• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.2-8
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• 2011

Objectives: Public release of and feedback (here after public release) on institutional (clinics and hospitals) cesarean section rates has had the effect of reducing cesarean section rates. However, compared to the isolated intervention, there was scant evidence of the effect of repeated public releases (RPR) on cesarean section rates. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of RPR for reducing cesarean section rates. Methods: From January 2003 to July 2007, the nationwide monthly institutional cesarean section rates data (1 951 303 deliveries at 1194 institutions) were analyzed. We used autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) time-series intervention models to assess the effect of the RPR on cesarean section rates and ordinal logistic regression model to determine the characteristics of the change in cesarean section rates. Results: Among four RPR, we found that only the first one (August 29, 2005) decreased the cesarean section rate (by 0.81 percent) and continued to have an impact period through the last observation in May 2007. Baseline cesarean section rates (OR, 4.7; 95% CI, 3.1 to 7.1) and annual number of deliveries (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.6 to 4.7) of institutions in the upper third of each category at before first intervention had a significant contribution to the decrease of cesarean section rates. Conclusions: We could not found the evidence that RPR has had the significant effect of reducing cesarean section rates. Institutions with upper baseline cesarean section rates and annual number of deliveries were more responsive to RPR.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.7
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• pp.87-99
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• 2006

Objectives: This study is to draw the design of the program which is improve school health promotion participation by applying the Social Ecological Model based on the literature review on the health promotion. Methods: Literature review was carried out based on 5 factors of social ecological model using computer search engines of Google, ProQuest, and Riss4U. Results; Social Ecological Model is consist of individual, interpersonal, institutional/organizational, community, and policy. Individual sphere is drawn from Health Belief Model, interpersonal sphere is Social Support Theory, institutional/ organizational sphere is institutional resources theory, community sphere is community model, and policy sphere is Social Marketing Theory. The literature review show that the important variables affecting health promotion exist in each sphere. Individual sphere has social economic status, age, sex, sensitivity and specificity of illness, self-efficacy. Interpersonal sphere has support and use of family, friend and neighbor. Institutional/Organizational sphere has environment service reliability and utility. Conclusions: Community sphere has distance, neighborhood safety, interrelationship among institutions. Policy sphere has cost, legislation advertisement, lobby and concern and leadership of Institution.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.172-181
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• 2022

Objectives: In order to reduce the burden on employers and increase the reliability of measurement results, improvements to the provisions related to the work environment measurement reporting system, such as the current Occupational Safety and Health Act and its Enforcement Rules, are planned. This study aimed to suggest improvements for the work environment measurement reporting system through a survey and Delphi investigation. Method: This survey included workplaces (health managers), national institutions (the Ministry of Employment and Labor) that use the results of the work environment measurement reporting system for policy and supervision purposes, and work environment measurement institutions that enter the results were included. In addition to the survey, we tried to derive results through meetings with stakeholders and expert advisory meetings. Results: It is difficult to abolish or partially improve the reporting system under the Enforcement Regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act at this point because the opinions of workplaces, supervisory agencies, and measuring agencies differ in terms of its intended purpose and use. In the case of high-exposure harmful factors (over 50% on the basis of exposure) in the "comprehensive opinion" described in the work environment measurement results table, it is necessary to insert unit of work with exposed harmful factors, exposure factors, and current conditions in checklists or tables so that they can be reflected in government policies. In the case of workplaces that are feared to be highly exposed to substances subject to measurement, it seems desirable to improve them so that industrial health instructors registered with the Korea Safety and Health Agency or local labor offices can provide technical guidance. As an improvement plan to increase the reliability of data and the use of big data, it is necessary to improve the input method for processes and jobs. Conclusion: The laws and regulations of the work environment measurement reporting system are difficult to revise due to a lack of consensus among current stakeholders, but improvements can be achieved by improving the Ministry of Employment and Labor's notifications and other means. In addition, in order to effectively utilize the data from the K2B system, it is necessary to improve the input method for processes and jobs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.125-133
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• 2024

Objectives: The aim of this study is to develop a comprehensive Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) guide for maintenance tasks in semiconductor processing, specifically focusing on etching, deposition, and ion implantation processes. Methods: The development of the OSH guide involved a literature review, consultations with industry experts, and field investigations. It concentrates on Maintenance Work (MW) operations in these specialized areas. Results: The result is a detailed OSH guide tailored to MW in etching, deposition, and ion implantation facilities within semiconductor processing. This guide is structured to assist maintenance workers through pre-, during and post-MW phases, ensuring easy comprehension and adherence to safety protocols. It highlights the necessity of safety and health measures throughout the MW process to protect personnel. The guide is enriched with real-life scenarios and visual aids, including cartoons and photographs, to aid in the understanding and implementation of safety and health principles. Conclusions: This OSH guide is designed to enhance the protection of workers engaged in maintenance activities in the electronics sector, particularly in semiconductor manufacturing. It aims to improve compliance with safety and health standards in these high-risk environments.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.89-101
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• 2022

Objectives: By comparing and examining how important issues concerning industrial health information for workers are viewed in other advanced countries, it is intended to ascertain problems in the approach found in Korean legislation and obtain legal and policy implications. Methods: The results of a survey were introduced and analyzed through a comparative method for each case after investigating in detail what and how important issues surrounding workers' right to know industrial health information are reflected in the legislation of Germany, the U.S., the U.K., and Japan. Based on the results of this comparative analysis, theoretical and policy implications and legal policy improvement tasks were drawn to strengthen workers' right to industrial health information for each case in Korea. Results: For access to industrial health information, most of the other advanced countries clearly stipulate a right to access for current and past workers and/or their representatives. As a result, workers or their representatives do not need to use the Information Disclosure Act to access exposure records, and there is no debate over the Information Disclosure Act. In other words, industrial health information is focused on ensuring free access to workers or their representatives and is not interested in reporting it to the government. Conclusions: In order to strengthen workers' right to know about industrial health, it is most important to address the legal issues related to this right, which is considered insufficient by comparative law. This should start with a concrete and effective definition of what and how to guarantee workers' rights to industrial health, such as the right to freely access industrial health information, including for retired workers and bereaved families of deceased workers.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.769-777
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• 2017

Objectives: The study was to promote patient safety by analyzing the effect of dental hygienist's perception of patient safety culture on infection control activities. Methods: The study is based on a survey of 377 dental hygienists in total working in dental settings. The questionnaire consisted of 119 questions, including 34 questions on perception of patient safety culture, and 85 questions on infection control activities. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the perception of patient safety culture and infection control activities. The data was analyzed using the SPSS version 20.0, and p<0.05 was adopted to decide on significance. Results: The longer dental hygienists have worked n the dental settings, the more active they become in infection control activities. Among the different types of dental care settings, general (university) hospitals had the largest number of infection control activities, followed by dental clinics, and network dental clinics, in descending order. The dental settings possessing a higher number of dental hygienists were found to conduct more infection control activities than other dental settings. In addition, it was found that when a dental setting adopts a patient safety policy across all the units in the hospital, more systems and procedures for patient safety tend to be established, and that stricter management response to error leads to improvement of infection control activities. Conclusions:In order to enhance infection control activities, infection control activity programs should develop and implement periodic reinforcement of infection control education. regular monitoring of infection control activities.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.13-29
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• 2000

During the last 10 year period, OECD member countries were in a trend of 'less government' from 'more government', thus resulted in restructuring and reducing staffs in government agricultural institutions including the Agricultural Knowledge System. In recognizing the crisis of 'less government', member countries were in a trend of paradigm shift to the 'better government;. In producing and transferring agricultural information, member countries are more concerned about consumers as well as producers as the target of good quality services of the 'better government'. The general consensus of member countries identified the importance of food safety and environmental protection as new agendas for the 21st century. Agricultural Knowledge Systems (AKS) in OECD member countries were in a trend of reorganization in addressing food safety, and agriculture / environmental issues. The approaches, functions and responsibilities were diversified to multi-governmental institutions from the ministry of agriculture. Thus the importance of institutional cooperation and coordination were emphasized more in the newly changed AKS paradigms. The objectives, functions and approaches of AKS in OECD member countries as well as in Korea will be directed to emphasize the importance of environment, sustainable agriculture, food safety, and rural development. They will also focus on establishing mutual cooperative systems among policy makers, consumes, non-governmental organizations, and agri-related organizations as necessary for sustainable development in the future.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.59-67
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• 2021

Objectives: We aimed to compare the external herbal dispensary (EHD) evaluation criteria for pharmacopuncture and the Korea Good Manufacturing Practice (KGMP) sterile medicine standards to contribute to the establishment of quality control criteria for pharmacopuncture. Methods: We obtained the KGMP standards from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the pharmacopuncture certification criteria from the Ministry of Health and Welfare of South Korea. The EHD evaluation items were classified into three categories: facilities, quality control, and validation. The evaluation items were compared with the KGMP sterile medicine criteria to determine their conformance with each other, followed by a discussion among the committee of six experts and their consensus to suggest the items to complement the EHD evaluation criteria. Results: Among the KGMP sterile medicine criteria, 44 were related to the management of the facilities, and 32 pharmacopuncture evaluation items corresponded to these KGMP items (66.7%). Fifty-eight KGMP criteria were related to quality management, and 42 pharmacopuncture evaluation items corresponded to these KGMP items (72.4%). Twentyfive KGMP sterile medicine criteria were related to validation, and 11 pharmacopuncture evaluation items corresponded to these KGMP items (44.0%). Sixteen items under the pharmacopuncture EHD criteria corresponded to the KGMP sterile medicine criteria based on the consent of the experts. Among these, 4 were related to facility management, 6 were related to quality control, and 6 were related to validation. Conclusion: For the safety and quality control of pharmacopuncture, there is a need to select the criteria for the mandatory items among the proposed pharmacopuncture-EHD criteria laws and systems to ensure that the pharmacopuncture materials are produced under the pharmacopuncture-EHD in compliance with the relevant requirements. More studies are needed to secure the safety level of pharmacopuncture materials corresponding to that of conventional medicine.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2023

Objectives: Epidemiological evidence linking long working hours and shift work to metabolic syndrome remains inadequate. We sought to evaluate the impact of reducing working hours on metabolic syndrome. Methods: We compared the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among male manual workers in a manufacturing company (N = 371) before and after the introduction of policy to reduce daily work hours from 10 to 8 hours. Components of metabolic syndrome were measured in periodic health examinations before the intervention, 6-9 months after, and 1.5-2 years after the intervention. Generalized estimating equation models were used to estimate changes in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Analyses were stratified by day work versus shift work. Results: The results showed a significantly decreased prevalence of metabolic syndrome 6-9 months following the intervention in day workers (risk ratio = 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.52-0.88), but the benefit disappeared after 1.5-2 years. Shift workers showed a decreased prevalence of metabolic syndrome for the whole follow-up duration after the intervention, although the change was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Reducing working hours was associated with short-term improvement in metabolic syndrome in male manual workers.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to understand the impact on accident reduction by analyzing the policy effectiveness of an industrial accident prevention clean workplace support project targeting the construction industry. Methods: In this study, DID and PSM models were used to analyze workplaces receiving and not receiving financial support based on the status of industrial accidents in recent years and the status of the workplaces by year. Results: The research results show that meaningful effects continued to occur in terms of reducing accidents and increasing employment. Conclusions: In this study, we show the effectiveness of the clean workplace support project, one of the South Korean government's financial support projects in the field of occupational safety and health focusing on the construction industry. Financial support projects such as clean projects should be further expanded based on the results of this study.