Stigma of Mental Illnesses as Perceived by North Korean Defectors Living in South Korea

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to provide the information of the stigmas of mental illness such as psychosis, alcoholism, attempt suicide, and depression among North Korean defectors. METHODS: We examined stigma for the mental illnesses of 639 North Korean defectors aged 19 to 65 years who live in the Settlement Support Center for North Korean Refugees. The stigmas of mental illnesses were assessed using the Perceived Devaluation-Discrimination Scale We directly compared the stigma level between North Korean defectors and the general population of South Korea. RESULTS: North Korean defectors had higher perceived stigmas of psychosis and alcoholism and lower perceived stigmas of depression than South Koreans. Perceived stigma associated with attempted suicide was similar for North Korean defectors and South Koreans. Only marital status in sociodemographic variables had associations with higher perceived stigma of psychosis, alcoholism, and depression in the North Korean defectors. North Korean defectors, who spent more than one year in transit country, had associations with lower perceived stigma of psychosis and alcoholism. North Korean defectors, who had the experience of compulsory repatriation to North Korea or North Korean family in South Korea, had an association with higher perceived stigma of depression. CONCLUSION: North Korean defectors had higher perceived stigmas of psychosis and alcoholism and lower perceived stigmas of depression than South Koreans. Further studies are needed to document serial changes in stigmas for mental illnesses associated with the receipt of education at the Settlement Support Center for North Korean defectors.

Retrospective study of implant stability according to the implant length, diameter and position / 대한치과보철학회지

PURPOSE: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the influence of implant diameter, length and placement to implant stability. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total 90 implants (US II plus(TM), Osstem co, Busan, Korea) of 72 patients were determined as experimental samples. The factors of diameters(o 4 mm, o 5 mm), lengths (10 mm, 11.5 mm, 13 mm), and implant placement (maxilla, mandible) were analyzed. The stability of the implants was measured by resonance frequency analysis (RFA) at the time of implant placement and impression taking. The difference of ISQ values according to patient's gender was evaluated by Independent t-test. ISQ values were compared between implant diameter, length and placement using one-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD test (alpha=.05). To compare ISQ values between at the time of surgery and impression taking, paired t-tests were used (alpha=.05). RESULTS: The change of implant length did not show significant different on the ISQ value (P>.05). However, 5 mm diameter implants had higher ISQ values than 4 mm diameter implants (P<.05). Implants placed on the mandible showed significantly higher ISQ values than on the maxilla (P<.05). CONCLUSION: In order to increase implant stability, it is better to select the wider implant, and implants placed on mandible are possible to get higher stability than maxilla. ISQ values at impression taking showed higher implant stability than ISQ values at implant placement, it means that RFA is clinically effective method to evaluate the change of implant stability through the osseointegration. The consideration of the factors which may affect to the implant stability will help to determine the time of load applying and increase the implant success rate.