홧병 경험군과 홧병 비경험군간의 홧병의 질병개념에 대한 비교연구

Abstract

Objective

The concept of Hwa-byung in terms of illness entity remains vague. In order to clarify such illness entity, this study was conducted to find out differences and similarities in subjects who experienced Hwa-byung and those who did not experienced Hwa-byung from a wide distribution within the general population.

Method

(1) Test Material

The questionnaires were made up with reference to previously published articles on Hwa-byung, to SCL-90-R and to diagnostic criteria of DSM-Ⅲ-R. The questionnaires included the subject's demographic variables, their awareness of Hwa-byung, their experience of Hwa-byung, and also their opinions about its possible causes, precipitating factors, symptomatology, effective treatment modalities, course and prognosis of Hwa-byung. Such questionnaires were given to 50 subjects, all of whom are psychiatric out-patients at Asan Medical Center, for determining its validity and reliability before selecting 27 questionnaires.

(2) Subject

Subjects were recruited from among patients and their family members who visited the out-patient clinics of seven different departments at Asan Medical Center in Seoul a large metropolis (N=334), the out-patient clinics of seven different departments of Hae Sung General Hospital in the industrial city of Ulsan, Korea (N=299) and the seven branches of the public health center of Yeonchun county, Korea (N=262), a rural area. From these 895 subjects, 67 subjects who don't know about Hwa-byung and 34 subjects who didn't answered to the question on experience were eliminated from study subjects. The final number of study subjects was 794.

(3) Methods of analysis

The subjects were divided into the Hwa-byung experienced group and the Hwa-byung inexperienced group. The demographic data and the concepts of Hwa-byung were statistically analyzed by the student t-test or the chi-sq test.

Results and Discussion

The mean age of the Hwa-byung experienced group is significantly higher than that of the Hwa-byung inexperienced group. MOre women experienced Hwa-byung than men and lesser educated subjects experienced significantly more Hwa-byung. The place of residence, the place of upbringing and socioeconomic status have no significant difference statistically between the two groups. Both groups considered the primary cause of Hwa-byung as being psychological origin. However in the Hwa-byung experienced group, more subjects considered that the supernatural factor was the primary cause of Hwa-byung. One of the primary precipitating events causing Hwa-byung in both groups is conflict in interpersonal relationships ; however, the Hwa-byung inexperienced group exhibited more experiences in the realm of economical losses such as "failure of business" or "loss of capital" as precipitating factors causing Hwa-byung. Both groups consider that the symptoms of Hwa-byung are a combination of multiple physical and mental symptoms. With particular respect to in mental symptoms, such as depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and hostility are thought to be prominent features. As effective treatment modalities, subjects in both groups consider that both himself and his family members should make effort to resolve intrafamilial conflicts. But in contrast with the Hwa-byung inexperienced group, the Hwa-byung experienced group requires more concrete and more attention-giving modalities as important treatment strategies. The Hwa-byung experienced group considers its prognosis more grave than the Hwa-byung inexperienced group.

Objective

The concept of Hwa-byung in terms of illness entity remains vague. In order to clarify such illness entity, this study was conducted to find out differences and similarities in subjects who experienced Hwa-byung and those who did not experienced Hwa-byung from a wide distribution within the general population.

Method

(1) Test Material

The questionnaires were made up with reference to previously published articles on Hwa-byung, to SCL-90-R and to diagnostic criteria of DSM-Ⅲ-R. The questionnaires included the subject's demographic variables, their awareness of Hwa-byung, their experience of Hwa-byung, and also their opinions about its possible causes, precipitating factors, symptomatology, effective treatment modalities, course and prognosis of Hwa-byung. Such questionnaires were given to 50 subjects, all of whom are psychiatric out-patients at Asan Medical Center, for determining its validity and reliability before selecting 27 questionnaires.

(2) Subject

Subjects were recruited from among patients and their family members who visited the out-patient clinics of seven different departments at Asan Medical Center in Seoul a large metropolis (N=334), the out-patient clinics of seven different departments of Hae Sung General Hospital in the industrial city of Ulsan, Korea (N=299) and the seven branches of the public health center of Yeonchun county, Korea (N=262), a rural area. From these 895 subjects, 67 subjects who don't know about Hwa-byung and 34 subjects who didn't answered to the question on experience were eliminated from study subjects. The final number of study subjects was 794.

(3) Methods of analysis

The subjects were divided into the Hwa-byung experienced group and the Hwa-byung inexperienced group. The demographic data and the concepts of Hwa-byung were statistically analyzed by the student t-test or the chi-sq test.

Results and Discussion

The mean age of the Hwa-byung experienced group is significantly higher than that of the Hwa-byung inexperienced group. MOre women experienced Hwa-byung than men and lesser educated subjects experienced significantly more Hwa-byung. The place of residence, the place of upbringing and socioeconomic status have no significant difference statistically between the two groups. Both groups considered the primary cause of Hwa-byung as being psychological origin. However in the Hwa-byung experienced group, more subjects considered that the supernatural factor was the primary cause of Hwa-byung. One of the primary precipitating events causing Hwa-byung in both groups is conflict in interpersonal relationships ; however, the Hwa-byung inexperienced group exhibited more experiences in the realm of economical losses such as "failure of business" or "loss of capital" as precipitating factors causing Hwa-byung. Both groups consider that the symptoms of Hwa-byung are a combination of multiple physical and mental symptoms. With particular respect to in mental symptoms, such as depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and hostility are thought to be prominent features. As effective treatment modalities, subjects in both groups consider that both himself and his family members should make effort to resolve intrafamilial conflicts. But in contrast with the Hwa-byung inexperienced group, the Hwa-byung experienced group requires more concrete and more attention-giving modalities as important treatment strategies. The Hwa-byung experienced group considers its prognosis more grave than the Hwa-byung inexperienced group.