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• We studied associations between game use and mental health in early adulthood. • Risky game users self-reported low satisfaction and happiness. • High prevalence of major depressive disorder and suicidal ideation in risky users. • Happiness mediated game use and lifetime suicidal ideation in risky users. : The number of digital game users is increasing, and so is attention to digital gaming's effects on mental health. We aimed to reveal if risky (game addiction) and usual game use (non-risky) are associated with mental health in early adulthood. : Using data from the nationwide cross-sectional Korean Epidemic Catchment Area study for psychiatric disorders, 415 participants aged 18–30 years were divided into "non-game," "usual game," and "risky game" user groups based on the previous month's game use and cut-off value of game overuse screening questionnaire. Multiple linear and logistic regressions revealed the association between game use groups, perceived mental health, and lifetime prevalence of clinical mental disorders including suicidal ideation. : Among the 415 participants, 167 were non-game users, 175, usual game users, and 73, risky game users. Risky game users self-reported decreased satisfaction and happiness, and a significantly higher lifetime prevalence of major depressive disorder, alcohol dependence, and suicidal ideation. Usual game users were significantly associated with higher lifetime prevalence of alcohol dependence and suicidal ideation. Self-reported happiness partially mediated between game use and lifetime suicidal ideation in risky, but not usual game users. : This study is a cross-sectional observational study which was not possible to define the temporal relationship. : Both risky and usual game use are associated with mental health problems in early adulthood, indicating the need for careful mental health screening on not only risky game users but also usual game users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Network medicine considers networks among genes, diseases, and individuals. Networks of mental disorders remain poorly understood, despite their high comorbidity. In this study, a network of mental disorders in Korea was constructed to offer a complementary approach to treatment.Methods: Data on the prevalence and morbidity of mental disorders were obtained from the 2006 and 2011 Korean Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study, including 22 psychiatric disorders. Nodes in the network were disease phenotypes identified by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV, and the links connected phenotypes showing significant comorbidity. Odds ratios were used to quantify the distance between disease pairs. Network centrality was analyzed with and without weighting of the links between disorders. Degree centrality was correlated with suicidal behaviors and use of mental health services.Results: In 2011 and 2006, degree centrality was highest for major depressive disorder, followed by nicotine dependence and generalized anxiety disorder (2011) or alcohol dependence (2006). Weighted degree centrality was highest in conversion disorder in both years.Conclusions: Therefore, major depressive disorder and nicotine dependence are highly connected to other mental disorders in Korea, indicating their comorbidity and possibility of shared biological mechanisms. The use of networks could enhance the understanding of mental disorders to provide effective mental health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study investigated the prevalence of sexual problems and associated factors, focusing particularly on comorbid psychiatric disorders, among older Korean women. Methods: A nationally representative sample of women aged 50-74 years ( n=3828) responded to in-person interviews using the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview to assess psychiatric disorders and four symptoms of sexual dysfunction: (1) lack of sexual interest/sexual aversion, (2) dyspareunia, (3) loss of pleasure, and (4) other organic dysfunction (e.g., inability of sexual arousal). We examined the likelihood of sexual dysfunction by sociodemographic and clinical variables, including specific psychiatric disorders, and compared the characteristics of sexual dysfunction among women with and without a comorbid psychiatric disorder. Results: A total of 334 (8.7%) women reported one or more symptoms of sexual dysfunction during the year preceding the interview: lack of sexual interest/sexual aversion was most prevalent (7.7%), followed by loss of pleasure (4.2%), dyspareunia (2.4%), and other organic dysfunction (0.4%). Having a psychiatric disorder was associated with a 2.7-fold increase in the probability of sexual dysfunction. Among women with sexual dysfunction, having comorbid mental disorder was associated with being unmarried status, a symptom of loss of pleasure, and a history of sexual dysfunction before 50 years of age. Conclusions: The present study suggests a relatively lower prevalence of sexual dysfunction than previously reported, but supports its strong association with psychiatric disorders among postmenopausal women. We should evaluate comorbid mental disorder with sexual dysfunction, especially among those having some characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: We compared the influence of major mental disorders on suicidality according to age, adjusting for suicide-related correlates. Methods: This study was based on the Korean national epidemiological survey of mental disorders including community-dwelling adults between 18 and 74 years of age (n=6022). Subjects were classified into three age groups; young (18–39), middle-aged (40–59), and late adulthood (60–74). Face-to-face interviews were conducted using the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. According to age groups, the influence of major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety disorder, and alcohol use disorder on risk for suicidality were investigated by multiple logistic regression models adjusting for sex, years of education, marital status, income, employment, presence of chronic medical illness, and lifetime history of suicide attempt. Results: After including MDD as a covariate, anxiety disorder remained a risk factor only in the middle-aged group (adjusted OR: 2.83, 95% CI: 1.54–5.22), and alcohol use disorder was a risk factor for suicidality only in the young group (adjusted OR: 2.81, 95% CI: 1.06–7.43). Conversely, MDD was the only mental disorder that significantly increased suicidality in all age groups. Limitations: This was a cross-sectional study and did not include subjects over 75 years of age. Conclusion: This study showed that the contribution of psychiatric disorders to risk for suicidality varied according to age group. Therefore, strategies for suicide prevention should be specifically designed for different age groups. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We examined the prevalence, correlates, and psychiatric comorbidities of community-dwelling subjects with problematic Internet use (PIU). In an epidemiological survey of mental disorders among Korean adults conducted in 2006, 6510 subjects (aged 18–64 years) completed the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV psychiatric disorders; Diagnostic Interview Schedule exploring pathological gambling; Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale-Version 1.1 Screener; questionnaire for sleep disturbances; and questionnaire for suicidal ideations, plans, and attempts. Young's Internet Addiction Test was administered to 3212 individuals who had used the Internet within one month before the interviews in order to identify problematic Internet users (cutoff >39). The prevalence of PIU was 9.3% in the general population of South Korea. Being male, younger, never married, or unemployed were all associated with increased risks of PIU. Significant positive associations were observed between PIU and nicotine use disorders, alcohol use disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, somatoform disorders, pathological gambling, adult type ADHD symptoms, sleep disturbances, suicide ideas and suicide plans compare to subjects without PIU, after controlling for socio-demographic variables. These findings suggest that careful evaluation and management of such psychiatric disorders is needed for individuals with PIU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]