• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.143-154
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• 1998

The purpose of this research is to suggest basic materials for the practical infection precaution program to protect health care workers from hospital infection by grasping their compliance level of Universal Precautions and examining the factors affecting them. The number of the health care workers we studied were 486, including the doctors, the nurses, and the lab technicians who were working in a university hospital. The period of this research was from Aug. 18th, 1997 to Aug. 30th, 1997. The method of the study was to measure the compliance level of Universal Precautions with the item of "Universal Precautions" established by CDC in 1987, and examine the questionnaire of 52 questions dividing related factors into socio-populational, individual, socio-psychological and organizational management ones. The data was analyzed by t-test. ANOVA, and chi-square test. The results were as follows : 1. An the compliance level of Universal Precautions, hand washing had the highest score(85.4%), and doctors(18.9%), nurses(44.0%), and lab technicians(7.6%), had a low compliance level in the safe handling of an injection syringe, and item not to handle patients and their samples when the subject suffered from dermatitis or injury had the lowest score of 17.1%. 23.3% of them said that they wear protection gown, goggles and mask. 2. Female's Compliance level of Universal Precautions Was higher than male. 3. The health care workers who had high recognition on Universal Precautions got significantly higher compliance level of Universal Precautions than those have low recognition on Universal Precautions(P<0.001). 4. The health care workers experienced a needle stick injury had a significantly higher compliance level of Universal Precautions than those who had not(P<0.000). 5. The health care workers who had infection protection education got a significantly higher compliance level of Universal Precautions than those who didn't(P<0.000). 6. The health care workers who had a firm belief in the effect of Universal Precautions got a higher compliance level of Universal Precautions than those who didn't. 7. The health care workers who had less conflicts between treating patient arid protecting them-selves got a higher compliance level of Universal Precautions than others with many conflicts. 8. The health care workers who had a high score in organizational management factors got a significantly higher compliance level of Universal Precautions than those with a low score(P<0.000). 9. Only 16.9 percent of the all respondents(82 in number) answered that they knew well or a little about the Universal Precautions, which is very low rate of recognition. 10. The variables which affected the score in organizational management factors were age, sex, education period, work experience, the kind of work, recognition on Universal Precautions, the experience of needle stick injury, revealing dangerous circumstance related to infection, and training on precaution again infection. According to the result above, compliance level of Universal Precautions showed high correlation with sex, the recognition on Universal Precautions, the experience of needle stick injury, training on precaution against infection, the belief in the effect of Universal Precautions, the recognition degree of conflicts and organizatinal management factors. These results could be used as the basic materials for the developing infection protection programs. Also, There should have a systematic training course to elevate a effective compliance level of Universal Precautions as well as the manageeent of infection protection programs.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.42 no.7
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• pp.965-973
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a self-care program for elders with osteoarthritis managed by primary health care workers, Community Health Practitioners (CHPs), in rural Korea. Methods: The self-care program, consisting of 7 areas, was evaluated with a randomized experimental study for patients over age 60 with osteoarthritis in which 150 participants in the experimental group and 140 in the control group were compared. The self-care program was implemented for six weeks, 2 hours per week, at community health posts by CHPs. Data were collected using an interview questionnaire given by the CHPs and laboratory tests before and after the intervention for both groups. Propensity score matching analysis was done to test effectiveness after controlling for confounding variables. Results: The intervention group showed a significant decrease in the number of painful joints (p<.001) and a significant increase in self-care ability (p<.05) compared to the control group. Conclusion: Study results indicate that training and utilizing primary health care workers in rural areas is valuable in increasing the generalization and continuity of intervention programs. As arthritis should be managed life-long, CHP directed self-care programs are useful interventions for rural elders with arthritis to learn self-care management.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.126-136
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the level of person-centered care, patient safety culture, and fall prevention behaviors of eldercare facility workers, and identify influencing factors. Methods: Data were collected from 185 care workers at eight eldercare facilities in City J from February 1 to March 25, 2022. The data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 25.0. Results: The results indicated that the factors influencing fall prevention behaviors in older adults with dementia were person-centered care (β=.28, p=001), patient safety culture (β=.21, p=.012), age (β=-.18, p=.005), and participation in fall prevention education (β=-.15, p=.018). The explanatory power of the model was 31.6%. Conclusion: These results suggest that, to improve fall prevention behaviors in older adults with dementia, efforts to promote person-centered care and patient safety culture are necessary. Accordingly, effective measures such as developing fall prevention education and programs should be explored to provide safe and high-quality care for older adults with dementia.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.723-730
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• 2014

Objectives : This research was conducted to investigate geriatric care workers' oral care, and the oral care conditions of residents of elder care facilities in relation to workers' knowledge of oral care. Methods : A survey was conducted from November 2011 to February 2012 with geriatric-care workers in elder care facilities located in Busan and other areas of Gyeongsangnam-do. Results : With regard to their oral self-care practices, 52.5% of the geriatric workers "brushed their teeth from top to bottom" and 58.1% brushed their teeth 3 times a day. Further, 52.0% did not use any oral care products, while 36.5% used Mouthrinese. The workers who brushed their teeth in their own ways or from top to bottom had significantly higher oral care knowledge scores than those who brushed from left to right (p<.05). Concerning oral hygiene care for residents, 72.6% of the geriatric workers recommended that elders visit dentists for oral care, 96.6% helped elders oral wash their teeth every day, and 54.7% used oral care products for the elders. The workers who did not recommend visits to dental clinics scored slightly higher than those who did (p<.05). Additionally, those who did not help elders oral wash their teeth scored significantly higher than those who did (p<.05). Except for oral wash to recuperated old man and recommendation of visiting the dentist, relation between oral care and knowledge about oral health and oral hygiene care is plus mutual relation. Conclusions : To manage the accuracy and quality of oral care work performed by geriatric care workers in elder care facilities, enhancing standard training and education on oral care is necessary. Providing systematic, regular education on such knowledge and practices would also be essential.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.238-244
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• 2017

Objectives: The major objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of and risk factors for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among employees at a workers' compensation hospital. Methods: Among the 394 employees at Incheon Hospital, 362 were enrolled in the study. An interferon-gamma release assay(IGRA) for diagnosis of LTBI was performed using QuantiFERON$^{(R)}$ TB Gold In-Tube(QFT-IT). Risk factors for LTBI were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. Results: The overall prevalence of LTBI was 32.0%(116/362). The non-medical departments have a significantly high prevalence compared to medical departments(39.7% vs 23.2%). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, experience working in the pneumoconiosis hospital(OR, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.3-10.3) was associated with development of LTBI. Conclusions: Korean guidelines for the management of tuberculosis recommend annual regular health examinations for TB and LTBI for health care workers(HCWs). Considering the high prevalence of and risk factors for LTBI among non-HCWs, it suggests a need for annual regular health examinations for TB and LTBI for all employees at workers' compensation hospitals, including pneumoconiosis hospitals.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.139-154
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• 2018

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine factors influencing health-related quality of life of waged workers. Methods: This study used data from the Seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Data were analyzed with the $x^2-test$, t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression. Results: The significant predictors of health-related quality of life were depression, subjective health status, age, activity limitation, education, worker status, monthly income, drinking, smoking, physical injury, stress, and moderate physical activity. Conclusions: Personal health characteristics, psychological characteristics, socioeconomic characetrictics and working characetrictics affect health-related quality of life. Health-related quality of life is also affected by social structural problems such as socioeconomic factors and employment instabilitye. In addition to the development of health care programs to improve health-related quality of life of twaged workers, policy changes are needed to improve the social structure.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.905-915
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• 2010

Objectives : This research identified the attitude towards senior citizens targeting the workers of the facility for senior citizens to establish Long-Term Care Insurance System early on, and to identify the degree of perception on the importance of senior citizens' oral health and on the need for dental sanitation specialists. Methods : This research targeted 233 workers of the facility for the senior citizens located in some parts of the Gyeongnam area. Survey was conducted from December 1, 2009 to January 31, 2010 to identify the facility workers' attitude towards senior citizens and on the perception towards Long-Term Care Insurance System. Results : 1. As for the awareness towards senior citizens, 50.2% said that they are comfortable around senior citizens while degree of kindness towards senior citizens was 48.5%. 21.0% had experienced training for senior citizens' oral health management. As for the question on who should serve as the trainer, dental sanitation specialists were citied the most with 47.6%. 29.2% was very interested in the senior citizens' oral health while 83.7% said that oral cavity managers are needed in the facility for the senior citizens. As for the question on who should be in charge, if necessary, dental sanitation specialist was cited the most with 57.9%. 2. Awareness on the Long-Term Care Insurance System, treatment for the oral cavity sanitation by visiting homes and information on the activity of long-term care specialists was high following the experience of training for the senior citizens' oral health management in case of the workers at the senior citizens' facility. This manifested statistically significant difference(p<0.05)(p<0.01). Moreover, treatment for oral cavity sanitation manifested statistically significant difference was manifested in the treatment for oral cavity sanitation following the need for oral health managers and who should be in charge, if necessary(p<0.01). Conclusions : These results advocate the need to develop diverse senior citizens' oral health management methods and to continue to carry out actions for senior citizens' oral health improvement that can be carried out by the long-term caretakers for the management of senior citizens' oral cavity health.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.244-247
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• 2020

The occurrence of the shift work disorder (SWD) in health-care workers (HCWs) employed in 24/7 hospital wards is a major concern through the world. In accordance with literature, SWD is the most frequent work-related disturb in HCWs working on shift schedules including night shift. In agreement with the Luxembourg Declaration on workplace health promotion (WHP) in the European Union, a WHP program has been developed in a large Hospital, involving both individual-oriented and organizational-oriented measures, with the aim to prevent the occurrence of SWD in nurses working on shifts including night shift. The objective assessment of rotating shift work risk and the excessive sleepiness were detected before and after the implementation of the WHP program, by using the Rotating Shiftwork-questionnaire and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. The findings of this study showed the effectiveness of the implemented WHP program in minimizing the impact of shift work on workers' health and in preventing the misalignment between sleep-wake rhythm and shift working.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.55-63
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• 2021

Purpose: To identify the differences in perception of and adherence to the COVID-19 social distancing behavior guidelines among health care workers, patients, and the general public and to use them to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Methods: From October 16 2020 to November 30, 2020, a survey was conducted among 85 health care workers, 85 patients, and 82 general public regarding the perception of and adherence to the COVID-19 social distancing behavior guidelines. Results: Patients scored significantly higher than the general public in the adherence to the COVID-19 social distancing behavior guideline, and there was no difference between health care workers and general public, and patients and health care workers. In the multivariate analysis, the factors that influence the adherence of the COVID-19 social distancing behavior guide were found in women and the perception of the COVID-19 social distancing behavior guideline. Conclusion: In order to promote the implementation of the COVID-19 social distancing behavior guideline, it is necessary to increase the perception of the COVID-19 social distancing behavior guideline and provide additional education in men. It is necessary to investigate the reason behind why men have low adherence to the COVID-19 social distancing behavior guideline.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.451-460
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine occupational risk factors that affect the mental health (depression, anxiety, anger, insomnia, self-esteem, trauma) of hospital facility workers. Methods: A survey was conducted from November 17, 2020 to December 1, 2020 for 700 non-medical workers (Temporary and contract workers: cleaning, security, information, office workers, etc.) working at a general hospital in Seoul. Results: As a result of the study, the risk of musculoskeletal disorders was found to have a significant effect on depression, anxiety, insomnia, and trauma. Noise had a significant effect on depression and anger, dust hazard had an effect on depression and self-esteem, and high temperature had a significant effect on anxiety and insomnia. Conclusions: Based on these results, it is necessary to examine the influence of occupational risk factors to improve the mental health of non-medical hospital facility workers.