• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.67-75
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• 2011

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze factors that influence the job satisfaction of physical therapists working in hospitals. Methods: The study was done using a self-administered questionnaire associated with job satisfaction, which was completed by 352 physical therapists working in hospitals. Results: The average job satisfaction score was 3.16. Sub-items scores for job satisfaction were higher for overall satisfaction (3.21) and lower for job satisfaction of achievement (3.12) than the average score. Job satisfaction of subjects showed statistically significant differences with regard to differences in sex, marriage, type of hospital, year of total career, type of patients and motivation level (p<0.05). The average job stress score was 2.38. The sub-items of job stress consisted of problems pertaining to physical environment (2.28), job demand (2.54), job autonomy (2.31), social support (2.14), job instability (2.36), organized management system (2.44), inner motive (2.24), and job culture (2.26). Multiple regression analysis revealed that job satisfaction became significantly lower with increasing levels of job stress. Conclusion: These results suggest that the job stress of physical therapists is closely related to their job satisfaction. An effort to reduce job stress may be helpful in improving the health and quality of life of physical therapists who work in hospitals.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.8-18
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• 1996

Korea will soon experience a high demand for medical rehabilitation specialists, if it tries to deliver advanced health welfare service. In order to medical rehabilitation manpower policies, this study attempts to analyse, estimate and plan a long-term supply for physiatrists, physical therapists, and occupational therapists. The study analysed both national and foreign statistical data of manpower supply for medical rehabilitation specialists. A structured category of questionnaire was developed to survey the opinions of regarding the supply for rehabilitation specialists in Korea. Based on the above data, the demand of and supply for each specialists were estimated for long term up to the year 2030. Based on the comparative analysis results of the future demand and supply, the author intended to develop a new supply plan for the three specialist categories. The major findings of the supply plan are as follows : First, the replied proper mean ratios of rehabilitation professionals(physiatrists : physical therapists occupational therapists) appeared 1 : 5.93 : 3.59, and there is no significant difference between interprofessionals (p>0.05). Secons, the estimated demand for rehabilitation services by interprofessionals appeared significant difference among the interprofessionals (p<0.05).

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.304-310
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• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the work-related musculoskeletal pain and quality of life of hospital workers. Methods: Self-reported questionnaires were sent to 350 hospital workers at Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, of which 341 were returned. The questionnaire had four items that covered the demographic information, areas of musculoskeletal problems, pain rating scale, and quality of life. The analysis was completed using descriptive statistic, and the differences between pain and demographic variables were identified using a chi-square test. The differences between the type of occupation and quality of life were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and a Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: The 12-month prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal pain was 86.1% of physical therapists, 86.5% of occupational therapists, 77.1% of dental hygienists, and 75.8% of nurses. A significant difference in the general and work related variables was observed between the subject with a physical burden and type of occupation. The most affected pain sites of the physical therapist included low back, hand and wrist, shoulder, and neck. The occupational therapists included the hand and wrist, shoulder, neck, but the nurses and dental hygienists reported the shoulder, back, hand and wrist. A significant difference in the quality of life was noted between the subjects in physical therapists and dental hygienists and the subjects in the nurses and occupational therapists (p=0.00). Conclusion: These findings show that hospital workers appear to be high risk for work-related musculoskeletal pain, and the quality of life of physical therapists and nurses was higher than that of dental hygienists and occupational therapists.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.128-135
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• 2016

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the "Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapist Act" of Japan and the "Medical Technician's. Etc. Act" of Korea in order to establish the grounds for improvement of effective law-making. Methods: We obtained the "Medical Technician's. Etc. Act" from the Korean Ministry of Government Legislation and the "Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapist Act" from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. It was translated from an association by related Japanese and experts. Results: The laws consisted of acts, enforcement ordinances, and enforcement regulations in both Korea and Japan. In the Korean case, eight occupations were defined in one law including six types of medical technicians, as well as medical recorders and opticians. The "Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapist Act" in Japan is composed of 6 chapters and 22 articles, while the Korean Act consists of 33 articles without chapters. Among them, 11 articles covered the establishment and management of dental laboratories and eyeglass shops, and only 22 articles were related to physical therapists and occupational therapists. Conclusion: Independent laws should be established for each type of medical technician. They must be comparable to Japanese laws on physical therapists and occupational therapists as well as clinical pathologists, dental hygienists, dental technicians, radiologic technologists, medical recorders, and opticians.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.57-66
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• 2012

Background: The main purpose of this study was to know the educational environment on physical therapists who were working at clinical field after graduation. Methods: The subjects of this study were 241 therapists who took and OMPT or PNF course at Seoul, Incheon and Kyounggido. The data were collected during April to June 2012. The data were analysis by SPSS PC by cross-tab, mean, percentage. Results: The general characteristics of physical therapists who took post-graduate education: female (56.0%), 1-3 years clinical experience (41.5%), 25-29 years old (46.5%). The main reason to take post-graduate educational program was to learn more high quality therapeutic skills for the patients treatment (88.4%). But the condition of environment wes poor such as they pay all of expenses by themselves (54.9%), not permit to take international post-graduate educational program (77.2%). Conclusions : For the better post-graduate educational environment for the physical therapists, it needs systemic plan and sequential strategy with passion for the future.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2016

Purpose: Physical therapists are likely to be exposed to work-related musculoskeletal pain due to excessive repetitive tasks. This study was conducted to identify the relationship between work-related musculoskeletal pain and quality of life of physical therapists. Methods: A self-reported questionnaires was sent to 200 physical therapists at in Seoul and Kyoungido. The questionnaires was returned by 170 physical therapists. The questionnaire had included 4 items that coveringed demographic information, areas of musculoskeletal problems, pain rating scale, and WHOQOL-BREF. The analysis was completed using descriptive statistics, and differences between pain and demographic variables were identified using the chi-square test. The relationship between work-related musculoskeletal pain and quality of life was analyzed by t-test and Pearson's correlation. Results: The overall prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal pain was 76.8%. The most affected pain sites included the low back (48.8%), shoulder (45.,2%), hand and wrist (43.5%), and neck (33.3%). Pain ratings of subjects with pain was were moderate. There was a A significant difference for the subdomains of quality of life was observed between the subjects with musculoskeletal pain and those without pain. Weak negative correlations (r=-0.28) were observed between pain rating scale and QOL. Conclusion: These findings show that physical therapists appear to be at a higher risk for work-related musculoskeletal pain and physical domain of QOL. Therefore, Ffurther research is needed to investigate examine the effect of risk factors and ergonomics as physical load, general health status on prevalence of musculoskeletal pain.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.503-512
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• 2000

This study was carried out to find out factors affecting on organizational commitment of hospital physical therapists in Korea. The sample used in this study consisted of 135 physical therapists who were working in hospitals located in Seoul. The data for analysis were collected by questionnaire survey. The major statistical methods used for the analysis were factor analysis and multiple regression analysis. The dependent variable of the study was organizational commitment (responsibility of organization and propensity to stay), and the independent variables were general characteristic of respondents and components of job satisfaction - "task", "organizational operation system", "opportunity of development", "interpersonal relationship" - of hospital physical therapists. Important factors affecting the responsibility of organizational commitment were religion, work period, task satisfaction, opportunity of development. And propensity to stay was significantly affected by religion, work period, and four components of job satisfaction. In considering above findings, for improving factors affecting on organizational commitment of physical therapists, hospitals need to develop strategies for enhancing job satisfaction by providing the adequate job environment.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.711-718
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• 2001

The community based rehabilitation(CBR ) of public health center(PHC) has been considered as the one of the alternative medical services which is adequate to our realities. The purpose of this study is to serve basic data in order to strengthen the CBR of PHC. This study was investigated on 191 samples of 95 physical therapists, 35 physicians. and 61 nurses who work at PHC. Data were collected for 40 days from January 10 to February 20,2001. The results are as follows: First, the recognition level of CBR of sample specialists was very high as about 85% of the total number studied. Also the number of physical therapists at PHC, who had intention of participation to CBR, was very high as almost 92%. Second, specialists more than a half of sample group thought that two therapists and one assistance per one PHC were needed for serving with sufficient CBR services. finally, various additional strategies were proposed by sample specialists. in order to activate the CBR of PHC. it is necessary to enact the related laws. to stimulate teamworks between rehabilitation specialists, and to establish so called 'public health therapists'. Also we must reinforce the CBR instruction for PHC therapists and the education for health center officer.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.61-68
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate (1) job satisfaction, (2) general characteristics and (3) working fields of 57 physical therapists at public health centers in the Seoul Metropolitan area. Methods: We distributed questionnaires to 57 physical therapists and collected completed questionnaires from 51 We analyzed the data using frequency analysis, independent t-tests and analysis of variance. Results: The results were as follows; 1) General characteristics of participants were 68.6% female, 64.7% over 35 years old, 43.1% working over 10 years in the public health centers. 2) Most (56.8%) participants treated 20~29 patients a day 66.7% were regular staff members and 33.3% irregular ones. 3) Participants, who worked at the public health center and who worked at the Seoul Metropolitan affiliated organization, showed a sense of dignity about their job. 4) Regular staff members showed a higher satisfaction rate with interpersonal relations than irregular ones. Satisfaction in the work place was greatly increased in those over 40 years old. Conclusion: Because the number of patients who visit physical therapists in Seoul Metropolitan public health centers have been increasing, it is necessary to improve the level of satisfaction of physical therapists so that there will be better physical therapy services.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.187-198
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• 2020

Purpose : This study was conducted to provide basic data for the association's policy management and to improve the activity areas by investigating Gyeonggi-do physical therapists' recognition of the national responsibility for dementia. Methods : A total of 1,839 physical therapists participated in this survey, and the data from a total of 29 questionnaires were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 windows. Results : Among the physical therapists in Gyeonggi-do, 61.1 % had low awareness of the national responsibility for dementia, and the recognition of the center for dementia was also low. On the other hand, there was a remarkably high opinion that the physical therapist was a necessary workforce, and positive responses to dementia-related work and education participation were also high, 51.9 % and 68.5 %, respectively. Those with a high educational background, annual salary, clinical experience, or dementia-related institutions, such as nursing homes and physical therapy, had a high awareness of "dementia national responsibility", awareness of "center for dementia" and "participation in dementia-related work and education". On the other hand, "work participation" and "education participation" were found to be inversely related to age and clinical experience. Conclusion : Physical therapists based in Gyeonggi-do showed an awareness of dementia policy. This result will help the association's policy management and protect the physical therapist's rights and interests.