The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of depression and suicidal ideation in elders with dementia and to identify factors influencing their suicidal ideation.

A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted from February to March, 2011. The participants were 298 older adults whose MMSE-KC score was 15 to 23. Collected Data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression.

According to the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) classification criteria, 86.2% of the elders in this study exhibited depression (GDS=5), and 31.5% manifested severe depression. The mean score of suicidal ideation was 5.70 (range 0-20). The risk factors for suicidal ideation were depression, suicidal attempt experience, present location for care, and activities of daily living.

The results of this study can be utilized in the development of suicide prevention programs for older adults with dementia. In particular, depression should be screened and managed to reduce suicidal ideation of older adults with dementia.

The purpose of this study was to examine risk factors for pathological gambling of horse race participants.

The participants, 508 horse race gamblers, completed the DSM-IV criteria of pathological gambling, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-K) and Symptom Checklist-47-Revision (SCL-47-R). Data were analyzed using t-test, χ²-test, Fisher's exact test, and logistic regression analyses. Behaviors related to horse racing, alcohol abuse, and mental health were analyzed between problem or pathological gamblers compared to recreational gamblers.

The prevalence rates of recreational, problem, and pathological gambling were 36.6%, 39.4%, and 24.0%, respectively. Frequency of gambling (≥4/day), frequency of racetrack visiting (≥3/month), accompaniment (alone), and mental health (SCL-47-R scores) were all associated with increased risks of problem and pathological gambling. Expenditure on betting (≥200,000 won/day) and alcohol abuse (AUDIT-K 8-20 scores) group members had higher levels of gambling pathology than recreational gamblers.

Problem and pathological gambling are highly associated with alcohol abuse and mental health disorders, suggesting that clinicians should carefully evaluate this population.

This study was done to investigate community attitudes towards people with mental illness and to mental health services.

From August to October of 2006, 474 citizens of Siheung city were asked to give demographic data and their personal attitude toward mental illness and mental health services.

The residents of Siheung community showed slightly negative attitudes, with a mean opinion about mental illness score of 93.38±17.29. According to the study, health professionals and citizens showed a positive attitude to the establishment of day care centers and residential facilities (62.2% and 55.4% respectively). Civil servants showed negative attitudes (40.4%). There were significant differences in attitudes according to gender, age, education level, occupation, religion, and income. Positive attitudes were found for health professionals and negative attitudes for civil servants.

The results of this study indicate a need to provide public information and education for civil servants, and for those who have negative attitudes, in particular, men, people in the younger age group, who have lower education levels, who are Buddhists, monthly renters, who have a monthly income below 1 million won, who have no children and no experience with people who have a mental illness.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the contribution of group therapy to the improvement of self-esteem, anger, stress coping and communication of those who were violent in to family.

The research design was a one-group-pretest-posttest design in quasi-experimental research, and the period of this study was from March to October, 2005. Participants were 14 offenders who were ordered to be counseled according to 'the special exemption law for punishing domestic violence.' Group therapy was applied once a week for 8 weeks. Results were collected by using a questionnaire for self-esteem, anger, stress coping and communication. In the data analysis, Wilcoxon signed test with SPSS/WIN 12.0 program was used.

The scores of self-esteem and communication showed statistically significant improvement from pre to post therapy. However, the scores of anger and stress coping were not significantly changed from pre to post therapy.

This group therapy was effective in improving the self-esteem and communication in offenders of family violence.