood pressure screening and other associated factors with hypertension management in terms of awareness, control, and treatment. METHODS: Secondary data analysis was performed on the data from the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2007-2009. To examine whether blood pressure screening affects hypertension management in 929 subjects aged 30s and 40s with hypertension. Other factors, such as socio-demographics, health status, and health behaviors, were also included for data analysis. Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis were carried out using SAS 9.1. RESULTS: Hypertension awareness rates were high in those who had diabetes mellitus (odds ratio [OR] 2.23; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27-3.90), self-rated their health status as poor (OR 2.89; 95% CI 1.82-4.58), and received a blood pressure check up (OR 5.96; 95% CI 2.90-12.25). Hypertension treatment rates were high in women (OR 2.50; 95% CI 1.47-4.27), and high in those who had diabetes mellitus (OR 2.59; 95% CI 1.49-4.47), self-rated their health status as poor (OR 2.53; 95% CI 1.54-4.14), self-reported as past smoker (OR 2.01; 95% CI 1.22-3.29), and received a blood pressure check up (OR 12.64; 95% CI 4.87-32.77). Hypertension control rates were high in women (OR 2.47; 95% CI 1.29-4.72), and high in those who self-reported as past smoker (OR 2.46; 95% CI 1.35-4.50), and received a blood pressure check up (OR 9.24; 95% CI 3.15-27.15). CONCLUSIONS: For effective hypertension management in 30s and 40s, we should encourage this population to have a regular blood pressure screening.
Adult ; Aged ; Blood Pressure ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Mass Screening ; Nutrition Surveys ; Phenothiazines ; Statistics as Topic

No abstract available.
Bile*

It is generally recognized that several chemical mediators are involved in tbe pathogenesis of sunbum; however, the exact mechanism is still to he resolved. Recently, prostaglandin has been found to be one of the inflammatory mediators in sunbum, particularly in the delayed erythema response and several investigators have shown that the nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs inhibit the in vivo synthesis of prostaglandin. On the assumption that the nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs might exert a beneficial effect on the sunbum through the antiprostaglandin effect, several authors have reported the effect of indomethacin on sunbum. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of topical indomethacin on the delayed erythema response induced by artificial sunlamp and sunlight by clinical and histopathological examination. Indomethacin(2. 5% ointment, 2. 5% solution, 5% solution) was applied immediately after 3 MED irradiation of artificial sunlamp to the shaved back skin of 6 healthy albino guinea pigs weighing 550-850gm and 9 human volunteers and the delayed erythema response was observed at 2, 4, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after irradiation respectively. Punch biopsies of the skin were performed on 6 guinea pigs at 6, 12, 24 a.nd 48 hours after irradiation and the histologic changes were observed. Four human volunters were exposed t,o 3 MED of sunlight and indomethacin preparations were applied immediately after irradiation. The delayed erythema response was observed at 2, 4, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours postirradiation and in one volunteer, the skin was biopsied at 24 hour for histologi.c evaluation. The results were as follows: 1. Topical indomethacin in ointment or solution forms delayed and decreased the appearance and degree of erythema induced by sunlight and artificial sunlamp in both human and animal subjects. 2. Histologically, the number of sunbum cells at 24 hour in the epidermis of one human volunteer was decreased on indomethacin applied sites. The dermis showe6 no difference in histologic changes between control and indomethacin sitea. In animal study, however, no detectable difference in epidermal or dermal changes was observed between control and indomethacin applied sites. The autors confirmed that topical indometha,cin was effective in delaying and blanching of the delayed erythema of sunbum in guinea pigs as well as in human volunteers, though there was no difference in histologic changes between indomethacin and control sites in guinea pigs. The mechanism involvel on this aspect is remained to be resolved.
Animals ; Biopsy ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Erythema ; Guinea Pigs ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Indomethacin* ; Research Personnel ; Skin ; Sunburn* ; Sunlight ; Volunteers

Red blood cells that agglutinate with most normal adult sera but never with own sera are termed polyagglutinable and can be separated by patterns of lectin reactivity into various types. Among these polyagglutination, activation of the T cryptantigen occurs when carbohydrate structures on glycophorins A and B lose sialic acid and express the disaccharide Gal beta-l-3 GalNac which reacts with the peanut agglutinin, a lectin from Arachis hypogaea. T activation is a temporary condition due to exposure of the membrane antigen to the action of microbial neuraminidase. In T activated red cells, the following hazards, which are theoretically possible, are spontaneous polyagglutination of red cells in vitro, in vivo and severe blood transfusion reactions. We experienced a case of T activation in 6 month old girl with bacterial meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. The reactivity to lectins indicated the patient's red cells were T activated. We report a case of T activation in an infant with the review of literature.
Adult ; Arachis ; Blood Transfusion ; Erythrocytes ; Female ; Glycophorin ; Humans ; Infant ; Lectins ; Membranes ; Meningitis, Bacterial ; N-Acetylneuraminic Acid ; Neuraminidase ; Peanut Agglutinin ; Streptococcus pneumoniae