Bang Jeong-hyeon, a resident in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital, received the Best Abstract Prize at the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC) annual congress held in Rotterdam, Netherlands, from June 6 to 8. His research, which examined the impact of isolation in intensive care units (ICUs) on patients' mental health, was recognized for its academic value.
The prestigious award is given to only one outstanding study among approximately 1,200 abstracts submitted across all fields of anesthesiology, critical care, and pain management.
Bang's research analyzed how the isolation environment in ICUs affects patients' psychological vulnerability and the risk of psychiatric sequelae after discharge. It was highly regarded for providing clinical evidence and highlighting the need for improved care environments for isolated patients.
Conducted from 2020 to 2022, the study followed 510,000 adults admitted to domestic ICUs over one year. It found that patients in isolation had a significantly higher risk of developing mental illnesses, such as depression, within one year of discharge compared to those in general ICUs. The risk of these conditions increased progressively with longer isolation periods.
Based on these findings, the research team emphasized the necessity for enhanced communication and improved treatment environments for isolated ICU patients.
Bang Jeong-hyeon stated, "It is meaningful to validate the issues I felt in clinical practice with data."
Professor Oh Tak-kyu, Bang's supervising professor, remarked, "I will diligently guide capable young researchers to conduct studies that are practically helpful in clinical settings."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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