Somatic Symptoms as Mediating Factors between the Perceived Social Support and the Health-Related Quality of Life in North Korean Defectors.
- Author:
Sung Doo WON
1
;
So Hee LEE
;
SeogJu KIM
;
Jin Yong JUN
;
Sang Soo SHIN
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Perceived social support; Health-related quality of life; Somatic symptoms; North Korean defectors; Mediating effects
- MeSH: Checklist; Depression; Health Surveys; Humans; Korea; Negotiating*; Quality of Life*; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
- From:Psychiatry Investigation 2017;14(4):407-412
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to examine the mediating effect of somatic symptoms between perceived social support and health-related quality of life among North Korean defectors living in South Korea. METHODS: A total of 200 North Korean defectors were assessed using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Short-Form 8-Item Health Survey, the Patient Health Questionnaire 15, the PTSD Checklist Civilian Version and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9. RESULTS: Somatic symptoms accounted for physical health-related quality of life after controlling for PTSD and depressive symptoms, but did not for mental health-related quality of life. Moreover, somatic symptoms mediated the relationship between perceived social support and physical and mental health-related quality of life, indicating that perceived social support indirectly affects physical and mental health-related quality of life through somatic symptoms in North Korean defectors. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that not only intervention for PTSD or depressive symptoms but also for somatic symptoms might be effective to improve physical and mental health-related quality of life for North Korean defectors, especially those who have a lack of perceived social support.
