• Title/Summary/Keyword: Work Distress

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Radiation risk perception and its associated factors among residents living near nuclear power plants: A nationwide survey in Korea

  • Sung, Hyoju;Kim, Jung Un;Lee, Dalnim;Jin, Young Woo;Jo, Hyemi;Jun, Jae Kwan;Park, Sunhoo;Seo, Songwon
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • v.54 no.4
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    • pp.1295-1300
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    • 2022
  • There has been increased interest in researching risk perception of radiation to implement successful risk communication, particularly given the recent worldwide nuclear policy movement regarding nuclear energy. This study aimed to investigate characteristics of risk perception among residents living near normally operating nuclear power plants in South Korea by identifying factors associated with risk perception. A survey was conducted with face-to-face interviews for 1200 residents aged 20e84 years by gender- and age-stratified random sampling. Risk perception was associated with trust perception in nuclear safety, but was not highly correlated with benefit perception for utilizing nuclear power. Relatively high risk perception was observed in women, older age groups, and residents not having experience of nuclear-related education or work. This association remained after adjusting for other factors including benefit perception, trust perception, and psychological distress. In addition to these individual characteristics, risk perception was also associated with a residential district's own unique context, indicating that a strategy of risk communication should be developed differently for residents facing nuclear-related circumstances. Given that risk perception can be changed, depending on social values such as safety culture and economic setting, further studies are required to understand the changing characteristics of radiation risk perception.

Surviving Covid-19 Diagnosis Among Registered Nurses: Reactions, Consequences, and Coping Mechanisms

  • Gladys Mbuthia;Doris Machaki;Sheila Shaibu;Rachel W. Kimani
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • v.14 no.4
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    • pp.467-475
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    • 2023
  • Background: To mitigate the spread of Covid-19, nurses infected with the virus were required to isolate themselves from their families and community. Isolated patients were reported to have experienced mental distress, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and suicide. Though studies have reported the psychological impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, less is known about the lived experiences of nurses who survived Covid-19 infection in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: A descriptive phenomenological approach was used to study the lived experiences of registered nurses who survived Covid-19 disease. In-depth interviews were conducted among nurses diagnosed with Covid-19 from two hospitals in Kenya between March and May, 2021. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to recruit registered nurses. Data were analyzed using Giorgi's steps of analysis. Results: The study included ten nurses between 29 and 45 years of age. Nurses' experiences encompassed three themes: diagnosis reaction, consequences, and coping. Reactions to the diagnosis included fear, anxiety, and sadness. The consequence of the diagnosis and isolation was stigma, isolation, and loneliness. Nurses coping mechanisms included acceptance, creating routines, support, and spirituality. Conclusion: Our findings aid in understanding how nurses experienced Covid-19 infection as patients and will provide evidence-based content for supporting nurses in future pandemics. Moreover, as we acknowledge the heroic contribution of frontline healthcare workers during the Covid-19 pandemic, it is prudent to recognize the considerable occupational risk as they balance their duty to care, and the risk of infection to themselves and their families.

Assessment of Damages for Non-pecuniary Loss and Compensation for Damages in Medical Accidents - Overview for Cases of Medical Injury Relief in Korea Comsumer Agency - (의료사고의 손해배상과 위자료 산정 -한국소비자원 의료피해구제 사례들의 일별-)

  • Kim, Kyoung Reay;Ahn, Bup-Young
    • The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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    • v.13 no.2
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    • pp.179-214
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    • 2012
  • There are two opinions on the legal characteristics of damages for non-pecuniary loss, a private sanctions theory and complementary function of damages for non-pecuniary loss, briefly. There is a close connection between the legal characteristics and the function of damages for non-pecuniary loss. The functions of damages for non-pecuniary loss are consist of satisfaction, prevention( sanctions) and complementation. Several cases of medical injury relief reported to Korea Comsumer Agency are categorized as follows, 1) cases of death after having an operation, 2) diagnosed with disability after a medical accident, 3) extended damages happening related to delayed diagnosis, 4) et cetera(a plastic surgery, a treatment with oriental medicine), and the damages for non-pecuniary loss in respect to each cases are examined. In the case of occurring death or disability, Korea Comsumer Agency has set up guidelines for assessment of damages for non-pecuniary loss by classifying into major and collateral violation for a duty of care. Furthermore, the damages for non-pecuniary loss in the case of all sorts of cancers, are assessed in accordance with the degree of responsibility subsequent to dividing cancer into good and poor prognosis. When it comes to a complementary function of damages for non-pecuniary loss in the actual work, it is hard to assess the damages as it is difficult to objectify non-pecuniary loss, such as emotional distress. Though compensation for damages is major legal characteristics of consolation money, preventing a damage(private sanctions) through consolation for a victim or sanctions against an assailant also has great significance. Therefore, it is necessary to approach flexibly for mutual agreement by considering specialty( concrete facts) of individual issue thoroughly. If considering this aging society that limits the possible age for work to 60 years old, it is needed to have a complementary function of consolation money in mind not to make it less meaningful for victims due to small sum of consolation money.

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Health Assessment of Shift Workers in a Automobile Manufacturing Plant (자동차공장 교대작업 근로자들의 건강상태평가)

  • Lee, Jung-Jeung;Chung, Jong-Hak
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.28 no.1 s.49
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    • pp.103-121
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    • 1995
  • An investigation on psychophysiological health and social well-being of shift workers been carried out on workers of a automobile manufacturing plant in Ulsan, for 1 month from April, 1993. This cross-sectional survey compared shift workers(n=544) with day workers(n=115). Each subject completed a questionnaire about his personal habit, background, shift schedule, sleep and eating patterns, subjective digestive symptom and psychological well-being and distress using the General Well-Being Schedule(GWB) by self administrated questionnaire that was developed for the U.S. Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (HANES I). Chi-square analysis was used for discontinuous data and the t-test was used for continous data to determine whether differences noted between the two groups. In terms of sleep quality, a greater percentage of shift workers frequently had trouble getting back to sleep once awakend(p<0.01), and a greater percentage of shift workers awakend tired or sleepy frequently more often than day workers(p<0.05). In rating the quality of their sleep, more shift workers rated their sleep fair to poor than day workers, and greater percentage of shift workers felt tired or sleepy at work two or more times per week(p<0.01) and a much higher percentage of shift workers felt tired or sleepy after work every days(p<0.01). In terms of sleep patterns, a much higher percentage of day workers reported uninterrupted sleep per 24hours than shift workers. The shift workers reported different eating patterns from day workers but there were no statistically significant and rate of their appetite. Thirteen percent of day workers reported the best appetite but only 6.6% of shift workers had the best appetite. The gastric complaints is more frequent in shift workers than day workers(p<0.01). Among subscores in General Well-Being Schedule, anxiety, depression, positive well-being and vitality subscale of shift workers were lower than those of day workers(p<0.05) and general health and self control subscale of shift workers were lower than .those of day workers but there were no statistical significant difference. Based on these study result, it could be concluded that the shift work has significant effects on some psychophysiological conditions of the workers.

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Socioeconomic Impact of Cancer in Member Countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): the ACTION Study Protocol

  • Kimman, Merel;Jan, Stephen;Kingston, David;Monaghan, Helen;Sokha, Eav;Thabrany, Hasbullah;Bounxouei, Bounthaphany;Bhoo-Pathy, Nirmala;Khin, Myo;Cristal-Luna, Gloria;Khuhaprema, Thiravud;Hung, Nguyen Chan;Woodward, Mark
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.13 no.2
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    • pp.421-425
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    • 2012
  • Cancer can be a major cause of poverty. This may be due either to the costs of treating and managing the illness as well as its impact upon people's ability to work. This is a concern that particularly affects countries that lack comprehensive social health insurance systems and other types of social safety nets. The ACTION study is a longitudinal cohort study of 10,000 hospital patients with a first time diagnosis of cancer. It aims to assess the impact of cancer on the economic circumstances of patients and their households, patients' quality of life, costs of treatment and survival. Patients will be followed throughout the first year after their cancer diagnosis, with interviews conducted at baseline (after diagnosis), three and 12 months. A cross-section of public and private hospitals as well as cancer centers across eight member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will invite patients to participate. The primary outcome is incidence of financial catastrophe following treatment for cancer, defined as out-of-pocket health care expenditure at 12 months exceeding 30% of household income. Secondary outcomes include illness induced poverty, quality of life, psychological distress, economic hardship, survival and disease status. The findings can raise awareness of the extent of the cancer problem in South East Asia and its breadth in terms of its implications for households and the communities in which cancer patients live, identify priorities for further research and catalyze political action to put in place effective cancer control policies.

Gas Transfer and Hemolysis Characteristics of a New Type Intravenous Lung Assist Device (혈관 내 신형 폐보조장치의 기체전달 및 용혈 특성)

  • 김기범;권대규;정경락;이삼철
    • Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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    • v.24 no.2
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    • pp.121-126
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    • 2003
  • The purpose of this work was to assess and quantify whether the beneficial effects in long-term gas exchange at exciting frequency were obtained at different frequencies as well and then to develop a vibrating intravascular lung assist device(VIVLAD), for Patients suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) or chronic respiratory problems. We investigate the optimal condition of the frequency band excited with new vibrator at state of limit hemolysis when blood hemolysis came to through a membrane vibration action. The experimental design and procedures were given for a device used to assess the effectiveness of membrane vibrations. Quantitative experimental measurements were performed to evaluate the performance of the device . and to identify membrane vibration dependence on blood hemolysis. We developed an analytical solution for the hydrodynamics of flow through a bundle of sinusoidally vibrated hollow fibers that is used to provide some insight into how wall vibrations might enhance the performance of the VIVLAD. In the result, it was measured that the effect of various excited frequencies in gas transfer rate and hemolysis from the maximum gas transfer rate at no vibration when the maximum gas transfer rates showed at module type 6, module type 6 consisted of 675 hollow fiber membranes The maximum oxygen transfer rate was caused by the occurrence of maximum amplitude and transfer of vibration to hollow fiber membranes when it was excited by the frequency band of 7Hz at each blood flow rate. because this frequency became the End mode resonance frequency of the flexible in blood flow. Also, when module type 6 was excited at an excited frequency of 7Hz. blood hemolysis was low. Therefore, we decided that the limit of hemolysis frequency is 7Hz . because maximum amplitude occurred at this frequency.

Adolescents Pregnancy and Stress (청소년 임신과 스트레스)

  • Kim, Man-Jee
    • 한국사회복지학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 2000.04a
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    • pp.615-628
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    • 2000
  • It is said that stress is the threat of peace and excess of resources which man has from special relationship between individual and environment. This study is for suggesting the method of intervention of the clinical social work service concerning stress for the adolescents who can conceive looking into the relationship between adolescent pregnancy and stress through the sundry records for them. When the change of making into parents from pregnancy overlapped with stress in the cycle of life as an adolescent period itself, the accumulated stress grows much bigger. The repeated change causes an obscurity of individual role and worsens stress and brings confusion on a priority ranking of developmental task. The pregnancy of adolescence has a demoralizing influence upon the adolescents themselves who are going to be adults, their children, and society. These negative effects won't be end in a short period so the effort of intervention in necessary to improve the coping skills and adaptability of pregnant adolescents. In case of pregnant adolescents, the approach of personal counsel is not just enough and effective prevention program can be better alternative and purpose at the same time. This intervention protects adolescents from the distress which can be easily disclosed after delivery and contribute to promote a good mental health of adolescents who will grow to be adults later. After all it implies the necessity of stress management program which can improve the coping ability against stress and develop positive recognition for the pregnant adolescents. Therefore much profounder study for practical intervention program, implementation, and evaluation is necessary with the conclusion which has the results of this literature study.

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The Effect of CSR Perception Within Organizations on Organizational Commitment - Focusing on The Mediation Effect of Compassion - (기업의 사회적 책임활동 인식이 조직몰입에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구 - 컴페션을 매개효과로 -)

  • Ko, Sung-Hoon;Moon, Tae-Won
    • Management & Information Systems Review
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    • v.32 no.3
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    • pp.189-220
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    • 2013
  • This article sheds light on how corporate social responsibility (CSR) perception influences organizational commitment through compassion, a mediator based on empirical data. In other words, we expect that CSR is related to team members' sense-making and then triggers changes affecting team members' attitude and behavior. Compassion plays a pivotal role in organizational life by attenuating others' pains at work. Scholars widely agree that compassion involves sympathetic consciousness of others' distress and sufferings, and caring for those others often in communicative or behavioral ways. Kornfield (1993) defines compassion as "the heart's response to the sorrow". We also define compassion as a response to other's suffering that an individual sees with the eyes of others, hears with the ears of others, feels with the heart of others, and takes actions that demonstrate his or her own compassionate acts. We also assume that CSR increases organizational commitment. According to our empirical data based on employees of 400 Korean companies, CSR perception is likely to positively influence compassion, which itself is likely to influence another dependent variable, organizational commitment. Our findings reveal a partially mediated effect, which causes CSR perception to influence organizational commitment through compassion. Finally, interpersonal justice serves as moderating elements in the relation of CSR perception and compassion whereas perceived organizational behavior has a moderating effect on both compassion and organizational commitment.

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Experience of Job Stress among Female Community Convergence Health Care Experts: Applying Parse's Human Becoming (지역사회 융합 보건의료 전문직 여성의 직무 스트레스로 인한 고통 체험: Parse의 인간되어감 연구 방법 적용)

  • Kim, Han-Som;Choi, Seong-Youl;Lee, Ye-Eun;Yu, Ji-Yeon;Park, Ji-Hyeon;Byeon, Ju-Yeong;Yang, Ga-Young;Kwak, Eun-Byeol
    • Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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    • v.10 no.1
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    • pp.219-234
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    • 2020
  • As the Korean society ages, the number of women who specialize in community health care is expected to increase. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify and structure the nature of suffering due to job stress among female community health care professionals, and to provide basic data supporting the performance of female health care professionals. To use Parse's theory of human becoming, nine female health care professionals were selected in the community. After forming the "you and me" relationship, the researcher recorded the participants' distress through honest conversations. It was converted to the structure of human becoming through the extraction-synthesis and discovery interpretation process. Through conceptual interpretation, the structure of the experience was developed. At the results, the female health care professionals were the process of overcoming difficulty due to poor working conditions and conflict in roles between work and family through their skills and communication reinforcements in hopes for change. The stable national welfare policies must be established to sustain jobs with female community health care experts through improved working conditions.

Experience of Mothers of Mentally Handicapped Children Having Menarche (정신지체아동의 초경에 대한 어머니의 경험 연구)

  • 이명숙
    • Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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    • v.28 no.1
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    • pp.7-16
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    • 1998
  • Various difficulties and inconveniences arise from having a mentally handicapped child in a family and these place many demands on mothers. There are few studies in Korea on these demands nor on what mothers go through with their mentally handicapped daughters' menarche and puberty. The purpose of the study was to examine the experiences of mothers of mentally handicapped daughters, as it relates to their daughters' menarche and the beginning of puberty. With indepth interviews, both in person and by telephone and participant observation the study used a qualitative research methodology to attempt to understand the experiences of these mothers. The data were gathered from October 1995 to April 1996. The subjects for the research included nine mothers of mentally handicapped daughters whose ages ranged from 12 to 18 and who attended one of three special schools located in either Inchon or Seoul. The data were recorded and analyzed : meaningful statements were grouped according to subjects raised by the mothers. Content Analysis was also applied to identify similar content and confirm common experiences. and to highlight concepts and categorized them. The results of this study are as follows. Five categories were identified : mothers' emotional responses to their mentally handicapped daughters' menarche and menstration were of severe despair accompanied by anxiety, guilt, fear, anguish, shame and pity because the mothers were afraid their daughters would not be able to use appropriate hygienic measures during menstration and the mothers felt heavily burdened in having to look them. The mothers also had negative feelings about their daughters' physical development. The experience of mothers related to their daughters' possibilities for marriage and pregnancy were of powerlessness, distress, withdrawal, fear. pity and desperation and they were afraid that their daughters might be violated sexually. The mothers rejected the possibility of marriage and pregnancy for their daughters and instead planned very restricting futures for them. The mothers used various coping methods to bring meaning to their lives. Because the negative emotional responses of the mothers. nurses need to work to empower mothers to overcome these negative responses. Sex education can also play an important role especially for the daughters especially through the use of visual aids. Further, nurses should understand the tearing difficulties of mentally handicapped daughters, what mothers need and also what they experience with their mentally handicapped daughters. In conclusion, nurses should understand the negative experiences of the mothers in relation to their mentally handicapped daughters' menarche, help the mothers cope with the negative. emotions through real life education and counselling. In addition, there is a need for nursing interventions and an administrative system which will minimize the prejudices of society towards handicapped people.

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