• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.292-302
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to evaluate thermal properties of lab gowns developed from the point of safety and work efficiency. We evaluated thermal and subjective responses of subjects wearing functional new lab gowns (Type B, C, D) and a popular lab gown on the market (Type A). Type B was a new lab gown made of woven fabric with functional cuffs. Type C was a new apron made of woven fabric with arm protectors. Type D was a new lab gown made of non-woven material with functional cuffs and openings around the armpits. Temperature in the climatic chamber was set at 19$^{\circ}$C as an indoor temperature in winter and at 24$^{\circ}$C in summer. There were no significant differences in rectal temperature and heart rate among four types of gowns and between two air temperatures for 120 min. Mean skin temperature was much higher in the type A and B than in He type C and D (p .05). In the 19$^{\circ}$C air, clothing microclimate temperature on the back was the highest in the type B and was the lowest in the type C (p .05). Clothing microclimate humidity was not significant differences among gowns. In subjective .esponses, subjects perceived that Type B was the warmest gown in the 19$^{\circ}$C and the hottest and more humid in the 24$^{\circ}$C than other gowns. Inversely, type C was the coolest gown among four gowns. Both in the 19$^{\circ}$C and in the 24$^{\circ}$C, the Type D had gained most responses of being comfortable. In conclusion, the temperature difference of 5$^{\circ}$C was more of an influencing factor than the difference from four types of lab gowns. Secondly, we recommend the manufacturers to make lab gowns with functional cuffs for safety purposes. Thirdly, the spread of the type of apron with arm protector will contribute to increase of the frequency of wearing in summer. Fourthly, it is necessary to study continuously about lab gowns with non-woven materials for researchers exposed to toxic chemical and biological materials.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.172-181
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to develop functional lab gowns in the view of safety and work efficiency. As the first step of this study, we surveyed on satisfaction rates, preferences and inconvenience items in regard of lab gowns. The data was obtained from 138 graduate students specialized in science and 113 medical students. Respondents answered that the first purpose of wearing lab gown was to protect body from danger. Wearing frequency followed with ‘always’, ‘as possible as’, and then ‘sometimes’. Forty-five percentage of respondents answered that they didn't wear lab gowns often in summer because of hot weather. The contaminated or damaged parts of lab gowns followed with cuffs, abdomen, thigh, lower part, and then chest. Washing frequency followed with ‘once a month’, ‘once per six months’, and then ‘more than once a week’ There were significant differences in normal wearing frequency, wearing frequency by season and washing frequency due to major. There were no significant difference by sex and major in all questions. In regard of the protective capacity of current lab gowns, most respondents answered that ‘It's normal’(60%), ‘It's enough’(21%), so that they didn't show much dissatisfaction. Forty-three percentage of respondents were not satisfied with cuffs. Respondents answered that the cuffs were in danger and inconvenient because of broad cuffs. In regard of color, preference for white were high and followed with ivory, light sky, light green. and then light pink. Materials of current lab gowns were cotton/polyester or polyester 100%. Sixty-eight percentage of respondents were satisfied with that and others were not. The reasons for dissatisfactions were as follows; those materials were not protective to chemicals thoroughly enough. Cotton/polyester materials were heavy. Wearing sensation of polyester 100% was not good.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.64-81
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to analyse middle school students' images and perceptions about scientist, technician and engineer and to compare the images of male students with those of female students. Fralick et al.(2009)'s "Draw a scientist at work and draw an engineer at work" was modified and administered to 110 middle school 3rd grade students (43 male students, 67 female students) from 5 middle schools. They drew the figures at work and took explanation of what the person was doing in a drawing. The results of this study were as follows; First, the representative image of scientist was the man with glasses and lab gown performing the chemical experiment. There were no significant differences between the male students and female students in terms of the scientist images. Second, the representative image of technician was the man who was fixing a car and working with his hands. The technicians were illustrated as working with tools such as wrench, hammer and so on. There were no significant differences between the male students and female students in terms of the technician images. Third, the students involved in this study frequently perceived male engineers as working indoors. But perceptions about performance of engineers were significantly different between male students and female students. A majority of male students recognized that engineers should design, invent and create the products, however many female students perceived the engineers as car mechanics. Fourth, the students perceived differently the scientists' task compared with the technicians', but they had difficulty in distinguishing the scientists' task from the engineers' task.

• 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.