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The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a brief cognitive screening tool with high sensitivity for screening patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The authors examined the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the MoCA (MoCA-K) in elderly outpatients. The MoCA-K, a Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale, and neuropsychological batteries were administered to 196 elderly persons (mild Alzheimer's disease [AD] = 44, MCI = 37, normal controls [NC] = 115). MoCA-K scores were highly correlated with those of MMSE and CDR. Using a cutoff score of 22/23, the MoCA-K had an excellent sensitivity of 89% and a good specificity of 84% for screening MCI. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were good. The results obtained show that the MoCA-K is brief, reliable, and suitable for use as a screening tool to screen MCI patients in elderly outpatient clinic settings.

We translated the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale into Korean, paying careful attention to culturally different modes of expression of depressive feelings and thoughts. The final translated version (CES-D-K) was administered to 164 psychiatric patients and 464 normal subjects residing in the community. Reliability, validity, and the optimal cutoff point of this scale were estimated, including ROC analysis. The CES-D-K was reliable and valid for the Korean population. Two optimal cutoff points were suggested: 24/25, the point which best corresponded to the clinical diagnosis of depression, and 20/21, which most effectively detects and covers depressive symptoms during screening. The higher cutoff points than those in Western countries may be due to different ways of expression affect, especially the suppression of positive affect, in cultures based on Confucian ethics.

We investigated the prevalence of dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and the factors associate with risk of dementia from a representative nationwide sample of Korean elders. 8,199 randomly-sampled Koreans aged 65 years or older were invited to participate in the Phase I screening assessment using Mini-Mental State Examination by door-to-door home visit, and 6,141 subjects (response rate = 74.9%) responded. Among them, 2,336 subjects were invited to participate in the Phase II diagnostic assessment for dementia and MCI, and 1,673 subjects responded (response rate = 71.6%). Diagnostic assessments were administered using the Korean version of the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Packet (CERAD-K) Clinical Assessment Battery. The CERAD-K Neuropsychological Assessment Battery was used for diagnosing MCI. Age-, gender-, education-, and urbanicity-standardized prevalence of dementia was estimated to be 8.1% (95% CI = 6.9-9.2) for overall dementia and 24.1% (95% CI = 21.0-27.2) for MCI. Alzheimer's disease (AD) was the most prevalent type (5.7%) followed by vascular dementia (2.0%). Amnestic subtype (20.1%) was much more prevalent than nonamnestic subtype in MCI (4.0%). Older age, being male, lower education level, illiteracy, smoking, and histories of head trauma or depression were associated with increased dementia risk, and alcohol use and moderately intense exercise were associated with decreased dementia risk. We expect numbers of dementia patients to double every 20 years until 2050 in Korea and expect AD to account for progressively more dementia cases in the future.

The objective was to estimate the prevalence and correlates of psychiatric disorders in a nationwide sample of Korean adults. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with the Korean version of Composite International Diagnostic Interview 2.1/DSM-IV (N = 6275, response rate 79.8%). The lifetime and 12-month prevalences for all types of DSM-IV disorders were 33.5% and 20.6%, respectively. Those of specific disorders were as follows: 17.2% and 7.1% for alcohol use disorder, 11.2% and 7.4% for nicotine use disorder, 5.2% and 4.2% for specific phobia, 4.3% and 1.7% for major depressive disorder, and 2.3% and 1.0% for generalized anxiety disorder. Among the sociodemographic variables, widowed status, higher income, and rural residence were the risk factors for both lifetime major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder after controlling for gender, age, and education. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was higher than those observed in other East-Asian countries and most European countries, but lower than that in the United States. Alcohol use disorder was particularly high in Korea.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and correlates of mental disorders in Korean adults.MethodsDoor to door household surveys were conducted with community residents aged 18-74 years from July 19, 2011, to November 16, 2011 (n=6,022, response rate 78.7%). The sample was drawn from 12 catchment areas using a multistage cluster method. Each subject was assessed using the Korean version of the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV).ResultsLifetime and 12-month prevalence estimates were as follows: alcohol use disorders, 13.4% and 4.4%, respectively; nicotine use disorders, 7.2% and 4.0%, respectively; anxiety disorders, 8.7% and 6.8%, respectively; and mood disorders, 7.5% and 3.6%, respectively. The prevalence rates of all types of DSM-IV mental disorders were 27.6% and 16.0%, respectively. Being female; young; divorced, separated, or widowed; and in a low-income group were associated with mood and anxiety disorders after adjustment for various demographic variables, whereas being male and young were associated with alcohol use disorders. Higher income was not correlated with alcohol use disorder as it had been in the 2001 survey.ConclusionThe rate of depressive disorders has increased since 2001 (the first national survey), whereas that of anxiety disorders has been relatively stable. The prevalence of nicotine and alcohol use disorders has decreased, and the male-to-female ratio of those with this diagnosis has also decreased.

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Summary The aim of this study is to examine relationships of sleep duration with sociodemographic and health‐related factors, psychiatric disorders and sleep disturbances in a nationwide sample in Korea. A total of 6510 subjects aged 18–64 years participated in this study. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odd ratios and 95% confidence intervals of the covariates, psychiatric disorders and sleep disturbances across the following sleep duration categories: 5 h or less, 6, 7, 8 and 9 h or more per day. Low levels of education, unemployment and physical illness were associated with sleeping for 5 h or less and 9 h or more. Being older and widowed/divorced/separated, high levels of physical activity, pain/discomfort, obesity and high scores on the General Health Questionnaires were associated with sleeping for 5 h or less. Female, being younger and underweight were associated with sleeping for 9 h or more. Alcohol dependence, anxiety disorder and social phobia were associated significantly with sleeping for 5 h or less and 9 h or more. Other psychiatric disorders were more common in subjects who slept for 5 h or less (e.g. alcohol use disorder, mood disorder, major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, obsessive‐compulsive disorder and specific phobia) or 9 h or more (e.g. post‐traumatic stress disorder). In addition, subjects who slept for 5 h or less reported more sleep disturbances than did subjects who slept for 7 h. Short or long sleep is associated with psychiatric disorders and/or sleep disturbance, therefore attention to the mental health of short or long sleepers is needed.