Psychiatry Investig.  2017 Jul;14(4):407-412. 10.4306/pi.2017.14.4.407.

Somatic Symptoms as Mediating Factors between the Perceived Social Support and the Health-Related Quality of Life in North Korean Defectors

• Won SD
• Lee SH
• Kim S
• Jun JY
• Shin SS

• KMID: 2387130
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4306/pi.2017.14.4.407

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to examine the mediating effect of somatic symptoms between perceived social support and health-related quality of life among North Korean defectors living in South Korea.
METHODS
A total of 200 North Korean defectors were assessed using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Short-Form 8-Item Health Survey, the Patient Health Questionnaire 15, the PTSD Checklist Civilian Version and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9.
RESULTS
Somatic symptoms accounted for physical health-related quality of life after controlling for PTSD and depressive symptoms, but did not for mental health-related quality of life. Moreover, somatic symptoms mediated the relationship between perceived social support and physical and mental health-related quality of life, indicating that perceived social support indirectly affects physical and mental health-related quality of life through somatic symptoms in North Korean defectors.
CONCLUSION
The results of this study suggest that not only intervention for PTSD or depressive symptoms but also for somatic symptoms might be effective to improve physical and mental health-related quality of life for North Korean defectors, especially those who have a lack of perceived social support.

Keyword

Perceived social support; Health-related quality of life; Somatic symptoms; North Korean defectors; Mediating effects

MeSH Terms

Checklist
Depression
Health Surveys
Humans
Korea
Negotiating*
Quality of Life*
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic