This study suggests that Korean subway drivers are at higher risk for panic disorder and PTSD compared to the general population, and PUT experience is associated with panic disorder and PTSD. Drivers who have experienced PUT should be treated quickly, sympathetically, and sensitively by a psychological professional and their colleagues, so they can return to work soon.

OBJECTIVESOpen and supportive communication between parents and children is known to reduce adolescents’ delinquent behavior. Recently, the risk of Internet gaming disorder (IGD) has been increasing in adolescents. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating effects of parent-child communication styles on the relationship between adolescent aggressiveness and risk of IGD.METHODSParticipants in this study were 402 first-year students from 4 middle schools in Seoul who enrolled in the Internet user Cohort for Unbiased Recognition of gaming disorder in Early adolescence (iCURE) and completed baseline assessment in 2016. The structural equation model was constructed based on an aggression questionnaire, the Internet game use-elicited symptom screen, a mother-child communication inventory, and a father-child communication inventory.RESULTSAdolescents’ aggressiveness was found to be related to their risk of IGD. The father-child communication style mediated the relationship between aggression and risk of IGD. However, the mother-child communication style had no mediating effect.CONCLUSIONSOur findings suggest that fathers should make an effort to improve open and positive communication skills with their children, because the father-child communication style plays an important role in the relationship between adolescent aggressiveness and risk of IGD.

Background: This study evaluated whether parent-child attachment and self-esteem may mediate the relationship between parental marital conflict and increases in features of internet gaming disorder (IGD) in children at 1 year. Methods: The baseline and one-year follow-up data for 268 pre-teens aged between 9 and 10 from the Internet User Cohort for Unbiased Recognition of Gaming Disorder in Early Adolescence (iCURE) study were collected. The students were children at low risk for IGD in the initial self-reported assessment, anyone living with both parents, current game user at baseline, and those who completed a 12-month follow-up assessment. The Internet Game Use-Elicited Symptom Screen (IGUESS) was used to identify increases in IGD features at 12 months. To examine a potential mediation effect, structural equation modeling was performed. Results: The direct effect was statistically significant, and parental marital conflict at baseline significantly predicted the increases in IGD features in children at the 12-month follow-up after adjusting for gender, sex, socioeconomic status, and baseline IGUESS score (ß = 0.206, P = 0.003). The indirect effect showed that attachment to fathers through self-esteem was a significant mediating effect (ß = 0.078, P = 0.045). Parental marital conflicts were associated with increases in IGD features in children through poor father-child attachment, and in turn, the lower levels of self-esteem in the children. Conclusions: Parents, especially fathers, should make an effort to bond with their children to reduce the risk of their children's developing the IGD features.

BackgroundTo investigate the effects of age and sex on the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and the prevalence and control status of diabetes mellitus (DM) in Korean adults.MethodsData came from 16,175 adults (6,951 men and 9,227 women) over the age of 30 who participated in the 2008-2010 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. SES was measured by household income or education level. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for the prevalence or control status of diabetes were calculated using multiple logistic regression analyses across household income quartiles and education levels.ResultsThe household income-DM and education level-DM relationships were significant in younger age groups for both men and women. The adjusted ORs and 95% CI for diabetes were 1.51 (0.97, 2.34) and 2.28 (1.29, 4.02) for the lowest vs. highest quartiles of household income and education level, respectively, in women younger than 65 years of age (both P for linear trend < 0.05 with Bonferroni adjustment). The adjusted OR and 95% CI for diabetes was 2.28 (1.53, 3.39) for the lowest vs. highest quartile of household income in men younger than 65 (P for linear trend < 0.05 with Bonferroni adjustment). However, in men and women older than 65, no associations were found between SES and the prevalence of DM. No significant association between SES and the status of glycemic control was detected.ConclusionsWe found age- and sex-specific differences in the relationship of household income and education with the prevalence of DM in Korea. DM preventive care is needed for groups with a low SES, particularly in young or middle-aged populations.

BackgroundWeb‐based alcohol screenings and brief interventions have been shown to be effective methods for changing drinking behavior. This study evaluated the efficacy of the online‐based Brief Empowerment Program for Alcohol‐Use Monitor (on‐BEAM), a brief intervention applying personalized normative feedback (PNF) and components of motivational interviewing (MI) techniques.MethodsA community‐based, double‐blind, parallel‐group randomized controlled trial with individual randomization was conducted in Korea (registered at Clinical Research Information Service—KCT0003050). An e‐mail about participating in a survey on drinking behavior was sent to 5,684 individuals, aged 20 to 40, that were registered as part of a research panel. Male and female participants with AUDIT‐C scores of ≥4 and ≥3, respectively, were randomly assigned to either an intervention (received a drinking behavior assessment and the results with normative feedback) or control group (assessment and results without normative feedback). To evaluate the effects of the intervention with 2 sessions over the course of a month, a follow‐up assessment was performed online 4 weeks after completion of the intervention. The main outcome was the number of standard drinks consumed during the past week measured using the timeline followback method. The rate ratios (RRs) were calculated to test the effects of the intervention.ResultsIn total, 1,496 participants were randomized and 93% of them followed up. The intervention group reported consuming less alcohol during the past week (RR = 0.13; p = 0.012) than the control group. Additionally, the intervention group had fewer binge drinkers (RR = 0.69; p < 0.001) and a lower AUDIT‐C score (RR = 0.59; p = 0.009) than the control group.ConclusionsThe web‐based intervention, on‐BEAM, which applies PNF and MI components related to high‐risk drinking reduced the amount of alcohol consumption in our study population. Further research is needed to determine the duration of on‐BEAM's effects and evaluate its effectiveness in the real world.