• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.229-242
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• 2013

Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the current status of the association of job-related information such as employment status, workplace environment, and hazard material exposures with health examination outcomes. Methods: The study used data from KNHANES 2007-2009 representing the three years of 2007-2009, which was conducted annually using a rolling sampling design that involved a complex, stratified, multistage, probability-cluster survey of a representative sample of the non-institutionalized civilian population in Korea. The final analytical sample consisted of 17,240 participants. Information on age, education, smoking history and alcohol intake was collected during the health interview. Job related information consisted of employment status, workplace environment, and hazardous material exposure. The selected indices of health examination were blood pressure, fasting glucose, blood cholesterol, HDL, SGOT, SGPT, and BUN. Results: In multiple logistic regression analysis using hypertension and pre-hypertension as dependent variables and job related categories as independent variables after covariate adjustments, the odds of hypertension and pre-hypertension were significantly lower in those with responsibility and power in their job activities. Interestingly, low odds for hypertension were observed among those who reported that their jobs were fast-paced. Conclusions: This study confirmed that some job-related categories in employment status, workplace environment, and hazardous material exposure had an association with health outcome status. It is worthwhile to comment that high responsibility and power in job activities were revealed as one of the important favorable factors to improve health condition of workers.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.103-109
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• 2011

Object: we investigated some factors which can affect workers' comprehension of chemical hazard information and their actions to protect themselves from the hazard. Method: Comprehension score of chemical hazard information and the rate of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) was surveyed for the 109 workers from 15 factories who were exposed to N, N-dimethylformamide. Difference of the worker's comprehension score of hazard information was analyzed by education interval, work duration and the way of occupational safety and health management between self-managed or sub-contracted. Result: Mean comprehension score of N, N-dimethylformamide hazard, which was given as a short quiz composed of 10 "true" or "false" problems, was 65%. Mean percentage of wearing PPE was improved as the education program was done within a month but decreased after 6 months. Eighty seven % of workers got the chemical hazard information from the material safety data sheet placed at workplace. Conclusion: Education interval and comprehension score affected the rate of wearing PPE. The way of occupational safety and health management self-managed or sub-contracted did not affect the workers' comprehension score on hazard information nor the rate of wearing PPE.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2013

Purpose - The environment-friendly agricultural product market in Korea sees continual high growth. Recently, the Korean government has been actively fostering environment-friendly agriculture as an engine of future growth. Korean people have increasingly become more health-conscious and interested in food safety issues. Many distribution and retailing companies have responded with various promotional activities. However, most of these are not strategic and appear to have unsatisfactory outcomes. The main purpose of this paper is to suggest effective marketing strategies for environment-friendly agricultural products. To achieve this aim, the study empirically investigates the effects of consumer characteristics and trust on the purchase intention of environment-friendly agricultural products. Research design, data, methodology - Based on the theory of planned behavior, and previous studies related to the purchase intention and consumption of environment-friendly agricultural products, we set up five study hypotheses. These related to the demographic characteristics of consumers, purchase intention, and behavior of the products. We then set up a study model and four study hypotheses relating to health consciousness, environmental consciousness, consumer trust level, purchase intention, and behavior of the products. The data were collected using a questionnaire given to consumers living in Seoul and southern Geonggi Province. The final sample size is 403 and mean age is 44.3. SPSS 15.0 for Windows and Amos 7.0 were used as statistical analysis tools. Meaningful results were derived using frequency analysis, correlation analysis, a t-test, and structural equation modeling. Results - Empirical results of this research are as follows. (1) First, it is shown that consumers consider such attributes as intimacy and health to be important when they buy environment-friendly agricultural products. (2) We also found that consumers recognize the value of environment-friendly agricultural products as high, but their trust level as low. (3) Consumer groups consisting of married couples, with higher education, higher income, and higher age are shown to have a higher intention of buying environment-friendly agricultural products than any other consumer group. (4) It is estimated that the level of consumer trust positively affects the purchase intention of environment-friendly agricultural products. The path coefficient (.138) between consumer trust and purchase intention is statistically significant at the α = .05 level. (5). It is also estimated that environmental consciousness positively affects purchase intention. The path coefficient (.245) between environmental consciousness and purchase intention is statistically significant at the α = 0.05 level. The standardized path coefficients of consumer trust and environmental consciousness with purchase intention are .556 and .288 respectively. Therefore, consumer trust affects purchase intention more than environmental consciousness. (6) Finally, purchase intention is estimated to positively affect purchase behavior. Conclusions - Based upon empirical results, this research suggests that marketers of environment-friendly agricultural products should focus more on increasing consumer trust levels, emphasizing the training and education of employees. The government also should pay attention to a standardized certification system for environment-friendly agricultural products. Marketers of environment-friendly agricultural products should consider the consumer groups of married couples, with higher education, higher income, and higher age as a major target segment.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.143-157
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• 2021

This study analyzed and verified the effects of a dietary education program for Korean young adults in single-person households. The dietary education program was conducted for five weeks (from November 10 to December 8, 2020) for Korean young adults in single-person households living in Seongbuk-gu, via four face-to-face education sessions and one online education session, including both theoretical lectures and practice. The effect of the dietary education program was analyzed through the Nutrition Quotient (NQ) questionnaire for adults provided by the Korean Nutrition Society, a dietary evaluation checklist questionnaire developed by the researchers, and photovoices. The average of 'Nutrition' score increased from 51.81 to 53.20, but there was no statistically significant difference. However, there was a significant change in the 'Moderation' category (p<0.05). As for the researcher-developed dietary evaluation, the average of the 'Importance' area rose from 3.77 to 3.99, but there was no statistically significant difference. The average of the 'Practice' area rose from 3.03 to 3.57, significant results were found (p<0.05). When the pre-/post-tests were compared by the sub-categories, four elements of 'Importance', i.e., balanced meals and avoided foods, and all five elements of 'Practice' were significantly improved (p<0.05). A total of 200 photovoices were analyzed according to Social Cognitive Theory. As a result of the analysis, the deterrents that help people eat healthy homemade food were 48% environmental factors, 30% behavioral factors, and 22% individual cognitive factors. The deterrents found to hinder participants from eating healthy homemade food were 72% environmental factors and 14% individual cognitive and behavioral factors. The results suggest that the dietary education program for Korean young adults in single-person households can be an effective tool that promotes self-motivation, behavioral changes, and improvements of the surrounding environment.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.35-50
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• 1995

The purpose of this study was to investigate the recognition degrees of contents in Home Economics textbook for middle school students among pre-middle school students and their parents. It is for developing better Home Economics textbook. Three objectives of this study were ; 1) To find the recognition degrees of the fact that Home Economics subject is supposed to utilize for not only girls, but boys students in middle schools in 1996 among pre-middle school students and their parents. 2) To find the degrees of necessity in each field of Home Economics subject among pre-middle school students and their parents. 3) To find the differences in recognition degrees of understandings, attitudes, and sills of Home Economics subject between pre-middle school students and their parents. Questionnaire survey method was utilized to 1,205 sixth grade students and their parents in Pusan. The results of this study as follows; 1) It was low that the recognition degrees of the fact that Home Economics subject is supposed to utilize for both girls and boys in middle school among both pre-middle school students and their parents. This result implies that it is important to important to disseminate the curriculum change in Home Economics practice to the public. 2) It was high that the recognition degree of necessity in each field of Home Economics subject among pre-middle school students and their parents. The recognition degree were different according to sociodemographic factors. That is , $\circled1$the recognition degrees of students were lower than their parents; $\circled2$ the recognition degrees of parents who have high education were higher than those who have low education ; $\circled3$ the recognition degree of an environmental field was highest. 3) There were little differences between pre-middle school students and their parents in the recognition degrees of understandings, attitudes, and skills of Home Economics subjects: The recognition degrees of girls fathers showed higher scores than boys fathers those of in understandings and skills of Home Economics subject. The recognition degrees of girls fathers showed higher scores than those of girls in attitudes of Home Economics subject.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.472-481
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• 2012

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the AD (allergic diseases: asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis) prevalence among elementary schoolchildren in an industrial city, Ulsan, and identify major environmental risk factors associated with AD prevalence. Methods: Data on the physician-diagnosed prevalence over the past 12 months and potential risk factors of AD were collected through a questionnaire from a 2009-2010 survey of 4,067 schoolchildren living in different urban environments. The logistic regression analysis was performed to assess differences in AD prevalence among the areas and to determine which environmental factors impacted AD. Results: Our survey results showed that the AD prevalence rate ranged between 26.2% and 35.9%. Children living in polluted areas (near industrial and central urban areas) had about a 10% higher prevalence of AD than did those living in coastal or suburban residences. The Chi-Square test demonstrated that this local difference was statistically significant before and after adjustment of major confounders such as parental AD history and parental education. The results of the logistic regression analysis showed a statistically significant association between several environmental factors (ventilation in winter, odor conditions and exposure to traffic smoke, and outdoor $PM_{10}/O_3$ pollution) and the prevalence of AD found by multivariate model after adjusting confounders. Conclusion: These results suggest that local differences in AD prevalence are significantly associated with outdoor environmental factors. Although there are likely to be other risk factors for AD, living in a polluted area and exposure to high levels of air pollutants can contribute to an increased risk of childhood AD.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.34
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• pp.13.1-13.11
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• 2022

Background: Work is an inseparable element of a person's life, and violence in the workplace has various effects on individual workers and companies. While most studies have focused on specific industries, very few studies have investigated the influence of workplace violence by co-workers. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the association between workplace violence and work-related depression/anxiety in various occupations by differentiating the perpetrators of violence as co-workers and clients. Methods: This study was conducted based on data from the 4th and 5th Korean Working Conditions Surveys (KWCS). The experience of workplace violence was classified in terms of the perpetrator: workplace violence by co-workers and that by clients. Work-related depression and anxiety were assessed using questions about health problems related to depression and anxiety and whether the problems were related to work. Descriptive statistics, χ² tests, and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed using the SPSS 26.0. Results: After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics (age, education, income, subjective health status) and occupational characteristics (occupation, weekly working hours, type of employment, size of workplace, and shift work), male workers with experience of workplace violence by co-workers were found to be at a higher risk of work-related depression/anxiety (odds ratio [OR], 11.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 8.65-15.36). The same was confirmed for female workers (OR, 10.89; 95% CI, 7.90-15.02). Conclusions: Employees who experienced workplace violence from co-workers were found to be more vulnerable to work-related depression/anxiety. Continuous contact between the victim and the perpetrator may occur, and the possibility of a secondary assault can frighten the victim. Appropriate prevention and intervention measures that focus on the perpetrators of violence are needed.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.40-53
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• 2002

This study was based on the analysis of earth and environmental science items in PISA 2000 data. The purpose of this study was to identify i) gender differences in scientific literacy, ii) item characteristics that favored either female or male, and iii) misconceptions that 15-years-old Korean students have in the field of earth and environmental science. The results revealed significant gender differences. Overall, male students demonstrated higher level of achievement than female students. On the other hand, amongst high ability students, female students outperformed male students in open-constructed items. Female students tended to score higher on items that required long answers or items related to scientific processes, whereas male students outperformed female students in science knowledge or items that required data interpretation. The study also revealed that a majority of Korean students had misconceptions in fundamental earth and environmental science knowledge, such as the direction of earth's axis and equator, and the causes of Greenhouse Effect.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.16 no.4 s.34
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• pp.127-140
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to find out the interior environment, teaching equipments and tools, practical usages and related problems of the Home Economics practice room as a special room of Home Economics in middle school. The data were collected with questionnaire through a mail from 150 teachers charged in the Technology $\cdot$ Home Economics of the middle schools in the Gyeonggi Province and Incheon Metropolitan City. There were Home Economics practice rooms in the most of the middle schools. The room was used for the Home Economics class as well as for many other activities. which sometimes disturbed the class in the room. The frequency of the usage of the room was relatively low and limited mostly to the cooking class and somewhat sewing class because of the lack of environmental equipment and facilities such as heating, cooling. ventilating systems and furnishings such as table. chair as well as teaching materials. etc. Teachers wanted to use the room for all units of the Home Economics class applied to various teaching methods in the room. The improvement of the interior environments and teaching materials could facilitate the variety of the class in the Home Economic practice room.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 2024

Background: As social distancing persists and interest in work-life balance grows, more companies are adopting flexible work policies. While there have been studies on sleep disorders associated with different types of work, such as shift work, research exploring the relationship between flexible work schedules and sleep disorders is still limited, particularly among Korean workers. Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey, focusing on 31,243 paid workers out of a total of 50,538 participants. We defined flexible workers as those who set their own working hours. Sleep disorders were divided into three categories: 'difficulty falling asleep,' 'frequent waking during sleep,' and 'waking up feeling exhausted and fatigued.' Using scores derived from three specific symptoms, the Minimal Insomnia Symptoms Scale (MISS) was calculated to assess the prevalence of insomnia. We used chi-square tests to analyze demographic and job-related differences. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to identify any relationship between flexible work schedules and sleep disorders. Results: Significant differences were found between flexible and non-flexible workers regarding age, income level, education level, and job type. Flexible workers reported sleep-related symptoms significantly more often. The odds ratio for insomnia was 1.40 (95% CI 1.21-1.61). For males, the odds ratio was 1.68 (1.36-2.08). Conclusion: This study establishes a correlation between flexible work schedules and sleep disorders among Korean salaried workers. Potential causes could include changes in circadian rhythm, increased work demands, and extended working hours. To precisely determine causality and associated diseases, further research is required.