• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.64-69
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• 2022

The study measured a subway construction worker's Macpa stress by Heart Rate Variability measuring instrument and conducted a survey of Korean job stress from subway construction workers. Also, the study analyzed the relationship between Macpa stress index and Korean job stress result and suggested managing stress method for each item. According to National Statistical Office data, the first line subway in Seoul was started to open in 1974. The extended total length is 996 kilometers until 2019. Many aged workers are currently working at subway construction sites due to the avoidance of young workers since the past until now. It means that the elderly has a substantial portion among subway construction workers. The productivity has been adversely affected by health problems due to the aging of workers, job stress due to heavy work, and personal health problems. So, the regulation and policies on job stress health management are being strengthened. The data were measured Macpa stress by machine measuring heart rate variability and conducted Korean job stress survey(shortened) from Sa-sang to Ha-dan line Busan subway construction workers for analyzing the relationship. Independent variable were age, job duration, job position, employment type, working type in this study. Macpa's dependent variable was stress index and Korean job stress survey(shortened)'s dependent variables were job requirements, job autonomy, relationship conflict, job instability, organizational structure, inappropriate compensation, working place culture, and total score. SPSS 12.0 K Statistics Program was used for statistical analysis. Kruskal-wallis test, a nonparametric statistical analysis, was used because the data are difficult to be assumed as normal distribution. As a result, the paper indicated the significant correlation between Macpa stress index and Korean job stress(short version). The elderly workers presented higher Macpa index and higher job stress due to aging and heavy-duty work. The majority workers were daily workers who had unstable working condition and uncertainty about the future. The study suggested a manual that could reduce job stress for subway construction workers and future study deriving management tool through analyzing job stress factor is necessary.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.18-29
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• 2000

Back injury is frequent in industry workers and is a common cause of productivity loss. It has been reported that the insured of industrial accident insurance tend to stay in hospital longer than that of other types of insurance. The purpose of this study was to identify factors affecting the length of hospital stay for the treatment of back injury in the workers under industrial accident insurance. The results of this study help insurers develop reasonable industrial accident insurance policy for back injury claims and prevention strategies of work-related back injury. A total of 2,949 patients whose industrial accident insurance claim has been approved for the treatment of work-related back injury from January to December 1999 were included in this study. Relationship between the length of hospital stay and characteristics of patient, work place, back injury, and hospital were assessed using ANOVA, t-test, simple linear regression and multiple resgression. The major findings of this study are as follows : 1. The average length of hospital stay(LOS) was 91.82 days, respectively. 2. Characteristics of Patient LOS of male patients was longer than that of female patients, there was positive correlation between age and LOS and between average wage and LOS. Working period was negatively correlated with LOS. Distance from resident to hospital was positively correlated with LOS and LOS was significantly different dependign on type of duty. 3. Characteristics of Work Place LOS was significantly different depending on types of industry and geographical region of work place. Size of work place was positively correlated with LOS. 4. Characteristics of Back Injury Occupational back pain required shorter LOS compared with back injury due to electric shock. Number of concomitant illnesses and severity of disability were positively correlated with LOS. 5. Characteristics of Hospital Patients treated in community hospitals required significantly longer LOS. Treatment in hospitals with rehabilitation program required decreased LOS. This was more prominent as number of physicians specialized in rehabilitation. 6. Multiple regression analysis revealed that distance form resident to hospital, geographical region of work place, size of work place, number of concomitant illnesses, severity of disability, and type of hospital were factors affecting LOS.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.171-182
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• 2017

Most people seek a happy life and happiness positively affects sentiment, satisfaction with life, creativity, human relationship, business productivity, and even health and life extension. However, according to a survey in 2013, subjective happiness of adolescents (including university students) was very low compared to other age groups in Korea. Therefore this paper examined the effects of job-seeking stress, appearance recognition, financial situation, trust in government, and locus of control on university students' happiness using SEM (structural equation modeling). 207 university students in Seoul, Korea have been surveyed. At first, an initial experimental SEM model among these variables has been set up and reliability analysis has been conducted. Then multiple regression analyses on job-seeking stress and happiness as well as SEM analysis have been conducted. As a result of these analyses, the SEM model has been revised two times. The final SEM model passed the goodness-of-fit test (using RMR, GFI, NFI, CFI, and IFI indices). The final SEM model showed the followings. First, Higher job-seeking stress (especially sentimental part, rather than environment or action related parts) negatively affects happiness. Second, Trust in government also affects happiness both directly and indirectly. Third, Locus of control is affected both by trust in government and financial situation. Fourth, appearance recognition heavily affects job-seeking stress. In addition, appearance importance is higher than appearance interest, meaning that students who are not very interested in appearance usually recognize the importance of appearance. Finally, happiness is affected neither financial situation nor appearance recognition. Therefore, even either they are in a poor financial situation or not happy with their appearance, they can be happy if they have firm locus of control.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.1-14
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• 2022

Background : Tinnitus is common disorder with many possible causes and a symptom of many different diseases but has no effective treatment. Most of tinnitus patients experience the disorder to a degree that their quality of life and productivity are impaired. Especially tinnitus accompanied hearing loss causes severe discomfort in patients. Objectives : 1. Through symptoms of tinnitus, we tried to find out the relationship of Heo-sil(虛實) and Zuang fu bian zheng(臟腑辨證) among tinnitus patients accompanied Hearing Loss. 2. By testing THI, we tried to evaluate the quality of life of tinnitus patients group and tried to compare the quality of life between high-narrow tone and low-wide tone tinnitus patients group. 3. In the future, this study was planned to help monitor the prognosis and determine the progress of treatment for tinnitus patients who also have hearing loss. Methods : 43 patients were recruited in this study who was ill with tinnitus accompanied hearing loss. They wrote out the questionnaire about tinnitus and the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory(THI). Results : 1. In tinnitus patients, there were more men than women accompanied hearing loss. The rate of visits was higher as the age increased. 2. Most of the patients who visited the hospital had sensitive hearing loss. 3. In high-narrow tone tinnitus group, phlegm fire congesting-type are more uncomfortable than spleen-stomach weakness-type. 4. In low-wide tone tinnitus group, liver qi depression was the most uncomfortable. Conclusions : The present study suggests that tinnitus pattern may be helpful in differentiating patients with tinnitus, and the effectiveness of treatment can be predicted through differentiation. Zuang fu bian zheng(臟腑辨證) and Distinguishing between Heo(虛) and Sil(實) is expected to have positive effects on tinnitus accompanied hearing loss treatment.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.20
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• pp.317-349
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• 1993

The purpose of this study lies in identifying Korean scientists' dependency on foreign scientific and technical information (STI), with emphasis on investigating the causes and results. Especially, this study intends to investigate the impacts that a growing dependency on foreign STI might have brought and will bring about on the development of indigenous STI in ROK. To the end, the present discussion covers the following specific research questions: 1) what are the major information sources used by Korean scientists to locate STI necessary for research-related activities\ulcorner 2) to what extent do Korean scientists use foreign STI for research-related activates, as compared to the use of domestic STI\ulcorner 3) what are the major factors causing the information dependency among Korean scientists and what are the results of the growing information dependency\ulcorner And finally, 4) what suggestions can be made for ROK to further its indigenous STI development, while minimizing its dependency on foreign STI\ulcorner Survey method, together with citation analysis method, is employed as the major data collection technique. The survey sample consists of 167 most 'representative' Korean scientists selected on the basis of their research productivity. 167 specially-designed questionnaires were mailed and 104 out of 167 were responded. Follow-up interviews were carried out for 32 out of 104 respondents, who returned the questionnaire but did not answer some specific questions. The data collected from these 104 respondents were analyzed on the basis of two distinguished groups namely, junior and senior scientist groups. Among the 104 respondents, 58 a n.0, ppeared to belong to a group of senior scientists (older than age 45 and finished their final degrees since 1980), and 46 belonged to a group of junior scientists (younger than age 45 and finished their final degrees before 1980). The major findings of the present study include: 1) Korean scientists regard 'scientific and technical journals and books'as the most important information source to obtain the recent STI; 2) their dependency on foreign STI, for the purposes of research and teaching, is extremely high (information dependency for research activities is 88.5%, and that for teaching activities 91.2%); 3) the information dependency of junior scientists are higher than that of senior scientists; 4) Korean scientists' growing information dependency is closely related to both small quantity and low quality of domestically-produced STI, and has a statistically significant relationship with their educational background; and finally, 5) in order to theoretically explain the growing information dependency of Korean scientists, a hypothesis - 'chronic cycle of information dependency' was developed and introduced. The present study suggests the promotion of indigenous STI as a desirable alternative to escape from the 'chronic cycle of information dependency. Localization of the imported foreign STI is suggested as a good strategy for the indigenous STI development, and also suggested are STI policies for both success of localization process and promotion of more efficient STI flows at national and international level.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.177-184
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• 2007

Objectives : This study was conducted to investigate the levels of psychosocial stress, job stress and their related factors among medical doctors practicing at local clinics. Methods : A survey using a self administered questionnaire was administered to 1,456 doctors practicing at private clinics via post for 2 months (2006. 1 - 2006. 3). Psychosocial stress, job stress, demographic factors, job related factors and health related behaviors were investigated. Among the eligible study population, the respondents were 428 doctors (29.4%). Results : The average scores of psychosocial stress and job stress were 2.19 and 3.13, respectively. The levels of psychosocial stress and job stress were statistically lower in older respondents, those who worked shorter or who were more satisfied with their job, and those with higher socioeconomic status. The level of psychosocial stress was related with smoking status, drinking status and exercise. The level of job stress was related with smoking status and exercise. In multiple linear regression analysis using psychosocial stress as a dependent variable, age, working hours per day, job satisfaction and perception on socioeconomic status were significant independent variables. In analysis using job stress as a dependent variable, age, working hours per day and job satisfaction were significant independent variables. Conclusions : Stress affects the doctor-patient relationship, productivity and overall health level of people. Therefore, it is important to manage and relieve the stress of doctors. It is suggested that more advanced studies on stress level and related factors and ways to improve the stress and health related behaviors of medical doctors should be conducted.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.13-20
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• 2012

The "flextime" system, which was initially designed to maintain a balance between work and personal life, has recently received much attention as an alternative form of work, enabling employees to fully exert their creativity. Most studies show that the effects of flextime on performance, productivity, attitude toward the organization, absenteeism, and turnover differ between managerial and non-managerial workers. This suggests that workers' personal characteristics affect their preference for flextime by directly or indirectly influencing its result variables. As most Korean companies have not adopted the flextime system, little research has been conducted on it in Korea. Recently, Korean companies have been discussing flextime as one of several measures for enhancing international competitiveness. Therefore, this study aims to offer a theoretical framework for the introduction of the system by analyzing the effects of the precedent factors on the preference for flextime. Though not statistically significant, a higher preference for flextime is noted among workers over the age of 36. Older workers usually are more conservative and less adaptable to change but here the older Korean workers may be anxious and resistant. Additional research on workers in different types of businesses using improved research methods will lead to more meaningful results. Married workers display a lower preference to flextime than single workers. In Korea, the current atmosphere focused on a happy home encourages married workers to prefer regular work hours, enabling them to go to and from work on a regular schedule. This means that normal working hours, from morning to evening, are preferred as it is the most suitable system for families. However, this is not so in the case of single workers. Unmarried singles tend to prefer flextime for investing in self-development toward future prosperity, over the benefits of regular working-hours. Flextime is designed to meet their needs to some extent as it is helpful in maintaining a balance between work life and self-development. If flextime is selected, workers can spend mornings on self-development and work in the afternoons. Therefore, when flextime is introduced in Korea, it would be desirable to start with unmarried workers, to increase corporate creativity and productivity and develop individual potential. In particular, when the five-day workweek, the main concern for companies and labor unions, is adopted, synergy with flextime could be expected and a gradual implementation of flextime will be effective. Gender difference shows similar results to marital status with male workers displaying a higher preference for flextime. It is inferred that male workers' attitudes toward flextime are more favorable than female workers' because flextime enables self-development and work life to coexist. A relatively weak, though statistically significant, correlation exists between control position and flextime preference with inner-control-oriented workers displaying favorable attitudes toward flextime. Generally, inner-control-oriented workers tend to attribute the consequences caused by any person or partner relationship to themselves. Thus, when a new system is introduced they are likely to have less reluctance and fear than outer-control-oriented workers, because they think it is important to deal with the new system. A weak but slight correlation exists between the desire for achievement and flextime preference. People who have a higher desire for achievement are willing to consider the new system, especially if significant success is reasonably expected. This result is derived from a reasonable judgment that flextime offers an individual the time for self-development while the organization benefits from the resulting creativity and performance enhancements. Although not the primary analysis, a high correlation is found between control position and the desire for achievement, which is consistent with the results of previous research. The regression analysis not only supports the preceding ANOVA and correlation analysis but also shows the existence of a causal relationship. Married workers have a weak preference for flextime, which is consistent with the results of the preceding ANOVA. Relative to men, women have a weak preference for flextime. No statistically significant correlation was noticed for age. Inner-control-oriented workers prefer flextime more than outer-control-oriented workers as the former view the consequences of change to be their own responsibility. However, the preference for flextime seems to be weak. As expected, people with a higher desire for achievement have a stronger preference for flextime, presumably because the greater the desire for achievement, the stronger the spirit of challenging an uncertain future. No significant correlation exists between job satisfaction and flextime preference.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.71-81
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• 1989

This study was aimed for bettering productivity and technical level of the dental 1 aboratory, and helping the dental technician's benefits and rights, and then endowing them some belonged atmospher and stability on their post by Improving job- satisfaction and maintaining the transferability of one's post at a proper limitation. Therefore, 320 dental technicians extracted randomly from all the technicians working at 494 dental laboratories were subjected for this study. The approach to the study was a way through some postal questionaires executed from March 29, 1988 until May 4, the same year, in which total 254 technicians answered, showing 79% resp"nserate. responserate. The data-analysis was done by a model of the dental technician's transferability from their post, as considering Mobley's(1978)-model of post-transferability, and results through the study are as follows : 1. Satisfaction at a given post showed that the married is better than the unmarried(<0.05), and the experienced is better than the inexperienced(P<0.01). 2. Age, sex, educational experience, and one's service-duration did not affect significantly to the respondent's satisfaction on their post, statistically. 3. Satisfaction at a given post differed in adccordance with given conditions of one's post, i. e.,it stowed high when the monthly payment was good(P<0.05), and when too much duty on their job was given, it was the worst as shown in an example of the next order, too much

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.281-291
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• 1996

458 female workers working in the small and medium scaled industries in Inchon area were surveyed to study their general characteristics, health behavior, working and environmental conditions, awareness of exposure at hazardous materials, current health status, and degree of working satisfaction. Self-administered questionnaire was distributed to the female workers with the explanation by trained interviewer on the purpose of survey and the method how to answer. The results were as follows : (1) 75.5% of the respondents are living with their families and others are living in domitary or rent house for herself. Age distribution ranges from teenagers to warren in their forties. In marital status 69.0% of workers are single and 31.0% of them have ever married. 69.4% of workers are high school graduate. The size of factory is 48.3% with less than 300 workers, 42.1% with 300~500 workers. (2) Most of the workers(86.7%) are full time workers, 52% of the respondents have working experiences in other factories. More than 65% have fewer than 5 years working experience. (3) The awareness of exposure at noise was 33% of respondents, it was significantly different by skilled status. The awareness of exposure at dust, other hazardous material was each 13.3%, 12.4% of respondents. (4) 26% of them are unsatisfied with their working cognitions and 43.7% of them are unsatisfied with their welfare in occupational system unsatisfactory rate of promotion is higher in the unmarried workers(45.6%), skilled workers(47.2%), full time workers(47.4%), long term workers(50%), and awareness group of exposure hazardous material(51.3%), compared to married women workers, unskilled workers, part-time workers, short term workers and unawareness group of exposure at hazardous materials. (5) The index of working satisfaction is rated on a scale of 1 to 10 with the higher point indicating higher satisfaction. Among the selected variables, marital status, working status, the awareness of exposure at hazardous materials, were statistically significant with the index of working satisfaction. (6) By multiple regression analysis showed that the determinant factors of index of working condition were health index, the awareness of exposure at dust, the awareness of exposure other hazardous materials, marital status and working period. In conclusion, there is a significant relationship between the awareness of exposure at hazardous material the index of working satisfaction. Therefore if the workers are less exposed to the hazardous material and are educated properly they will be more satisfied with their work thus improving their health and productivity. Finally, with the result of this study, there is a great need for the development of a health promotion program and a welfare policy for small-scale factories.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.113 no.1
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• pp.131-142
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• 2024

The purpose of this study was to estimate the optimal stand density criteria for each growth stage of Chamaecyparis obtusa (Siebold & Zucc.) Endl. to achieve the timber production goal for cypress forests and develop an optimal silvicultural system for forest thinning. A relative yield index (Ry) value of 0.75, presented as a stand density management criterion index, was estimated by analyzing the relationship characteristics between the composition ratio and stand density of slender trees from 216 sample plots of the recruited cypress forests. The analysis of the feasibility of achieving each production target in the existing silvicultural system for C. obtusa revealed that the growth rate according to the parameters of forest land productivity, such as site index and thinning intensity according to the increase in age, was not properly reflected. In the thinning system for each timber production target analyzed in this study, 353 high-quality large hardwoods from 498.1 m³/ha, 703 high-quality medium hardwoods from 376.2 m³/ha, and 1,758 small-diameter hardwoods from 249.5 m³/ha could be harvested. Although the silvicultural system prepared on the basis of the results of this study cannot be uniformly applied according to various management goals, this study is meaningful in that it presents empirical reference standards based on the stand density management diagram that reflects the growth characteristics of cypress forests in South Korea.