OBJECTIVES: It is well-known that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among firefighters contributes to their job-related stress. However, the relationship between burnout and PTSD in firefighters has rarely been studied. This study therefore explored the association between burnout and its related factors, such as trauma and violence, and PTSD symptoms among firefighters in Korea. METHODS: A total of 535 firefighters participated in the Firefighter Research on Enhancement of Safety & Health study at 3 university hospitals from 2016 to 2017. The 535 participants received a baseline health examination, including questionnaires assessing their mental health. A Web-based survey was also conducted to collect data on job-related stress, history of exposure to violence, burnout, and trauma experience. The associations among burnout, its related factors, and PTSD symptoms were investigated using structural equation modeling. RESULTS: Job demands (β=0.411, p<0.001) and effort-reward balance (β=-0.290, p<0.001) were significantly related to burnout. Burnout (β=0.237, p<0.001) and violence (β=0.123, p=0.014) were significantly related to PTSD risk. Trauma (β=0.131, p=0.001) was significantly related to burnout; however, trauma was not directly associated with PTSD scores (β=0.085, p=0.081). CONCLUSIONS Our results show that burnout and psychological, sexual, and physical violence at the hands of clients directly affected participants’ PTSD symptoms. Burnout mediated the relationship between trauma experience and PTSD.

The National Evidence-based Collaborating Agency (NECA) holds the NECA Round-table Conference that not only disseminates objective and systematic information on topics of social concern in public health care but also organizes discussions on core issues under dispute in the literature through panels composed of multidisciplinary experts. Accordingly, the Round-table Conference was composed of multidisciplinary experts including medical specialists in the areas of psychiatry and preventive medicine, psychiatric and mental health nursing, psychologists, social welfare experts, consultation experts, religious leaders, and government officials from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, and Ministry of Health and Welfare. The Round-table Conference, tasked with analysis of the actual status and causes of, and search for solutions for suicide in adolescents, has reached consensus on the current status, trend, risk factors and prevention factors, problems and issues in prevention and coping strategies, effective prevention and coping strategies and areas of research needed for the future. The Round-table Conference commented on the actual status and gravity of suicides in adolescents, and came to the agreement that mental health issues including stress from interpersonal relationships and depression are the key risk factors of suicide. It was further agreed that problems in the measures being implemented for each of the areas include lack of manpower and funding, and inadequate organic association and cooperation among relevant institutions. They also agreed that development of a government-initiated suicide prevention program for adolescents, association among relevant experts, and development, and management of practical guidelines that are of broad and practical use are important. Furthermore, the panels were in agreement that the mass media must comply with the recommended level of coverage in reporting of suicide as adolescents are greatly influenced by provocative mass media reports due to their strong impulsive dispositions.
Adenosine-5'-(N-ethylcarboxamide) ; Adolescent ; Cause of Death ; Consensus ; Depression ; Dissent and Disputes ; Financial Management ; Gravitation ; Humans ; Mass Media ; Mental Health ; Occupational Groups ; Porphyrins ; Preventive Medicine ; Public Health ; Risk Factors ; Social Welfare ; Specialization ; Suicide

In this paper, the current status of adolescent suicide prevention and intervention are addressed, including areas related to medicine, counseling, mental health nursing, social welfare, and education. Many preventive efforts and intervention programs have been developed and implemented, but the results have been mostly minimal or unfruitful and many problems arose. First, there is a lack of epidemiological research and developmentally appropriate data on adolescent suicide. Thus evidence-based research on adolescent suicide necessary to make important decisions regarding prevention strategies and the allocation of budgets and human resources is not available. Second, there are only a handful of experts with an appropriate level of education and training. Current suicide prevention efforts are performed as a part of crisis intervention, but only a few persons know how to do so effectively. Finally, a good networking and referral system among each area of service is needed. One of the most important issues might be balancing the levels of service available to each subject and to provide a proper, systematized intervention and continuous crisis management services. In order to create an effective networking and referral system among several service providers for adolescent suicide prevention, we need robust support from the Korean government and local communities.
Adolescent ; Budgets ; Counseling ; Crisis Intervention ; Hand ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Referral and Consultation ; Social Welfare ; Suicide

Thermal ablation using radiofrequency is a new, minimally invasive modality employed as an alternative to surgery in patients with benign thyroid nodules and recurrent thyroid cancers. The Task Force Committee of the Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology has developed recommendations for the optimal use of radiofrequency ablation for thyroid nodules. These recommendations are based on a comprehensive analysis of the current literature, the results of multicenter studies, and expert consensus.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Catheter Ablation/*methods ; Consensus ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/parasitology/surgery ; Patient Safety ; Radio Waves ; Republic of Korea ; Thyroid Neoplasms/pathology/*surgery ; Thyroid Nodule/pathology/*surgery ; Ultrasonography, Interventional

Radiofrequency ablation is a new non-surgical treatment modality for patients with benign thyroid nodules and recurrent thyroid cancers. The Task Force Committee of the Korean Society of Thyroid Radiology has developed recommendations for the treatment of benign thyroid nodules and recurrent thyroid cancers using radiofrequency ablation. These recommendations are based on evidence from the current literature and expert consensus.
Advisory Committees ; Consensus ; Ethanol ; Humans ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Nodule

The purpose of this study was to examine the urban-rural differences in the prevalence and associated factors with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Korean adults. A total of 1,060 adults >30 yr of age from urban (189 males and 331 females) and rural districts (219 males and 321 females) were recruited. Anthropometric measures, blood pressure, lipid profiles, and fasting and 2-hr after 75-g oral glucose load blood glucose were obtained. The crude- and age-standardized prevalence of T2DM was 15.4% and 14.5%, and 11.7% and 8.6% in urban and rural districts, respectively. Diabetic subjects were older and obese, and had a higher triglyceride level, and systolic blood pressure compared to non-diabetes in both population. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that older age, high triglyceride levels, central obesity, and hypertension were significantly associated with T2DM in both areas. Low monthly incomes were significantly associated with T2DM in urban population, while a family history of T2DM was significantly associated with T2DM in rural area. T2DM is more prevalent in urban than in rural population, and low economic status or genetic factor is differently associated with T2DM in both population, respectively.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications/*epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension/complications ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obesity/complications ; Prevalence ; Regression Analysis ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Rural Population ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Triglycerides/blood ; Urban Population

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to test criterion-related validity of the Critical Patients' Severity Classification System (CPSCS) developed by the Hospital Nurses' Association by examining relationships with brain injury severity measured by Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), recovery state measured by Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), and days of stay in ICU of brain injury patients. METHODS: Prospective correlational research design was adopted by including 194 brain injury patients admitted to ICU of one university hospital. RESULTS: The score of CPSCS appeared to significantly discriminate the severity of brain injury. Among nursing activities in CPSCS, Respiratory therapy, IV Infusion and Medication, Monitoring, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Treatment and Procedure were significant to discriminate the severity of brain injury. Respiratory therapy, Vital Signs, and Monitoring appeared to significantly discriminate the recovery states of 1- and 3-months. Nursing activities significantly contributed to predict the days of ICU stay were Respiratory therapy, ADL, and Teaching and Emotional Support. CONCLUSION: CPSCS developed by the Hospital Nurses Association appeared to be valid to discriminate or predict brain injury severity, recovery states, and days of stay in ICU for brain injury patients.
Activities of Daily Living ; Brain Injuries ; Glasgow Coma Scale ; Glasgow Outcome Scale ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; Research Design ; Respiratory Therapy ; Vital Signs

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to design the web-based dialogue expert system for preventing and managing of habitual substance disorders in adolescents. METHODS: Research process includes the requirement analysis, making of questionnaires, actual survey, and its analysis. Based on the analysis, we designed the web-based dialogue expert system. RESULTS: The habitual substance disorders in adolescents are variable. Our system for managing habitual substance disorders contains the diagnosis of alcoholism, nicotinism, and narcotism. And it analyzes the facts of them based the questionnaires and answer. As the results of the analysis, main reasons in order of the power of influence are belief, will of refusal, personal characteristics, family environment, and psychological personality. Our system suggests the customized solution to conquer that for each adolescent. Moreover, our system also includes the history tracking mechanism to manage the status of each teenager constantly and to make the survey and analysis information. CONCLUSION: With our system, young boys and girls can know their seriousness of alcoholism, nicotinism, and narcotism. And they can get all possible helps through our system. This system will be the interactive and familiar way that anyone all over the world can use for overcoming problems.
Adolescent* ; Alcoholism ; Diagnosis ; Disulfiram ; Expert Systems ; Factor Analysis, Statistical* ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Humans

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a web-based intervention program for depressive symptoms management among Korean adults. METHODS: After the first author developed a user-centered design website intended to manage the depressive symptoms of the general public, two hundred and seventy two participants were screened and randomly assigned into experimental and control groups. These subjects underwent a 12-week nonequivalent pretest and post.test evaluation program to determine changes in their depression scores, which were measured using the Korean Depression Scale. Subjects' unique IP addresses were used for monitoring their access periods on the website. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the baseline and outcome characteristics of both experimental and control groups. Moreover, findings revealed that the total depression score of the experimental group (who accessed the developed web-site three times a week with at least an hour per session) showed to have decreased immensely with a mean of 5.57. On the contrary, only a 0.09 point difference resulted between the pre and post tests of the control group (who accessed other depression management websites generally available). CONCLUSIONS: Web-based interventions could be an effective and inexpensive means of managing depressive symptoms of Koreans. Findings from this effectiveness study of an internet-based program could also be used by a variety of audiences including government agencies, educators, and health care professionals concerned with mental health promotion and prevention.
Adult ; Delivery of Health Care ; Depression ; Government Agencies ; Humans ; Information Systems ; Internet ; Management Information Systems ; Mental Health

PURPOSE: A user centered web-based mental health management system may be particularly useful in Korea where there is widespread diffusion of personal computers and internet connectivity. The purpose of this paper was to describe the development of a web-based system for mental health management in adolescents using principals of a user centered design. METHOD: Our design process includes five distinct phases: needs assessment, analysis, design, development/testing/revision, and application release. RESULTS: Web content includes an introduction, information about mental health management in adolescents, self-assessment and guidance, interventions for improving mental health, directory of self-help groups, and counseling and additional community resources. The web site was released using the URL: http://www.baejy.com/youth. CONCLUSION: The end result was a web based mental health management system for adolescents with a high degree of usability. The author believes that web-based mental health interventions in the future have true potential in helping Koreans who are suffering, or at risk, for mental health problems, particularly because of the stigma related to psychiatric therapy in Korea.
Adolescent ; Humans ; *Information Services ; *Internet ; Medical Informatics ; *Mental Health ; Software Design ; User-Computer Interface