• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2024

Objectives: Presenteeism is known to be a much more economically damaging social cost than disease rest while going to work despite physical pain. Since COVID-19, social discussions on the sickness benefit have been taking place as a countermeasure against presenteeism, and in particular, farmers and fishermen do not have an institutional mechanism for livelihood support when a disease other than work occurs. This study attempted to examine the relationship between agricultural, fishing, and forestry workers and presenteeism using the 6th Korean Work Conditions Survey. Methods: From October 2020 to January 2021, data from the 6th working conditions survey conducted on 17 cities and provinces in Korea were used, and a total of 34,981 people were studied. Control variables were gender, age, self-health assessment, education level, night work, shift work, monthly income, occupation, working hours per week, and employment status. Results: As a result of the analysis, farmers and fishermen showed the characteristics of the self-employed and the elderly, and as a result of the regression analysis, when farmers and fishermen analyzed the relationship with presenteeism tendency compared to other industry workers, farmers and fishermen increased by 23% compared to other industry groups. Conclusion: This study is significant in that it has representation by utilizing the 6th working conditions survey and objectively suggests the need for a sickness benefit for farmers and fishermen who may be overlooked in the sickness benefit.

• Journal of the Health Care and Life Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.195-201
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• 2021

The study was initiated to identify the causes of physical and mental harm to workers and provide basic data. It is an analysis study using raw data from the 5th Working Environment Survey, and the study analyzed the impact of gender, verbal violence, insults, sexual harassment, sexual interest, and bullying on working environment satisfaction. Most of the victims' sexual harassment offenders were their coworkers (83.6 percent), and it was confirmed that women experienced more damage from bullying and sexual interest than men. Insult and verbal abuse have been identified as factors that reduce working environment satisfaction. Based on this study, we hope to improve productivity and work-life balance as well as improve workers' satisfaction with the working environment as a program that takes into account workers' influence factors.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.60-67
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• 2023

This study identified hazard exposures, health problems, and job satisfaction among elderly agricultural workers. A total of 1,340 agricultural workers (1,079 males and 261 females) were extracted from the 6^th Korean Working Conditions Survey data. Three age groups (A: 40s or below, B: 50s, and C: 60s or above) were statistically compared in hazard exposures, health problems, and job satisfaction. Elderly agricultural workers (60s or above) had significantly more exposure to ergonomic hazards, severe health problems, and lower job satisfaction than young agricultural workers. The study findings may help understand the characteristics of hazard exposures, health problems, and job satisfaction of elderly agricultural workers and will be useful for improving these conditions.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.50.1-50.11
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• 2023

Background: The rise in telecommuting or non-face-to-face work owing to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has fueled conversations regarding the "right to disconnect." Although evidence suggests that receiving work-related communications through telecommunication devices outside of work hours may lead to various symptoms and illnesses, limited research has been undertaken on these symptoms. This study therefore aims to investigate the correlation between receiving work communications through telecommunication devices after work hours and the occurrence of work-related headaches and eyestrain in full-time, non-shift white-collar workers. Methods: This study used data from the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey. The frequency of using telecommunication devices for work purposes outside of working hours was divided into five categories: "Every day," "Several times a week," "Several times a month," "Rarely," and "Never." Work-related headaches and eyestrain were categorized based on a "yes" or "no" response to the survey questions. Descriptive statistics, χ² tests, and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS 27.0. Results: After adjusting for sex, age, income level, education, occupation, workplace size, work hours, and sleep disorders, the odds ratio (OR) of work-related headaches and eyestrain based on frequency of telecommunication device usage were as follows: "rarely" (OR: 1.292; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.111-1.503), "several times a month" (OR: 1.551; 95% CI: 1.249-1.926), "several times a week" (OR: 1.474; 95% CI: 1.217-1.784), and "every day" (OR: 1.548; 95% CI: 1.321-1.813). Conclusions: Employees who use telecommunication devices for work after regular hours are more susceptible to experiencing work-related headaches and eyestrain compared to those who do not. However, there is a dearth of research examining the physical and mental health impacts of using telecommunication devices for after-hours work. Furthermore, the existing preventative measures in Korea are insufficient. Consequently, it is imperative to develop effective measures and conduct additional research to address this issue.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.151-157
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• 2024

Background: Replacement drivers represent a significant portion of platform labor in the Republic of Korea, often facing night shifts and the demands of emotional labor. Research on replacement drivers is limited due to their widespread nature. This study examined the levels of presenteeism and absenteeism among replacement drivers in comparison to those of paid male workers in the Republic of Korea. Methods: This study collected data for replacement drivers and used data from the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey for paid male workers over the age of 20 years. Propensity score matching was performed to balance the differences between paid workers and replacement drivers. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals for presenteeism and absenteeism by replacement drivers. Stratified analysis was conducted for age groups, educational levels, income levels, and working hours. The analysis was adjusted for variables including age, education, income, working hours, working days per week, and working duration. Results: Among the 1,417 participants, the prevalence of presenteeism and absenteeism among replacement drivers was 53.6% (n = 210) and 51.3% (n = 201), respectively. The association of presenteeism and absenteeism (adjusted OR [95% CI] = 8.42 [6.36-11.16] and 20.80 [95% CI = 14.60-29.62], respectively) with replacement drivers being significant, with a prominent association among the young age group, high educational, and medium income levels. Conclusion: The results demonstrated that replacement drivers were more significantly associated with presenteeism and absenteeism than paid workers. Further studies are necessary to establish a strategy to decrease the risk factors among replacement drivers.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.471-484
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• 2023

Objectives: This study aimed to confirm the relationship between occupational safety and health information and self-rated health among precarious workers. Methods: A cross-sectional explanatory study design was conducted using data from the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency's 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey. The participants were 1,569 precarious workers living in South Korea. Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, and hierarchical regression were used for data analyses by SPSS (version 25.0). Results: As a result of the study, occupational safety and health information had a significant positive effect on the self-rated health of precarious workers. The results suggest that occupational safety and health information contributes to the self-rated health of precarious workers. Conclusions: Therefore, it is suggested that policies should be developed to improve occupational safety and health information in workplaces. In addition, strategies should be developed to promote the usefulness of occupational safety and health information to precarious workers.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.46.1-46.12
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• 2023

Background: As unpredictable work schedule (UWS) has increased worldwide, various studies have been conducted on the resulting health effects on workers. However, research on the effect of UWS on workers' well-being in Korea is still insufficient. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between UWS and work-family conflict (WFC) using 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS). Methods: Both UWS and WFC were measured using self-reported questionnaires, using data from the 6th KWCS conducted between 2020 and 2021, including 31,859 participants. UWS was measured by questions regarding the frequency of changes in work schedules and limited advanced notice. WFC was measured by questions regarding work to family and family to work conflicts. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the association between UWS and WFC. Results: The prevalence of UWS was higher among men, those under 40 years old, service and sales workers and blue-collar workers, and those with higher salaries. Workplace size also influenced UWS prevalence, with smaller workplaces (less than 50 employees) showing a higher prevalence. The odds ratio (OR) for WFC was significantly higher in workers with UWS compared to workers without UWS after adjusting for gender, age, marital status, occupation, salary, education, weekly working hours, shift work, company size, and having a child under the age of 18 years, employment status (OR: 3.71; 95% confidence interval: 3.23-4.25). Conclusions: The analysis of nationwide data revealed that UWS interferes with workers' performance of family roles, which can lead to WFC. Our findings suggest that it is crucial to implement policies to address unfair work schedule management, promoting a healthier work-life balance and fostering a conducive environment for family responsibilities.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.1.1-1.11
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• 2023

Background: Although it is well known that the usage of visual display terminal (VDT) at the workplace causes computer vision syndrome (CVS), previous studies mainly focused on computer use and the health of white-collar workers. In this study, we explored the relationship between the usage of VDT including various devices, and symptoms related to CVS in a large population including pink-collar workers and blue-collar workers. Methods: 21,304 wage workers over the age of 20 years were analyzed from the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey. To investigate the association between VDT use at work and symptoms related to CVS among wage workers, odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated by multivariate logistic regression models. Results: In the group with the highest VDT usage at work, the OR of headache/eyestrain was 2.16 (95% CI: 1.86-2.52). The OR of suspected CVS patients was significantly increased in the highest group of usage of VDT at work (OR: 1.69; 95% CI, 1.39-2.06). Compare with the reference group, the OR for headache/eyestrain in the highest group of VDT usage was 2.81 (95% CI: 2.13-3.70) in white-collar workers, 1.78 (95% CI: 1.32-2.40) in pink-collar workers, and 1.59 (95% CI: 1.18-2.15) in blue-collar workers. Conclusions: We observed a relationship in which the use of VDT in the workplace increases the risk of headache/eyestrain regardless of occupational classification. Our findings emphasize the importance of paying attention to the health of VDT workers and making plans to improve their working conditions.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.470-475
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• 2019

Background: There is a lack of statistical analysis investigating the relationship between sleep problems and commute time in Korea. We aimed to analyze the association between representative health symptoms, sleep disturbances, and commute time according to working hours in Korea. Methods: The 4th Korean Working Conditions Survey data were used for analysis, and unpaid family workers and workers who work fewer than three days in a week were excluded. Commute time, working hours, and sleep hours were assessed using self-reported questionnaires. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for sleep problems were calculated using a multivariate logistic regression model with ≤10 min commute time as the reference group. Results: Among a total of 28,804 workers (men = 14,945, women = 13,859), 2.6% of men and 3.2% of women experienced sleep problems. In both sexes, long commute time (51-60 minutes and >60 minutes) showed an increased OR [men, 2.03 (CI = 1.32-3.13) and 2.05 (CI = 1.33-3.17); women, 1.58 (CI = 1.05-2.39) and 1.63 (CI = 1.06-2.50), respectively]. In stratification analysis of working hours, long commute time (51-60 and > 60 minutes) showed an increased OR in men working >40 hours/week [2.08 (CI = 1.16-3.71) and 1.92 (CI = 1.08-3.41), respectively]. Furthermore, long commute time (41-50, 51-60, and >60 minutes) showed an increased OR in women working >40 hours/week [2.40 (CI = 1.27-4.55), 2.28 (CI = 1.25-4.16), and 2.19 (CI = 1.17-4.16), respectively]. Moreover, commute time >60 minutes showed an increased OR in women working ≤40 hours/week [1.96 (CI = 1.06-3.62)]. Conclusion: This large cross-sectional study highlights that long commute time is related to sleep problems in both sexes. Shorter commute times and decreased working hours are needed to prevent sleep problems in workers.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.121-129
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of encounters with customer violence on the mental health of customer service workers, and to verify the moderating effect of coworker support. Methods: Workers who indicated that they engaged directly with individuals other than coworkers for more than 25% of their working hours, such as customers, passengers, students, and patients, were the focus of the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey in 2020. A total of 13,682 people were chosen as the final research subjects, responses from dishonest respondents who had picked "don't know/no answer" or indicated "reject" to pertinent topics such mental health level, were discarded. After adjusting for socio-demographic and vocational characteristics that influence mental health in customer service workers, a hierarchical regression analysis was executed, which incorporated input on customer violence experiences, coworker support, and interaction terms on a step-by-step basis. Results: It transpired that interactions with customer violence had a negative impact on workers' mental health. Additionally, it was shown that workers' mental health status as coworker support increased. Conclusion: This study's limitations include differences in the period the questions were posed, and limitations in interpretation to all workers. And it is difficult to determine the relationship between the frequency of customer violence, occupational characteristics and mental health. Despite its limitations, this study makes an important contribution toward fostering an environment where coworkers can continue to help one another.