• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.465-471
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• 2010

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) have been the most common health problem covered by worker's accident compensation insurance for several years in Korea. Korean government has strengthened related regulations since 2003. People looked forward to decreasing the incidence and prevalence of WMSDs. At first, the expectation could be realized. However, we were bumped against to limit at present. The authors think it is due to the negligence of psychosocial factors for WMSDs. Many researchers reported that the various psychosocial factors were associated with WMSDs or symptoms. Job demand, social support, job satisfaction and decision latitude are the major risk factors in job stress aspect. Work pressure, lack of rest, qualified workload, workload variability and monotonous job are the significant risk factors in work context of work organization. Employment flexibility, downsizing, lean production, contingent work and pay for by the piece are also the risk factors in an organizational context. Furthermore, these risk factors are associated with each other across different dimensions of work organization. Suggestive possible pathways between these risks and WMSDs have been taken note of increasing muscle strain or ergonomic stress and of a cognitive aspect. The authors suggest these risk factors could explain the limitation of the regulation system for WMSDs. In conclusion, the strategy to manage psychosocial factors is the one of the essential approach to prevent WMSDs.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.95-104
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• 2013

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to analyze internal research trends of work-related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs) and provide problems of researches forward. Methods : 6 Korean databases were searched for articles of WMSDs published from 2000 to 2012, and 264 research were systematic reviewed. An analytical method was used descriptive statistics, an actual number and percentage. Results : The results of distribution by year were reported more than 20 articles after 2004, and 45 articles in 2009. Industrial classification distribution of research subjects the manufacturing industry was many most at the 84. Research contents in most description were 147 whether it was risk factor and relation. Research design type of articles was most description survey research 226. In the research field 89 articles were reported to the journal related to technologies. Conclusions : It is considered to be necessary that ergonomic approach would cooperate with other approaches such as integrated health management system as well as industrial medicine considering psychosocial factors.