|
KMID : 0897520110160010003
|
|
Journal of Korean Association of Social Psychiatry
2011 Volume.16 No. 1 p.3 ~ p.10
|
|
|
Association between Physical Health and Mental Health in North Korean Defectors
|
|
Kim Seog-Ju
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
|
As North Korean defectors have rapidly been increased in South Korea, their physical and mental health has become an important issue. North Korean defectors are vulnerable to physical illnesses, and commonly have psychiatric illness such as posttraumatic stress disorder or depressive disorder. Interestingly, previous studies reported that the association between physical health and mental health in North Korean defectors were much more prominent than in South Koreans. This prominent association in North Korean defectors may be due to 1) stronger impact of physical illness on the adaptation to South Korea, 2) their frequent expression of somatization, and/or 3) psychological/physical stress as a common etiological factor for both physical and psychiatric illness. For the management of the psychiatric illness with somatic symptoms in North Korean defectors, long-term support for integrative approaches of psychiatric department, other medical department and community mental service is necessary.
|
|
|
KEYWORD
|
|
|
North Korean defector, Physical health, Mental health
|
|
|
FullTexts / Linksout information
|
|
|
|
|
|
Listed journal information
|
|
|