ผู้วิจัย/Authors: Sangun Suwanlert

ชื่อเรื่อง/Title: Koro Epidemic in Norteast Thailand

แหล่งที่มา/Source: Journal of The Psychiatric Association of Thailand, Vol. 23, No. 1, March 1978, Page 1-38.

รายละเอียด / Details:

This paper emphasizes the research work of a psychiatric team who did a field work in the Northeast of Thailand during the epidemic outbreak of Koro in November-December 1975. From our study of Koro we found 350 cases in five provinces in the Northeast. A detailed study of 50 cases was made. The number of male cases was 338, and the number of female cases was 12. The majority of cases was between 12-30 years of age. The highest age incidence was between 10-20 years 47.14% The lowest age was 6 years while the eldest was 74 years. We found that after either eating, drinking or smoking, the patient perceived a shrinkage of penis or vulva. The majority of cases showed onset of symptoms within 30 minutes 55% and might ;ast up to 3-4 days. These symptoms commonly included dizziness, pain and/or numbness of body generally, particularly the lower abdomen and the genitals, and less frequently, abdominal cramps of flank pain, diarrhoea and dry mouth. Unsual smells and parasthesia were occasionally reported. As the attack progressed, the patients became aware of genital dyfunction either penile shrinkage, genital numbness and /or itching of the external genitals, nipple pain or discomfort ou urination, and these were accompanied by acute panic reaction and a rapidly mounting sense of impending death. Almost all of the patients showed signs of sexual immaturity. Psychological testing revealed immature personality, insecurity, and below average I.Q. In sexuality testing, it showed that there was no response to sexual stimulus after the acute phase which lasted for a few days. Social attitudes towards Koro showed a prevalent belief in the presence of a chemical sunstance in either foods, water or tobacco. According to epidemiology study, it was foun that the mentak condition was contageously spread. For treatment of Koro , either symptomatic treatment or minor tranquilizers and supportive psychotherapy were preferable, The conclusion of our study indicates that Koro is either psychogenic anxiety syndrome or a culture bound depersonalization syndrome.

Keywords: epidemic, koro, genital dyfunction, mass hysteria, Northeast Thailand

ปีที่เผยแพร่/Year: 1978

Address: Srithunya Hospital

Code: 0000662

ISSN/ISBN: -

Country of publication: Thailand.

Language: English.

Category: Case Report: Journal.

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