Psychiatry Investigation
Volume 13, Issue 1, 2016, Pages 67-73

Insomnia in north Korean refugees: Association with depression and post-traumatic stress symptoms (Article) (Open Access)

Lee Y.-J.G. , Jun J.Y. , Lee Y.J. , Park J. , Kim S.* , Lee S.H. , Yu S.Y. , Kim S.J.
  • a Department of Psychiatry, Seoul Metropolitan Eunpyeong Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
  • b Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
  • c Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
  • d Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
  • e Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea; J., Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea, Center for Medicine and Korean Reunification, Seoul National University of College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea, Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
  • f Department of Psychiatry, National Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
  • g Department of Psychiatry, National Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
  • h [Affiliation not available]

Abstract

Objective: We investigated the prevalence of insomnia and its clinical characteristics in North Korean refugees. Methods: North Korean refugees living in South Korea (48 males, 129 females; mean age 38.22±12.24 years) and South Koreans (112 males, 203 females; mean age 39.48±10.32 years) completed the following questionnaires: the Self-reported Questionnaire on Insomnia, Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), Trauma Exposure Check List for North Korean Refugees, and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). Results: North Korean refugees had insomnia more often than South Koreans did (38.42% vs. 8.89%). Depression combined with insomnia was also more prevalent in North Korean refugees (28.25% vs. 3.17%). Compared with South Koreans with insomnia, North Korean refugees with insomnia showed higher CES-D scores. The North Korean refugees with insomnia had experienced a larger number of traumatic events, and had higher CES-D and IES-R scores compared to North Korean refugees without insomnia. Insomnia in North Korean refugees was also associated with the presence of significant depressive and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Conclusion: Insomnia was common in North Korean refugees and was closely associated with depressive and PTSD symptoms. Our study suggests that complaints of insomnia may indicate more severe psychopathology, especially in refugees. © 2016 Korean Neuropsychiatric Association.

Author Keywords

North Korean refugee Depression Post-traumatic stress disorder Insomnia

Index Keywords

South Korea depression refugee North Korean Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale human controlled study Trauma Exposure Check List for North Korean Refugees South Korean insomnia male female assessment of humans Impact of Events Scale Article major clinical study adult posttraumatic stress disorder disease association
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84956903552&doi=10.4306%2fpi.2016.13.1.67&partnerID=40&md5=aede79c359e5fb3d53e255d39f4b3b5e
DOI: 10.4306/pi.2016.13.1.67
ISSN: 17383684
Cited by: 10
Original Language: English