Low Income as a Vulnerable Factor to the Effect of Noise on Insomnia

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to examine the potential mediating effect of income level on the association between noise exposure and insomnia. METHODS: 706 individuals were evaluated in conjunction with 2014 noise map data from Seoul, South Korea. Cross-sectional analysis was performed to examine differences in noise level according to household income, while three separate logistic regression models were used to examine factors influencing insomnia. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated after adjusting for depression, anxiety, auditory acuity and noise sensitivity in the first model. Analyses were adjusted for sociodemographic variables in the second model, lifestyle factors and medical illnesses in the third model. RESULTS: Noise level was significantly associated with an increased risk of insomnia in the low-income group, although no such association was observed in the high-income group. Groups exposed to >60 dB of noise (Lden; day-evening-night equivalent) exhibited a 1.79-fold increase in the incidence of insomnia relative to those exposed to <50 dB. The result was significant after adjusting sociodemographic variables, although not significant when adjusted for lifestyle factors and medical illnesses. CONCLUSION: Individuals with low income may be more vulnerable to the deleterious effects of noise exposure on health. Various aspects including income should be considered to ascertain the influence of noise on insomnia.

The Effect of Depression, Stress, Coping Strategies on the Suicidal Ideation in Healthy Controls and Psychiatric Patients / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the coping strategies among healthy controls, psychotic and neurotic patients and to evaluate the predictors of suicidal ideation. METHODS: The study population consisted of 115 outpatients in Ulsan University Hospital and 160 healthy controls. They filled out self-report questionnaires including demographics and validated psychiatric scales for depression, perceived stress, coping strategies, and suicide ideation. An analysis of the covariance was used to compare the clinical data among the groups. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed to estimate the effects of coping strategies and depression on the risk for suicidal ideation. RESULTS: Compared to the controls, the psychosis group used less active coping, and the neurosis group used more self-blame coping strategies. In healthy controls, suicidal ideation was predicted by depression, female gender, and using more self-blame coping. Although planning in psychosis was a protective factor, acceptance and self-blame in psychosis and behavioral disengagement in neurosis was a risk factor for suicidal ideation. CONCLUSION: Patients with psychotic and neurotic disorders use different coping strategies to deal with their distress and some of those are risk factors for suicidal ideation. Therefore, improving coping skills will be helpful for preventing suicide by alleviating the levels of stress and providing more effective emotion regulation.