• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.303-308
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• 2023

Background: Occupational workers at altitudes are more prone to falls, leading to catastrophic outcomes. Acrophobia, height-related anxiety, and affected executive functions lead to postural instabilities, causing falls. This study investigated the effects of repeated virtual height exposure and training on cognitive processing and height-related anxiety. Methods: Twenty-eight healthy volunteers (age 20.48 ± 1.26 years; mass 69.52 ± 13.78 kg) were recruited and tested in seven virtual environments (VE) [ground (G), 2-story altitude (A1), 2-story edge (E1), 4-story altitude (A2), 4-story edge (E2), 6-story altitude (A3), and 6-story edge (E3)] over three days. At each VE, participants identified occupational hazards present in the VE and completed an Attitude Towards Heights Questionnaire (ATHQ) and a modified State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Questionnaire (mSTAIQ). The number of hazards identified and the ATHQ and mSTAIQ scores were analyzed using a 7 (VE; G, A1, A2, A3, E1, E2, E3) x 3 (DAY; DAY 1, DAY 2, DAY 3) factorial repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: The participants identified the lowest number of hazards at A3 and E3 VEs and on DAY 1 compared to other VEs and DAYs. ATHQ scores were lowest at G, A1, and E1 VEs. Conclusion: Cognitive processing is negatively affected by virtual altitudes, while it improves with short-term training. The features of virtual reality, such as higher involvement, engagement, and reliability, make it a better training tool to be considered in ergonomic settings. The findings of this study will provide insights into cognitive dual-tasking at altitude and its challenges, which will aid in minimizing occupational falls.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.389-399
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to provide the evidence necessary to establish job stress management strategies to improve office workers conditions by looking at the impact on job stress factors depending on the nature of the organization. The stress related variables (job stress and psychological well-being) and organizational effectiveness variables (job satisfaction, job engagement, intention to leave, and presentieesm) was included. A total of 154 questionnaires were distributed from 26th June to 1 August 2014 and 150 people were analyzed. The results indicated that a lack of reward was negatively correlated with job satisfaction and job engagement, and positively correlated with the intention to leave (p<0.05) in a large-sized company model. Moreover, in a medium-sized company model, organizational injustice was statistically significant with job satisfaction and job engagement. Organizational injustice, lack of reward, and occupational climate was positively correlated with the intention to leave (p<0.05). This study has its significance in that it looked at the job stress as a predictive variable to explain the organizational effectiveness and highlights the need to establish a stress management strategy depending on the nature of the company.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.295-304
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• 2015

Background: While attention has been paid to physical risks in the work environment and the promotion of individual employee health, mental health protection and promotion have received much less focus. Psychosocial risk management has not yet been fully incorporated in such efforts. This paper presents good practices in promoting mental health in the workplace in line with World Health Organization (WHO) guidance by identifying barriers, opportunities, and the way forward in this area. Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 17 experts who were selected on the basis of their knowledge and expertise in relation to good practice identified tools. Interviewees were asked to evaluate the approaches on the basis of the WHO model for healthy workplaces. Results: The examples of good practice for Workplace Mental Health Promotion (WMHP) are in line with the principles and the five keys of the WHO model. They support the third objective of the WHO comprehensive mental health action plan 2013-2020 for multisectoral implementation of WMHP strategies. Examples of good practice include the engagement of all stakeholders and representatives, science-driven practice, dissemination of good practice, continual improvement, and evaluation. Actions to inform policies/legislation, promote education on psychosocial risks, and provide better evidence were suggested for higher WMHP success. Conclusion: The study identified commonalities in good practice approaches in different countries and stressed the importance of a strong policy and enforcement framework as well as organizational responsibility for WMHP. For progress to be achieved in this area, a holistic and multidisciplinary approach was unanimously suggested as a way to successful implementation.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.73-79
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• 2014

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the burden experienced by nursing personnel working irregular shifts in Greece and to conduct the first test of a Greek version of the Standard Shiftwork Index (SSI). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out. The SSI was completed by 365 nurses and nursing assistants working shifts, including nights. Results: Female nursing personnel and those suffering from a chronic disease were most affected by working rotating shifts as they had elevated scores on the majority of the SSI scales, such as sleep, chronic fatigue, digestive and cardiovascular problems, general health questionnaire, cognitive and somatic anxiety, shift time satisfaction, engagement and disengagement strategies, languidity, flexibility, and neurotisicm. Nurses with longer working experience and those with family responsibilities also scored higher on some of the SSI scales, such as the sleep, shift time satisfaction, social and domestic disruption, disengagement strategies, morningness, and languidity scales. Conclusion: Shiftwork affects female nurses, those with chronic disease, older age, and domestic responsibilities more severely. Therefore management should take these factors into account when designing work schedules to alleviate the burden caused by shiftwork.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.195-204
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of nursing workplace spirituality, job embeddedness, and the nursing work environment on the organizational commitment of clinical nurses. The findings of the study will serveasafoundational resource for designinginterventions to improvenurses' organizational commitment. Methods: The samples of this study comprised 170 nurses working at general hospitals in B City. Data were analyzed through the SPSS 25.0 program using ANOVA, t-test, Scheffé test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression. Results: The primaryfactors impactingparticipants' organizational commitment were nursing workplace spirituality (β=.388, p<.001), nursing work environment (β=.232, p=.001), position (β=.145, p=.009),and pay satisfaction (β=.143, p=.012). These factors had an explanatory power of 51.4% with regard to organizational commitment. Conclusion: To improve nurses' organizational commitment, it is necessary to implementand developintervention programs aimed atincreasingtheir sense of workplace spirituality. Moreover, organizational management and policy initiatives are needed to foster apositivenursing work environment and pay satisfaction.

• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.11-20
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• 2016

Objective : The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of rehabilitation therapists' general characteristics and job involvement on stress. The subjects of this study were occupational therapists and physical therapists working for long-term hospitals and general hospitals located in K and B cities, South Korea. Methods : The study investigated general characteristics, job stress, and job involvement by using questionnaires. Analysis conducted on total 144 questionnaires excluding 19 questionnaires, which did not satisfy the subject selection criteria. Results : The results show that job involvement had significantly positive correlations with job requirement, job autonomy, relationship conflicts, organization system, inappropriate compensation, job instability, and workplace culture. Secondly, marital status, wage level, and job engagement explained 46.6% of variations in job stress. Conclusion : The study was meaningful in examining the variables influencing the job stress of rehabilitation therapists. We expect that it can be used for improving the job environment of rehabilitation therapists.

• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.11-21
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• 2018

Objective : Migration can be a stressful process to people because they have to adjust a lot of things including habits, routine and cultural behavior. Also, Migrant can negatively impact on participation in daily meaningful occupations. Thus, the purpose of this research is to investigate whether participation in meaningful occupations after immigration and environmental factors impact the QOL in migrant women. Method : Migrant females who live in Australia were invited to participate in the study (n= 9). In this study, participation, environmental factors and QOL were measured using the questionnaire, which was developed by researchers. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants who were then asked to fill out a survey. Both quantitative data and qualitative data were collected. The SPSS program was used to process the quantitative data that was transcribed and coded. Result : Spearman's rank correlation coefficient shows that the total scale of QOL and the total scale of occupational engagement were significantly correlated at the 0.05 level. Conclusion : There was a significant relationship between quality of life and occupational engagements. Migrant women tend to have a lack of participation in meaning occupations thus, it seems to impact on their quality of life.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.162-168
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• 2017

Background: Pelvic ring fractures (PRFs) may influence the daily activities and quality of life of the injured. The aim of this retrospective study was to explore the functional outcomes and factors related to return to work (RTW) after PRF. Methods: During the years 2003-2012, 282 injured individuals aged 20-55 years on the date of the accident, were hospitalized and treated for PRFs in a large tertiary hospital in Athens, Greece. One hundred and three patients were traced and contacted; 77 who were on paid employment prior to the accident gave their informed consent to participate in the survey, which was conducted in early 2015 through telephone interviews. The questionnaire included variables related to injury, treatment and activities, and the Majeed pelvic score. Univariate and multiple regression analyses were used for statistical assessment. Results: Almost half of the injured (46.7%) fully RTW, and earning losses were reported to be 35% after PRF. The univariate analysis confirmed that RTW was significantly related to accident site (labor or not), the magnitude of the accident's force, concomitant injuries, duration of hospitalization, time to RTW, engagement to the same sport, Majeed score, and complications such as limp and pain as well as urologic and sexual complaints (p < 0.05 for all). On multiple logistic regression analysis, the accident sustained out of work (odds ratio: 6.472, 95% confidence interval: 1.626-25.769) and Majeed score (odds ratio: 3.749, 95% confidence interval: 2.092-6.720) were identified as independent predictive factors of full RTW. Conclusion: PRFs have severe socioeconomic consequences. Possible predictors of RTW should be taken into account for health management and policies.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.63-70
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• 2007

There are something unreasonable, unsatisfactory on the law system for laboratorial safety enforced by the government from April 2006. Therefore, the system should be reviewed and revised to be satisfactory for current research condition. This study is to analyze research areas for improving laboratorial safety and to show safer ideas. With more detail, more practically improving ideas have been shown for systemizing safety assessment in advance, effective organization of laboratory, safety committee and their regulation. It is expected that better safety level all the concerned engagement, reasonable revision of safety regulation of laboratory, can be made by this research result.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.82-89
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• 2009

Objectives : Anxiety is a common co-morbid symptom in patients with epilepsy, which can affect the treatment and prognosis of epilepsy patients. This study is designed to compare the characteristics of anxiety between epilepsy patients and normal controls and also analyze them in epilepsy patients by examining both seizure-related and socio-demographic variables. Methods : As cross-sectional study, 80 epilepsy patients were enrolled from January to July 2008. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-(STAI) was used to assess the characteristics of anxiety. STAI is composed of transitory episodes of anxiety-(state subscale of STAI ; STAI-S) and stable personality features presenting chronic levels of anxiety-(trait subscale of STAI ; STAI-T). As controls, 113 healthy age-and sex-matched people were included. Results : The mean score of STAI-S and STAI-T were not different in both groups(STAI-S ; p=0.998, STAIT ; p=0.343). Within patients, patients without occupational engagement showed higher STAI-S(p<0.001) and tendency to higher STAI-T(p=0.052). Patients with depression showed higher score in both modalities(STAIS and STAI-T ; p<0.001). Patients with aura showed higher STAI-T(p=0.031). Conclusions : STAI-S and STAI-T was not significantly different between patients and controls. Of 3 factors related to anxiety, higher STAI-T in patients with aura is likely to represent misunderstanding internal and external changes as an aura and worrying about impending seizure. Occupational engagement and depression had relation to both STAI-S and STAI-T and more concern is needed to evaluate the risk of anxiety and manage it appropriately.