Influence of Anxiety, Depression and Stress on Adjustment to College in Freshmen of a University / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Freshmen maladaptation to university life has brought a lot of attention recently. Therefore, we intended to investigate about the relationship between anxiety, depression, stress and freshmen adaptation to university life. METHODS: We recruited 861 freshmen of a university located in Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk, and measured their degree of anxiety, depression, and stress by questionnaire from March 10 to 14, 2008. After 8 weeks, we examined their adaptation to university life by questionnaire and finally, analyzed the data of 600 freshmen. RESULTS: Among the freshmen, 285 (47.5%) had anxiety, 95 (15.8%) depression, and 70 (11.7%) stress. Adaptation to university life significantly associated with college-entrance exam experience, the number of close friends in class, willingness to join the club, major satisfaction and distance from the university to hometown, in addition to anxiety, depression, and stress. Risk factors of maladaptation to university life were stress (odds ratio: 2.66, 95% confidence interval: 1.60 to 4.45), depression (2.45; 1.56 to 3.84), one experience of college entrance exam (1.83; 1.24 to 2.69), anxiety (1.73; 1.27 to 2.37) and fewer than 5 close friends (1.60; 1.17 to 2.20). Short distance from the university to hometown (0.72; 0.53 to 0.98), willingness to join the club (0.60; 0.41 to 0.87) and major satisfaction (0.42; 0.29 to 0.61) were identified as lowering the risk of maladaptation to university life. CONCLUSION: Anxiety, depression, and stress closely related to freshmen adaptation to university life. During freshmen's health examination, we need to identify the degree of anxiety, depression and stress in order to predict maladaptation to university life.

Change of Selection to Antihypertensive Drugs in Hypertensive Patients with Diabetes Mellitus: In Pohang . Gyeongju Primary Care Research Network / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or Angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs) are compelling indication drugs for hypertensive patients with diabetes mellitus. But prescription rate in 2005 year study of Pohang . Gyeongju area was only 30.8%. Therefore, a study on the change of prescription rate in the same area after 3 years was done. METHODS: During three months from January 2008, 152 hypertensive patients with diabetes mellitus on their prescribed antihypertensive medications by 9 family physicians in visiting order were analyzed. After the analysis, the infl uencing factors for such prescriptions were ascertained by directly visiting each physicians who prescribed them. RESULTS: A regimen of 16 antihypertensive agents were prescribed by these family physicians. Prescription count of ACEIs or ARBs was 101 cases (66.4%). ACEIs single therapy was 19 cases (12.5%), ACEIs combination therapy was 7 cases (4.6%), ARBs single therapy was 31 cases (20.4%) and ARBs combination therapy was 44 cases (28.9%). The ACEIs or ARBs which were selected by physicians that followed "compelling indication" was 5 (55.6%), "excellent reduce pressure effect" was 3 (33.3%) and "public relations of new medicine" was 1 (11.1%). CONCLUSION: In prescribing antihypertensive agents for patients with diabetes mellitus, selection of ACEIs or ARBs was increased from 30.8% to 66.4%. Education of recommended standard by participating in such study and developing of excellent new medicines may increase such change.

Clinical Investigation of Women with Asthma Worsened during Pregnancy / 결핵

BACKGROUND: Asthma is the most common respiratory crisis encountered in clinical practice, occurring in up to 4% of all pregnancies. Pregnancy often appears to alter the course of asthma. But the mechanisms responsible for variable changes in the asthma course during pregnancy remain unknown. Poor control and exacerbations of asthma during pregnancy may result in serious maternal and fetal complications. To investigate the course of asthma during pregnancy in korean women, we did a retrograde study of 27 pregnant women who had been admitted to Korea University Hospital for asthma worsened. METHOD: Twenty seven pregnant women who had been visited to Korea University Hospital for asthma worsened were enrolled in our retrospective study. We reviewed medical recordings and interviewed patients with asthma. RESULTS: Twenty seven pregnant women with asthma were evaluated, and 25 patients were enrolled to our study. Two patients experienced abortions at 6 weeks and 25 weeks gestation, respectively. The period of asthma worsened was commonly during weeks 20 to 28 of gestation. And all patients wosened were improved during the last 4 weeks of pregnancy. Twenty(80%) of 25 women whose asthma worsened during pregnancy reverted toward their prepregnancy status after delivery(p<0.002). The causes of asthma worsened during pregnancy are reduction or even complete cessaton of medication due to fears about its safety(40%), worsening after upper respiratory infection(28%), and unknown(32%). There were no adverse perinatal outcomes in 25 pregnant asthma subjects. CONCLUSIONS: A major problem of therapy for asthma during pregnancy is reduction or even complete cessation of medication due to fears of fetal effects. Therefore, maternal education and optimal clinical and pharmacologic management is necessary to mitigate maternal and fetal complications.

Clinical Investigation of Women with Asthma Worsened during Pregnancy / 결핵

BACKGROUND: Asthma is the most common respiratory crisis encountered in clinical practice, occurring in up to 4% of all pregnancies. Pregnancy often appears to alter the course of asthma. But the mechanisms responsible for variable changes in the asthma course during pregnancy remain unknown. Poor control and exacerbations of asthma during pregnancy may result in serious maternal and fetal complications. To investigate the course of asthma during pregnancy in korean women, we did a retrograde study of 27 pregnant women who had been admitted to Korea University Hospital for asthma worsened. METHOD: Twenty seven pregnant women who had been visited to Korea University Hospital for asthma worsened were enrolled in our retrospective study. We reviewed medical recordings and interviewed patients with asthma. RESULTS: Twenty seven pregnant women with asthma were evaluated, and 25 patients were enrolled to our study. Two patients experienced abortions at 6 weeks and 25 weeks gestation, respectively. The period of asthma worsened was commonly during weeks 20 to 28 of gestation. And all patients wosened were improved during the last 4 weeks of pregnancy. Twenty(80%) of 25 women whose asthma worsened during pregnancy reverted toward their prepregnancy status after delivery(p<0.002). The causes of asthma worsened during pregnancy are reduction or even complete cessaton of medication due to fears about its safety(40%), worsening after upper respiratory infection(28%), and unknown(32%). There were no adverse perinatal outcomes in 25 pregnant asthma subjects. CONCLUSIONS: A major problem of therapy for asthma during pregnancy is reduction or even complete cessation of medication due to fears of fetal effects. Therefore, maternal education and optimal clinical and pharmacologic management is necessary to mitigate maternal and fetal complications.