Diabetes, Depression and Doctor-Patient Relationship / 당뇨병

Although diabetes mellitus (DM) is treatable, it is still not curable. Its chronicity is associated with a high prevalence of psychiatric disorders, especially depression in type 2 DM and learned helplessness in type 1 DM. In turn, this depression and helplessness may affect a patient's adherence to medical appointments, compliance to treatment, and effective doctor-patient relationships, which are vital to promising outcomes. This study reviews the existing literature regarding the interactional relationships between depression, DM and the doctor/patient relationship, and also suggests certain aspects of the doctor/patient relationship which can contribute to more successful treatment outcomes.

Quality of Life in Patients with Stomach Cancer after Operation

PURPOSE: This study was designed to explore quality of life (QOL) in patients with stomach cancer by using the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL) Instrument-Korean version. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-one (31) patients with stomach cancer after curative resection were recruited with informed consent. Age- and gender-matched hospital staff served as controls. The 100-item WHOQOL Instrument, including physical domain, psychological domain, social domain, independence domain, environment domain, and spiritual domain, was employed for the all subjects. RESULTS: In patients with stomach cancer after operation, only two domains, physical and independence, were associated with worse quality of life. In those domains, patients with advanced stage, with total gastrectomy, with adjuvant chemotherapy, and early or late postoperative period (5 years after operation), could be perceived of having a worse quality of life. CONCLUSION: Not only scientific objective success but also individual subjective perception of condition could be important for managing patients with stomach carcinomas after curative resection. In this context, the WHOQOL reflecting multi-dimensional state of well being could be a useful tool across a variety of cultural and value systems in the world.