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"Trauma"

Original article

[English]
Status of human rights violations and trauma among North Korean defectors: a cross-sectional study
So Hee Lee, Won Woong Lee, Haewoo Lee, Jin Yong Jun, Jin-Won Noh
Ewha Med J 2025;48(2):e28.   Published online April 10, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12771/emj.2025.00367
Purpose
This study aimed to identify the types of human rights violations and the associated psychological trauma experienced by North Korean defectors. It also examined the impact of trauma on the defectors’ interpersonal relationships, employment, and overall quality of life, while evaluating existing psychological support policies to suggest potential improvements.
Methods
A multidisciplinary research team conducted an observational survey and in-depth interviews with approximately 300 North Korean defectors residing in South Korea from June to September 2017. Standardized measurement tools, including the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist (PCL-5), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7), and Short Form-8 Health Survey (SF-8), were employed. Statistical analyses consisted of frequency analysis, cross-tabulation, factor analysis, and logistic regression.
Results
The findings revealed a high prevalence of human rights violations, such as public executions (82%), forced self-criticism (82.3%), and severe starvation or illness (62.7%). Additionally, there were elevated rates of PTSD (56%), severe depression (28.3%), anxiety (25%), and insomnia (23.3%). Defectors who resided in China before entering South Korea reported significantly worse mental health outcomes and a lower quality of life. Moreover, trauma was strongly and negatively correlated with social adjustment, interpersonal relationships, employment stability, and overall well-being.
Conclusion
An urgent revision of existing policies is needed to incorporate specialized, trauma-informed care infrastructures within medical institutions. Furthermore, broad societal education to reduce stigma and enhance integration efforts is essential to effectively support the psychological well-being and social integration of North Korean defectors.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  
  • Recent advances in pulmonary tuberculosis, the application of deep learning to medical topics, and highlights from this issue of Ewha Medical Journal
    Hae-Sun Chung
    Ewha Medical Journal.2025; 48(2): e16.     CrossRef
  • 863 View
  • 32 Download
  • 1 Crossref

Review

Special topic: role of institutes related to the occupational and environmental diseases in Korea

[English]
Trauma counseling centers for psychological support to manage trauma from workplace injuries in Korea: a narrative review
Chang Sook Kim, Jeong-Ok Kong, Jung-Wan Koo
Ewha Med J 2025;48(1):e12.   Published online January 31, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12771/emj.2025.e12

This review describes a psychological support service designed to address post-traumatic stress disorder in workers impacted by workplace injuries, assisting in their recovery and facilitating their return to work. It explores the rationale and context behind establishing trauma counseling centers for these individuals, along with the status, roles, future directions, and recommendations for these centers. The review details the operational framework and functions of the workplace injury trauma management program, the scope of the impacts of such injury, the groups targeted for crisis intervention, and the psychological interventions tailored to each stage of recovery. Initiated as a pilot project in 2018, trauma counseling centers for workers have gradually become more common, with 23 centers in operation across Korea as of 2024.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  
  • The age of trauma: the prevalence and psychological impact of potentially traumatic exposures in South Korea
    Gaeun Son, Jihee Jang, Euntaek Hong, Subin Park, Yun-Kyeung Choi, Kee-Hong Choi
    Frontiers in Psychiatry.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • 637 View
  • 8 Download
  • 1 Crossref

Case Reports

Case Reports

[English]
Cutaneous Mucormycosis in a Patient with Diabetes Mellitus
Ji Hwan Park, Seo Hwa Park, Eun Gyu Kang, Gyu Cheon Kyung, Hyo Dong An, So-Yeon An
Ewha Med J 2016;39(1):10-13.   Published online January 29, 2016
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12771/emj.2016.39.1.10

Mucormycosis is a rare disease caused by fungi. Most commonly involved sites of mucormycosis infection are sinuses, lungs, skin and soft tissues. Systemic risk factors for mucormycosis are diabetes mellitus, neutropenia, corticosteroid use, hematological malignancies, organ transplantation, metabolic acidosis, deferoxamine use and advanced age. Local risk factors are history of trauma, burns, surgery and motor vehicle accidents. We present a case of cutaneous mucormycosis in a patient with diabetes mellitus. A 66-year-old female with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, admitted with necrotizing lesion after minor abrasions on leg. We took a culture of the lesion and it is diagnosed with mucormycosis. Disease progressed despite administration of systemic amphotericin B. We performed above-knee amputation and changed antifungal agents into liposomal amphotericin B. A tissue biopsy showed nonseptate, irregularly wide fungal hyphae with frequent right-angle branching. Our case report suggests that patients with risk factors should be observed carefully.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  
  • Epidemiology and Treatment Outcome of Mucormycosis in Khuzestan, Southwest of Iran
    Roohangiz Nashibi, Sara Afzalzadeh, Mohammad Javad Mohammadi, Ahmad Reza Yari, Farid Yousefi
    Archives of Clinical Infectious Diseases.2016;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • 194 View
  • 1 Download
  • 1 Crossref
[English]
4 Cases of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Survivors from Sampoong Collapse
Young-Chul Kim, Haing-Won Woo
Ihwa Ŭidae chi 1996;19(1):61-65.   Published online July 24, 2015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12771/emj.1996.19.1.61

Posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD), which has a life prevalence of 1%, can occur after expo-sure to a traumatic event that carries the risk of severe injury or death to itself.

The characteristic clinical features of PTSD are reexperiencing the events, increased arousal, and persistent avoidance or numbing of resposiveness. Authors reported that four survivors from Sampoong collapse suffered from symptoms of PTSD, guilty feeling, depressed mood, panic symptoms, claustrophobia, and suicidal threat since their injuries.

Interestingly, the psychotic symptom scale in self rating SCL-90-R(symptom checklist-90-revision) was somewhat high(>65)in three of them.

  • 78 View
  • 0 Download

Original Articles

[English]
Study on MMPI of the Organic Brain Syndrome Group and he Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Group
Young Sook Park
Ihwa Ŭidae chi 1995;18(4):391-397.   Published online July 24, 2015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12771/emj.1995.18.4.391

The present study was conducted to compare the MMPI profile of 29 Posttraumatic StressDisorder patients with 25 Organic Brain Affective or Personality Disoder patiene who were admitted to Ewha Womans University Hospital from March to August of 1995. MMPI-R(Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory), consisted of 556 items and of the revised standard form, was administered to the subjects. No significant difference was found between thetwo groups in age, sex, and education level.

Results of the present study were as follows :

1) Two subgroups were formed as a result of multivariate cluster analysis of T scores of allMMPI scales from the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder group. The first sub-group (N=22) showed moderate high socre on 3-1-2, 7-8 scales. The second sub-group (N=7) presented severehigh score on F validity scale and all clinical scale exept 5 scale so the t scores of 8-6-7,1-2-3-4scales were within 65-80.

2) Two subgroups were formed as a result of multivariate cluster analysis of T scores of allMMPI scales from the Organic Brain Affective or Personality Disorder group. The first subgroup (N=8) gave mild high score on K scale and on no clinical scales. The second sub-group(N=17) presented moderate high score on F scale and on 1,2,3,6,7,8 scales.

3) Exept for the defensive groups, it was found that F,6 scales and 3 scale were useful to differntiate the Posttraumatic Stress Disoders from the Organic Brain Affective or Personality Disorders.

4) The results suggest that MMPI is useful to differentiate the Posttraumatic Stress Disodersfrom the Organic Brain Affective or Personality Disorders.

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[English]
Clinical Study of Delayed Traumatic Intracerebral Hematoma
Sung Hak Kim
Ihwa Ŭidae chi 1985;8(4):161-168.   Published online July 24, 2015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12771/emj.1985.8.4.161

Twelve cases of delayed traumatic intracerebral hematoma(DTICH) were found retrospectively among 826 patients with closed head injuries admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Ewhe Womans University in a 2-year period. All cases had severe head injuries sustained with the head in motion. The interval from cranial injury to diagnosis of DTICH by computerized tomography(CT) varied from 15 hours to 11 days. The diagnosis was made on repeat CT scans obtained because of the development of focal findings, lack of improvement and/or general neurological deterioration. One patient had initially negative CT scans. Six patients demonstrated only extracerebral hematoma on initial CT scans. Two patients showed acute intracerebral hematoma on the initial scan followed by new hematomas on repeat study. Ten patients were treated surgically, and eight had fair & good results. The cases presented are discussed in the light of pertinent literature.

  • 89 View
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[English]
Study of Factors Associated with Neurological Outcome in Traumatic Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Clinical Analysis
Sung Kyun Hwang, Do Sang Cho, Sung Hak Kim, Dong-Been Park
Ihwa Ŭidae chi 2006;29(1):33-40.   Published online March 30, 2006
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12771/emj.2006.29.1.33

No abstract available in English.

  • 84 View
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Case Report
[English]
A Case of Granuloma Annulare on the Ear Helices
Joung Hyun Shin, Jin Hyung Kim, Hee Soo Lee, Seung Lee Soe, Hae Young Choi, Ki Bum Myung
Ihwa Ŭidae chi 1998;21(3):175-179.   Published online September 30, 1998
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12771/emj.1998.21.3.175

Granuloma annulare is a chronic, benigh, degenerative dermatosis, usually developes on the dorsum of hand or foot. A case is reported of localized granuloma annulare on the both ear helices of a 21-year-old male with no history of precipitating causes, including trauma, insect bite, diabetes mellitus, or rheumatoid arthritis. The histology was typical palisading granulomas. Auricular granuloma annulare is rare. A brief review of the pathogenesis and literature is presented.

  • 99 View
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