The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Psychiatric Staff / 정신신체의학

OBJECTIVES: Psychiatric staffs may experience excessive work stress, burnout, and reduced job satisfaction in clinical settings. This can increase chances of diminishing their overall working efficiency or having difficulty managing their own mental health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of group mindfulness- based cognitive therapy(MBCT) on job stress, burnout, self-efficacy, resilience, and job satisfaction. METHODS: Twenty eight psychiatric staffs who agreed to participate in the study were included. Self-report questionnaires were used to measure job stress, burnout, resilience, self-efficacy, and job satisfaction. To examine the effects of group MBCT, the scores were compared before and after MBCT. RESULTS: Work stress and burnout scale scores were significantly decreased after group MBCT. Resilience, job satisfaction, and self-efficacy scale scores were significantly increased after group MBCT. CONCLUSIONS: In the current study, group MBCT for psychiatric staffs helped to reduce their work stress and burnout, and, as well, helped to improve resilience, self-efficacy, and job satisfaction. This suggests that, in mental health treatment settings, psychiatric staffs can improve their mental health through group MBCT. Improving mental health of psychiatric staff may also have a positive impact on their patients.

Association between Mitofusin 2 Gene Polymorphisms and Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease in the Korean Population

OBJECTIVE: Mitochondrial dysfunction is a prominent and early feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The morphologic changes observed in the AD brain could be caused by a failure of mitochondrial fusion mechanisms. The aim of this study was to investigate whether genetic polymorphisms of two genes involved in mitochondrial fusion mechanisms, optic atrophy 1 (OPA1) and mitofusin 2 (MFN2), were associated with AD in the Korean population by analyzing genotypes and allele frequencies. METHODS: One coding single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the MFN2, rs1042837, and two coding SNPs in the OPA1, rs7624750 and rs9851685, were compared between 165 patients with AD (83 men and 82 women, mean age 72.3±4.41) and 186 healthy control subjects (82 men and 104 women, mean age 76.5±5.98). RESULTS: Among these three SNPs, rs1042837 showed statistically significant differences in allele frequency, and genotype frequency in the co-dominant 1 model and in the dominant model. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the rs1042837 polymorphism in MFN2 may be involved in the pathogenesis of AD.

Factors Related to Noncompliance in Screening and Tracking Mild Cognitive Impairment Patients in a Single Community

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the cumulative conversion rates (CCR) from minor cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia among individuals who failed to participate in annual screening for dementia. Additionally, we analyzed the reasons for failing to receive follow-up screening in order to develop better strategies for improving follow-up screening rates. METHODS: We contacted MCI patients who had not visited the Dongdaemun-gu Center for Dementia for annual screening during the year following their registration. We compared the CCR from MCI to dementia in the following two groups: subjects registered as having MCI in the Dongdaemun-gu Center for Dementia database and subjects who failed to revisit the center, but who participated in a screening test for dementia after being contacted. The latter participants completed a questionnaire asking reasons for not previously visiting for follow-up screening. RESULTS: The final diagnoses of the 188 subjects who revisited the center only after contact were 19.1% normal, 64.9% MCI and 16.0% dementia. The final diagnoses of the 449 subjects in the Dongdaemun-gu Center for Dementia database were 25.6% normal, 46.1% MCI and 28.3% dementia. The CCR of the revisit-after-contact group was much lower than anticipated. The leading cause for noncompliance was “no need for tests” at 28.2%, followed by “other reasons” at 23.9%, and “I forgot the appointment date” at 19.7%. CONCLUSION: Considering the low dementia detection rate of the group who revisited only after contact and the reasons they gave for noncompliance, there appears to be a need for ongoing outreach and education regarding the course and prognosis of MCI.

The Factors Associated with Antidepressant Adherence in Outpatients with Depressive Disorder / 대한정신약물학회지

OBJECTIVE: Although clinical guidelines recommend that antidepressant treatment should be continued for at least 4 to 9 months, naturalistic studies show that the average length of treatment is shorter than 6 months and that dropout rates are high. But factors leading patients to discontinuation of therapy are not well understood yet. In this study, we investigated factors associated with adherence to antidepressant in Korean patients with depressive disorder. METHODS: Patients who were diagnosed as depressive disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-4th edition criteria and took prescribed antidepressants were included in this study. Medical records of 194 patients were reviewed retrospectively. To find adherence to antidepressant treatment, we calculated Medication Possession Ratio at 2 wks, 4 wks, 8 wks, 12 wks, 24 wks after their 1st visit. Patient-related factors, illness-related factors including measurement scales (Beck Depression Inventory, Patient Health Questionnare-15, Global Assessment of Recent Stress Scale scores), and treatment-related factors were compared between adherent group and non-adherent group using chi-square test or student t-test. Multivariate logistic regression was used to predict factors associated with adherence to antidepressant treatment. RESULTS: Analyzing data of 194 patients, 106 patients (54.6%), and 82 patients (42.3%) were adherent group at 12 wks and 24 wks, respectively. In patient-related factors, old age and low education periods were significantly associated with adherent group. In illness-related factors and treatment-related factors, none of the factors showed a significant difference between groups. In multivariate logistic regression, old age was significantly associated with sustained adherence at 12 wks. CONCLUSION: We found some factors associated with adherence to antidepressant treatment. Old age was associated with sustained adherence to antidepressant. To enhance adherence to antidepressant, our findings suggest that outpatient education program is needed. And social policy is also essential to reduce stigma in psychiatric department especially among young patients.

The Status Quo and Problems of Private Health Insurances for Psychiatric Illnesses in Korea / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: Recently, Korean psychiatrists have noticed the complaints from probands and family members that private health insurance companies do not pay for most psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, probands cannot even apply for insurance because of their medical record of psychiatric disorders. Authors investigated and reviewed contracts of Korean private insurance companies to find reasons for banning psychiatric disorders from insurance policies. METHODS: Authors reviewed more than 800 contracts from 48 insurance companies. RESULTS: Among all the psychiatric diagnoses, few of them-dementia and some other organic mental disorders-are guaranteed to be paid from insurance companies. Less then 10 contracts say they pay for psychiatric illnesses. Most insurance companies have contracts prohibiting F codes ; however, there are not enough reasons in these contracts. CONCLUSIONS: In the private health insurance system, psychiatric illnesses have almost no rooms. It is very urgent to add space for patients with psychiatric illnesses and psychiatrists in the insurance policies.

Infective endocarditis of dental origin: a case report

Ossifying fibroma of the maxillary sinus: a case report