• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.182-194
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• 2009

This study was conducted to evaluate health status and to propose health protection measures of irregular plant construction workers in Yoesu National Industrial Complex (YNIC). The status of safety and health management was examined in five areas including safety and health education, work environment monitoring, health examination, health management record, and personal protective equipment (PPE) for plant construction workers. The safety training rate for plant construction workers was reached high at 91%, The training was mostly consisted of safety accident related things, but training on hazardous materials was found to be insufficient. Workplace monitoring results showed that the compliance rate for work environment for irregular construction workers was 54% and workplace monitoring during turnaround (TA) period with high risk of exposure to hazardous agents has not been implemented. While 61.4% of irregular workers received the general health examination but only 36.8% received the special health examination. The special health examination was found to be conducted only upon welders from 2-3 years ago. The issue of health management record upon irregular construction workers was not being implemented. In case of PPE, basic safety protective equipments such as safety shoes, safety belt, safety helmet were being supplied well while the supply rate of respirator for organic vapor was relatively low at 40%. Based on this study, two suggestions to maximize the utilization of the current safety and health program were made while boosting its effectiveness in protecting workers' health. First, the role of owners (petrochemical plant) related to safety and health should be strengthened. Second, in consideration of the characteristics of construction workers who usually engage in short term employment and frequent movement, community based health management organization is suggested that can overcome such structural problem and carry out the implementation of health examination and sustained health management.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.66-76
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• 2013

Objective : Based on the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO), this study was to identifies the goals setting of elderly person with dementia. Methods : For 5 weeks from May to June of 2012, MOHO-based interviews and Occupational Questionnaire(OQ), Interest checklist(IC), Volitional Questionnaire(VQ), The Assessment of Communication and Interaction Skills(ACIS), Occupational Performance History Interview-II(OPHI-II), Occupational Self Assessment(OSA), The Occupational Circumstances Assessment Interview and Rating(OCAIR) assessment were conducted on elderly person with dementia. Further interviews were conducted with case manager and family. Results : After interviews and assessments were conducted, the results of which showed limitations in social and family relationship, financial issues, general well-being. Conclusion : Applying the MOHO forms a basis for judging the subject in a holistic and general way, changes how the subject is viewed, suggests various strategies. For improving the professinoalism and qualities of occupational therapy service, and may help expand the range of other relevant areas.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.169-176
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• 2014

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate occupational symptoms and chemical exposures of nail salon technicians. Methods: Work-related symptoms of nail salon technicians in Daegu City were surveyed using a researcher-administered questionnaire, and responses were compared to those of non-exposed office workers as controls. Personal exposure level of airborne volatile organic compounds was also monitored using passive samplers. Results: A total of 159 subjects in 120 salons were interviewed. Average work-shift concentrations of 13 chemicals were measured for 50 workers from 30 salons using personal passive samplers. The most frequently reported respiratory or neurologic symptoms by nail shop technicians compared to controls were nose irritation (odds ratio [OR], 54.0; confidence interval [CI], 21.6 to 134.8), followed by headache (OR, 9.3; CI, 4.7 to 18), and throat irritation (OR, 4.3; CI, 2.2 to 8.5). For eyes and skin, 92% of respondents complained eye irritation (OR, 13.1; CI, 5.7 to 30.1). In musculoskeletal symptoms, workers reported pain or discomfort in shoulders (OR, 20.3; CI, 7.7 to 54) and neck (OR, 19.7; CI, 8.9 to 43.6). From personal measurements, the proportion of exceeding the Korean Occupational Exposure Limit was the highest for acetone with 64%, followed by toluene (50%), butyl acetate (46%), and methyl methacrylate (12%). However, the service was being provided without a proper ventilation system in most surveyed shops. Conclusions: Based on these findings, it is warranted to have appropriate local exhaust ventilation place to ensure adequate health protection of nail shop technicians as well as customers. At the same time, greater policy interests are warranted in nail care business to protect health of both workers and customers.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.73-79
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• 2024

Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between work-related communication devices use during work outside of regular working hours and depressive symptoms in wage workers. Methods: Data from 50,538 workers aged 15 years or older who had participated in the 6th Korean Working Condition Survey (KWCS) were used. The final sample was 32,994 wage workers. The questionnaire asked the respondents how often they used communication devices for work during work outside of regular working hours. Depressive symptoms were assessed using WHO-5 Well-Being Index. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between work-related communication devices use during work outside of regular working hours and depressive symptoms. Results: The rate of depressive symptoms was highest among workers who did not use work-related communication devices during work outside of regular working hours. After adjusting for socio-demographic and work-related factors, the odds ratio of depressive symptoms among workers who used communication devices when working outside of regular working hours was 1.20 (95% CI: 1.09-1.32); the odds ratio of depressive symptoms in the group not using communication devices for free-time work was 1.66 (95% CI: 1.37-2.00), which was higher than that of the reference group, that is, workers who did not work outside of regular working hours, and was statistically significant. Conclusion: Regardless of whether work-related communication devices are used, working outside of regular working hours increases depressive symptoms. The use of work-related communication devices during work outside of regular working hours can reduce the rate of depressive symptoms.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.143-149
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• 2002

Nowadays senile dementia is on the rise as consequence of serious social problem because of it is old aged society by improvement of medical service. However remedial approach is not being done because of we still don't have an infallible cure of dementia and dementia is been hard to cure. Thus it is introduced in this study to the concept of Occupational therapy, which is one of the remedies. I tried to find out which remedy is the best to cure demented elderly and which is been able to use on field. For this study, I applied a developed Occupational therapy program in actual practice. First, I chose nine demented elderly who are lived in 'David's house' located in Daejon metropolitan city, and I separated them in three groups for this study. Second, I applied each Occupational therapy to first and second group, and I did not apply any Occupational therapy to third group. The first and second group was applied the program, two times a week for an hour, for three months. The measurement of Cognitive function was practiced five times - one time before applying the Occupational therapy by MMSE-K, and three times during applying the program, and one time after ending of the program. The measurement of ADL was practiced two times - one time before applying the Occupational therapy by the Barthel ADL, and one time after one month from ending the program. Effectiveness of Occupational therapy and possibility of application of Occupational therapy program are proved because of this study shows the Occupational therapy keeps well the cognitive function and the ADL function of demented elderly, improves those functions, affects positively to the whole life. However we must develop Occupational therapy, which is proper to a trait of character, and expanded application is needed. In addition, temporary remedy must not be performed but continuous cure. This study will be complement by studying about special situation researcher cannot control something like unexpected death of demented elderly by other diseases.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.111-119
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• 2007

Firemen are directly exposed to various harmful chemicals, physical factors and mental stress during rescue and fire-fighting. In fire extinguishing, unstable posture, poisonous gas, dust, high temperature and heavy equipments are possible hazardous factors. The alertness for emergency, shift work, job strain and stress are also possibly hazardous. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of musculo-skeletal symptoms and job stress and to determine risk factors in firemen. This study was carried out in a group of 226 firemen in Busan City, Korea. Standardized Nordic Questionnaire was used to investigate the prevalence of musculo-skeletal symptoms and Psycho-social Well-being Index (abbreviated PWI) was used to investigate the prevalence of job stress. General and occupational characteristics were included education, marital status, alcohol and smoking history, working duration, and work shift system. Body mass index (BMI) scores were calculated by physical examination including height and weight. Concerning musculo-skeletal complaints, the commonest site was neck, and shoulder, lower back, upper back were the next. Complaint site above one area of body was about 80%. From multiple logistic regression analysis, working duration was significant variable in musculo-skeletal symptoms. Odds ratio were 15.4 in working duration. About 16.8% was high risk stress group. From multiple logistic regression analysis, shift work and alcohol drinking were significant variables in PWI scores. Odds ratios were 2.25 in shift work. Accordingly, interventions are needed for health promotion of long term and shift worker.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.7-21
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• 2020

Objective : The aim of this systematic review is to analyze the assessment items and tools used for the discharge of stroke and elderly patients and to help select appropriate assessment tools for discharge planning. Methods : The studies included in this review were collected from the PubMed, Medline Complete (EBSCOhost), and Scopus databases from January 2009 to December 2018. A total 22 studies were selected. The research types, the areas and sub-areas of assessment, as well as the assessment tools according to the areas were analyzed. Results : Descriptive research (59.2%) was the most frequent type of research. The 12 main areas of assessment were medical condition, activities of daily living, swallowing function, sensation, mobility, cognition and perception, communication, emotion, home environment, patient knowledge and readiness for discharge, social support, and well-being. Among the assessment tools, the most frequently used tools were Bathel Index; Functional Independence Measure, to assess activities of daily living; Short-Form Health Survey, to assess well-being, and Timed Up and Go test, to assess mobility. Conclusion : This study will help select the assessment areas and tools to be considered at discharge of stroke patients and serve a basis for the development of comprehensive assessment tools for discharge planning.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.46-55
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• 2022

Objectives Many studies have reported noticeable increases in the proportion of employees working either relatively short or relatively long hours. Such trends have been accompanied by an increasing concern that how much subjective mental well-being of employees would be influenced by their hours of work. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between work hours and clinically relevant depressive symptoms with demographic variables adjusted. Methods Participants were employees of a total of 56 private companies and local government organizations in Korea, aged 19 to 65 years. A self-report questionnaire that included items on working hour, job stress, levels of depression, and socio-demographic factors was administered to 15360 Korean employees, with 14477 valid responses. Hierarchical linear regression analyses, adjusted for sociodemographic factors, job related demographic factors, job stress, were used additionally to estimate the association between working hours and depressive scores. Results We found that working more than 40 hours per week correlated positively with the level of depressive symptoms after adjusting for demographic variables and the level of job stress. Furthermore, working 40 or fewer hours per week correlated negatively with the level of depressive symptoms. Being younger (β = -0.078, β = -0.099), being a female (β = 2.770, β = 1.268), and possessing a lower level of education (β = -0.315, β = -1.125) were significantly associated with higher level of depressive symptoms in all respondents. Conclusions Both of working excessively long or short hours is significantly associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms. Establishing proper office hours for employees is critical to improving the quality of working conditions and maintaining good mental health in the workplace.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.203-209
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• 2014

Background: Coal mining is of significant economic importance to the Australian economy. Despite this fact, the related workforce is subjected to a number of psychosocial risks and musculoskeletal injury, and various psychological disorders are common among this population group. Because only limited research has been conducted in this population group, we sought to examine the relationship between physical (pain) and psychological (distress) factors, as well as the effects of various demographic, lifestyle, and fatigue indicators on this relationship. Methods: Coal miners (N = 231) participated in a survey of musculoskeletal pain and distress on-site during their work shifts. Participants also provided demographic information (job type, age, experience in the industry, and body mass index) and responded to questions about exercise and sleep quality (on-and off-shift) as well as physical and mental tiredness after work. Results: A total of 177 workers (80.5%) reported experiencing pain in at least one region of their body. The majority of the sample population (61.9%) was classified as having low-level distress, 28.4% had scores indicating mild to moderate distress, and 9.6% had scores indicating high levels of distress. Both number of pain regions and job type (being an operator) significantly predicted distress. Higher distress score was also associated with greater absenteeism in workers who reported lower back pain. In addition, perceived sleep quality during work periods partially mediated the relationship between pain and distress. Conclusion: The study findings support the existence of widespread musculoskeletal pain among the coal-mining workforce, and this pain is associated with increased psychological distress. Operators (truck drivers) and workers reporting poor sleep quality during work periods are most likely to report increased distress, which highlights the importance of supporting the mining workforce for sustained productivity.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.55-71
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• 2020

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the necessity of occupational therapist's involvement in patient discharge planning, the areas that should be considered for discharge screening and planning, and to provide the basic data required for the development of a discharge assessment tool. Methods : We conducted an online questionnaire survey of 60 occupational therapists who were working at medical institutions and had agreed to participate in the study. The questionnaire was composed of 36 questions regarding the general characteristics of the current discharge planning process and the necessity of discharge assessment and planning. Descriptive statistics, an independent t-test, and a one-way ANOVA were conducted using SPSS 20.0. As for the post-hoc test, Scheffe's test was used. Results : The awareness of occupational therapist's role in discharge planning and the necessity of a discharge assessment tool were high, but the occupational therapist's awareness of discharge-related knowledge was low. The difficulties in discharge planning showed high response rate in the absence of adequate fee-for-service in the patient interview and assessment and the lack of team approach and appropriate assessment tools for discharge planning. The high-needs areas for evaluation during discharge were fall risk and BADL, and the low-needs areas were well-being and functional level prior to onset. Conclusion : This study is expected to provide preliminary information necessary for the development of a discharge assessment tool for effective discharge planning.