• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 1999

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the impact of shift work on psychological, physical and social adjustment in nurses. Methods: Two hundred ninety-nine female nurses(179 shift worker, 120 non-shift worker) filled out a questionnaire, which consisted of fifty-six items including demographic characteristics. Subjective ratings of psychological, physical, social and sleeprelated distresses were assessed with a visual analogue scale(100mm). Results: Shift work exerted significantly negative impacts on all psychological, physical, social and sleep-related variables of the shift work nurses. The subjective perception about psychological and physical health of shift work nurses was significantly negative as compared to that of non-shift work nurses. Shift work nurses complained of more shift work related social dysfunction and limited social activity. Shift work nurses were also suffering from significant sleep difficulties as compared to non-shift work nurses. Conclusions: This study suggests that shift work can exert a negative impact on psychological and physical health of nurses as it can cause disturbances of the normal circadian rhythms of the psychophysiological functions, beginning with the sleep-wake cycle. Shift work can also cause difficulties in maintaining the usual relationships both at family and social levels. These results may suggest that we need appropriate coping strategies to overcome adverse effects of shift work.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.79-95
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• 1997

The purposes of this study were to develop a job stress measurement tool and to identify the job stress according to the characteristics of worker and work condition at the small and medium-sized plants. Data were collected through face-to-face survey for April-May, 1997. Subjects were 180 workers at 36 small and medium-sized plants located near Seoul. Data were analyzed by item analysis, factor analysis, and ANOVA. The results were as follow : 1, Number of items of job stress measurement were 33 and Cronbach's $\alpha$ was .9262 except 13 items with low values of Cronbach's coefficient. Factor analysis was done in order for construct validity and 8 factors were extracted and cumulative percent of variance was 65.6%. 2. The job stress scores of male, the younger, 2-shift workers, and over-time workers were significantly higher than those of female, the older, 1-shift workers, and 48 hour workers per week. 3. There were no significant difference between job stress scores and the groups by number of worker, and the types of manufacturing. The stress measurement tool is valid and very reliable to measure worker's stress. Furthermore, the job stress managent program for health promotion of the workers at the vulnerable work condition is needed more and more.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.421-426
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• 2018

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of shift work on occupational safety in various industrial sectors. The study analyzes the effects of shift work on the health of workers by considering factors such as the workplace environment and welfare. Methods: Focusing on the $4^{th}$ Korean Working Conditions Survey, this study used an ordinary least-square multiple regression analysis. The dependent variable was the annual frequency of injuries reported by workers. Independent variables were categorized as demographic, shift work, workplace environment, and welfare variables. The analysis was conducted on two levels: 1) Shift work and nonshift work groups were compared, and 2) Shift work was compared with fixed and rotating shifts. Results: For the entire group, age, a low level of education, work hours, and daily and dispatch work negatively impacted the frequency of injuries. Shift work was negatively affected by workplace environment and welfare factors. In the shift group, the frequency of injuries was lower than that of regular workers, and the higher the autonomy in the choice of work hours, the lower the frequency of injuries. Furthermore, shift workers in Korea have more extended work hours (49.25 h/week) than other workers (46.34 h/week). Conclusion: Overall, welfare factors such as workplace satisfaction and worke-life balance reduced the frequency of injuries. The effect of shift work was limited, but it was confirmed that shift worker autonomy could reduce the frequency of injuries.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.12.1-12.12
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• 2023

Background: The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between job stress and impaired fasting glycemia (IFG) of male workers in a manufacturing industry. Methods: Data were collected from 5,886 male workers in a manufacturing industry who participated in the medical examination from June 19 to August 14, 2020 through self-reported questionnaires. The general characteristics of the subjects, shift work, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and job stress were included. Job stress was measured using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS) consisting of 8 items and 43 questions. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the IFG association with job stress. Results: Among the various factors that can cause job stress, only high job demand was associated with a risk of IFG (odds ratio, 1.43; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-1.82) especially in non-shift worker. For all other factors, no statistically significant results were obtained. Conclusions: In this study of male workers engaged in the Korean steel manufacturing industry, the 'job demand' item among job stress of non-shift worker was related to IFG.

• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.35-45
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• 2016

Melatonin hormone involved in human's circadian rhythm adjustment sensitively responds to light's specific short wavelength ratio. A shift worker's circadian rhythm disturbance and sleep disorder are caused by the existing lighting conditions, whose short wavelength ratio is fixed. The life pattern of a shift worker changes irregularly because of irregular working hours and the same lighting environment; thus, his/her concentration is reduced. For such a reason, negative effects ensue to the detriment of healthy everyday life, including a high risk of accidents or having unsound sleep after leaving work. A smartphone-based wavelength control LED lighting system that targets shift workers and that can easily measure and control lighting suitable for wake-sleep cycle, according to working hours and closing hours, is proposed in this paper. First, after the light characteristics of LED lighting that changes depending on light control ratio are measured through the color sensor installed on the smartphone and the externally-linked Mini-Spectrometer, they are stored in the database. Based on the stored optical characteristics data, the measurement module and light control module are implemented. Lighting is offered using a control ratio having the maximum rate of short wavelength in consideration of the target illuminance, classified according to work type by identifying working hours as time when waking is required for shift workers. After a shift work leaves work, the amount of lighting is varied, using a control ratio having a minimum short wavelength rate so that a shift worker can enter the sleep state naturally.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.28 no.2 s.50
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• pp.497-510
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• 1995

This study was carried out to assess work ability of manufacturing workers and managerial workers. Subjects were 446 manufacturing workers and 278 managerial workers employed in Gumi industrial complex and the observation period was for 1 month(February to March), 1995. In this study, as a questionnaire for the assessment of work ability, we used the Work Ability Index(WAI) which was developed by Institute of Occupational Health in Finland. Major findings obtained from this study were as follows ; WAI was poor in lower economic condition, shift work, irregular diet group(p<0.05). There were no evident trends of WAS in sex, educational level, obesity index, exercise, smoking, and alcohol drinking. In the groups of sensitive to perception of stress, other industrial classification except textile and electronics, the more than 9 hours work, the evident trends of poor WAS were observed(p<0.01). In the groups of $30\sim39$ years old, $40\sim49$ years old, unmarried, high school, shift work, standard body weight, and regular .diet, WAI between manufacturing workers and managerial workers was significantly different(p<0.01) and WAI of managerial worker was worse than that of manufacturing worker.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.289-297
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• 2004

Purpose: This study was conducted to determine factors affecting workers' physiological somatic complain using the Job Stress Model proposed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Method: Data were collected from the 1st to the 30th of December 1999. The subjects were 2.123 workers employed at 155 work sites. Collected date were analyzed through SAS/PC program. Result: According to individual characteristics, younger and women groups showed significantly higher physiological somatic complaint than elder men groups. By work condition, groups with higher physiological somatic complaint included workers of irregular shift work. Dark lighting, improper temperature in winter, improper ventilation, inappropriate humidity, unpleasant work environment and crowded work place were significantly related with physiological somatic complaint. By work-related factor, physiological somatic complaint was high in those with higher variance in work load, quantitative work load, role conflict, job burden, role ambiguity and future ambiguity. On the other hand, physiological somatic complaint was low in those with little underutilization of ability. As for the relationships between physiological somatic complaint and non-work related factors, physiological somatic complaint was high in workers who had a side job, were bringing up infants alone, cleaned the house alone, cared for the elderly and disabled persons, were studying, were volunteering at another organization, and were spending 5-10 hours in religious activities per week. Physiological somatic complain was in significantly negative correlations with overall social support, supervisory support and family support, but in significantly positive correlations with co-worker support. Conclusion: The main predictors of physiological somatic complain were gender, shift work pattern, overtime work, ventilation, role ambiguity, role conflict, future ambiguity, job control, variance in work load, overall social support, worker with side job, worker who cleans the house alone, worker who is studying. These predictors explained 19.10% of the total variance of physiological somatic complain.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.367-371
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• 2020

We evaluated the eating pattern, physical activity, and daytime sleepiness level in Chilean shift workers. Fifty, middle-aged adult health workers from a public hospital in Santiago, Chile, were included: a group undergoing shift work (shift workers, including at least one "night shift" and one "long day", n = 33), and day workers under traditional schedule (from 8:00 to 17:00h, n = 17). Body composition, physical activity, and daytime sleepiness levels, and diet characteristics (diet composition, meals' timing, and diet quality) were assessed. Despite similar total energy intake, shift worker showed lower carbohydrate (% of energy) and higher protein intake (both P < 0.01), decreased diet quality, an irregular eating pattern, and delayed meal timing (all P < 0.05). Physical activity and daytime sleepiness levels did not differ between groups. Findings from this first Chilean study in healthcare shift workers support the fact that meal timing and diet quality appear as critical factors for upcoming intervention studies in this group.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.34
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• pp.35.1-35.12
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• 2022

Background: Shift work is known to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). It has been found that inflammatory reactions are involved in the onset and progression of CVD. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the association between shift work and inflammatory markers. Methods: Among workers at an electronics manufacturing company, 2,329 workers who had a health checkup from January 2019 to December 2019 were targeted. The general and biochemical characteristics of daytime workers and shift workers were compared through the Independent-test and the χ² test. Through multiple linear regression analysis, the association with shift work and inflammatory markers was investigated. Through multiple logistic regression analysis, the association with shift work and high inflammatory markers Results: The mean total leukocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes of shift workers were significantly higher than those of daytime worker. The mean high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) of shift workers was also higher than that of daytime workers but not significantly. In multiple linear regression, shift work was associated with increase of total leukocyte count (β = 0.367, p < 0.001) and hs-CRP (β = 0.140, p = 0.005) after adjusting for all variables. In multiple logistic regression analysis, shift work showed 2.27 times risk of high leukocyte count and 1.8 times risk of high hs-CRP level compared to daytime work after adjusting for all variables. Conclusions: This study confirmed that shift work is associated with high inflammatory markers. Considering that high inflammatory markers is independent indicator of CVD, the association between shift work and high inflammatory markers may help to understand the CVD risk of shift workers.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.88-94
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• 1998

Korea has been rapidly industrialized during the past 35 years. During this period, Korea has emphasized only production and workers health has been ignored. Workers are most frequently exposed to organic vapors, such as thinners. This study was performed to evaluate worker exposures to organic solvents by size and type of industry. Results are summarized below. Workers were exposed to mixtures of toluene, xylenes, trichloroethylene, n-hexane, acetone, methanol, n-butanol, n-butyl acetate, and MIBK. Considering additive effects of the compounds, exposure indices (EIs) were calculated. It was found that worker exposures to organic solvents were highest in small industries and lowest in large industries. During a day shift, the highest exposure was indicated 3 - 5 p.m. in the afternoon. Workers in small industries had potential exposures exceeding permissible exposure limits for organic solvents. Local exhuast systems were inappropriate and respiratory protective devices were not supplied to the workers in small industries. Neither program for safe use and storage of toxic materials nor program for respirators was found in any of the plants investigated. Based on the results of the study, workers of small scale industries should be considered first in industrial health.