Psychosomatics
Volume 41, Issue 6, 2000, Pages 472-480

Depression in Korean immigrants with hepatitis B and related liver diseases (Article)

Kunkel E.J.S. , Sung Kim J. , Hann H.-W. , Oyesanmi O. , Menefee L.A. , Field H.L. , Lartey P.L. , Myers R.E.
  • a Department of Internal Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA, United States
  • b Department of Internal Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA, United States
  • c Department of Internal Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA, United States
  • d Department of Internal Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA, United States
  • e Department of Internal Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA, United States
  • f Department of Internal Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA, United States
  • g Department of Internal Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA, United States
  • h Department of Internal Medicine, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA, United States

Abstract

The authors evaluated 50 Korean immigrants who had chronic viral hepatitis or who were healthy carriers for the hepatitis B virus in terms of the relationships between their depression scores, psychosocial stressors, social support, and biological markers of dysfunction. All participants completed a questionnaire, describing their worries and concerns, and the short form of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-sf). Hepatic transaminases, albumin levels, and prothrombin times were measured during routine clinic follow-up visits and were abstracted from the medical record. Values recorded within 3 months before and within 3 months after the psychiatric interview were correlated with BDI scores. BDI-sf total scores were significantly associated with transaminase elevations (P<0.001) both before and after BDI-sf administration. BDI scores were not associated with other measures of liver dysfunction or other medical causes of depression. Patients with higher BDI-sf total scores had more psychosocial stressors (P=0.008) and lower Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores (P=0.000).

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

rating scale albumin immigrant depression human comorbidity Aged disease carrier social support liver disease aminotransferase United States male female stress functional assessment clinical article Article adult biological marker hepatitis B Korea
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0033777871&doi=10.1176%2fappi.psy.41.6.472&partnerID=40&md5=483f4544f7687e1903788f4f8bdfdd65
DOI: 10.1176/appi.psy.41.6.472
ISSN: 00333182
Cited by: 47
Original Language: English