Impact of lifetime subthreshold depression and major depression before internship on psychopathology and quality of life in Korean interns: 6 month follow-up study.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to investigate the influences of lifetime subthreshold depression and major depression before internship on the changes in psychopathology and subjective quality of life during internship.


METHODS
A total of 151 interns at Seoul National University Hospital completed questionnaires including World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment Instrument, Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF), Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) twice at an interval of 6 months. Their lifetime diagnosis of depression before internship was made using the Korean version of Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), Modified Form for Self-Administration.


RESULTS
Significant changes over time were detected including total score in the BDI and the Somatization, Depression, Anxiety, and Phobic Anxiety dimension scores in the SCL-90-R as well as all four domain scores in WHOQOL-BREF. In addition, in all scores except Somatization dimension score, group difference existed. Post-hoc comparisons showed that interns without lifetime depression were significantly different from those with lifetime subthreshold depression and those with lifetime major depression.


CONCLUSIONS
Even a subthreshold-level, lifetime depression before internship has an adverse effect on the psychopathology and the subjective quality of life during internship. Therefore, earlier detection, monitoring, and management of this population would be needed throughout the intern year and beyond.
Hwang
Jun-Won
JW
Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Hahm
Bong-Jin
BJ
Kwon
Sung-Tack
ST
Kim
Kyu-Han
KH
Lee
Jeong-Ryul
JR
D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires