• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제39권4호
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• pp.309-316
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• 2006

Objectives: Korean epidemiological studies have used reduced samples according to the subject's characteristics, such as the health services provided, the historical note with asthma, and age, to examine the acute effect of air pollution on asthma using the Korean National Health Insurance records. However, there have been few studies on whether the effects shown in these reduced samples are different from those of all samples. This study compared the effects of air pollution on asthma attacks in three reduced samples with those of entire samples. Methods: The air pollution data for $PM_{10},\;CO,\;SO_2,\;NO_2,\;and\;O_3$, and weather conditions including temperature, relative humidity, and air pressure in Seoul, 2002, were obtained from outdoor monitoring stations in Seoul. The emergency hospital visits with an asthma attack in Seoul, 2002 were extracted from the Korean National Health Insurance records. From these, the reduced samples were created by health service, historical notes with asthma, and age. A case-crossover design was adopted and the acute effects of air pollution on asthma were estimated after adjusting for weather, time trend, and seasonality. The model was applied to each reduced sample and the entire sample. Results: With respect to the health service, the effects on outpatients were similar to those for the total sample but were different for inpatients. These similar effect sizes were also observed in the reduced samples according to the historical note with asthma and age. The relative risks of $PM_{10},\;CO,\;SO_2,\;NO_2,\;and\;O_3$, among the reduced and entire samples were 1.03, 1.04-1.05, 1.02-1.03, 1.04-1.06, and 1.10-1.17, respectively. Conclusions: There was no clear evidence to show a difference between the reduced samples and the entire samples.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제6권4호
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• pp.317-323
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• 2015

Background: Young people are at an increased risk for illness in working life. The authorities stipulate certain goals for training in occupational health and safety (OHS) in vocational schools. A previous study concluded that pupils in vocational education had limited knowledge in the prevention of health risks at work. The aim of the current study, therefore, was to study how OHS training is organized in school and in workplace-based learning (WPL). Methods: The study design featured a qualitative approach, which included interviews with 12 headmasters, 20 teachers, and 20 supervisors at companies in which the pupils had their WPL. The study was conducted at 10 upper secondary schools, located in Central Sweden, that were graduating pupils in four vocational programs. Results: The interviews with headmasters, teachers, and supervisors indicate a staggered picture of how pupils are prepared for safe work. The headmasters generally give teachers the responsibility for how goals should be reached. Teaching is very much based on risk factors that are present in the workshops and on teachers' own experiences and knowledge. The teaching during WPL also lacks the systematic training in OHS as well as in the traditional classroom environment. Conclusion: Teachers and supervisors did not plan the training in OHS in accordance with the provisions of systematic work environment management. Instead, the teachers based the training on their own experiences. Most of the supervisors did not receive information from the schools as to what should be included when introducing OHS issues in WPL.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제5권4호
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• pp.203-209
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• 2014

Background: Coal mining is of significant economic importance to the Australian economy. Despite this fact, the related workforce is subjected to a number of psychosocial risks and musculoskeletal injury, and various psychological disorders are common among this population group. Because only limited research has been conducted in this population group, we sought to examine the relationship between physical (pain) and psychological (distress) factors, as well as the effects of various demographic, lifestyle, and fatigue indicators on this relationship. Methods: Coal miners (N = 231) participated in a survey of musculoskeletal pain and distress on-site during their work shifts. Participants also provided demographic information (job type, age, experience in the industry, and body mass index) and responded to questions about exercise and sleep quality (on-and off-shift) as well as physical and mental tiredness after work. Results: A total of 177 workers (80.5%) reported experiencing pain in at least one region of their body. The majority of the sample population (61.9%) was classified as having low-level distress, 28.4% had scores indicating mild to moderate distress, and 9.6% had scores indicating high levels of distress. Both number of pain regions and job type (being an operator) significantly predicted distress. Higher distress score was also associated with greater absenteeism in workers who reported lower back pain. In addition, perceived sleep quality during work periods partially mediated the relationship between pain and distress. Conclusion: The study findings support the existence of widespread musculoskeletal pain among the coal-mining workforce, and this pain is associated with increased psychological distress. Operators (truck drivers) and workers reporting poor sleep quality during work periods are most likely to report increased distress, which highlights the importance of supporting the mining workforce for sustained productivity.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.536-543
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• 2021

Background: Sickness absenteeism is an area of concern in nursing and is more concerning given the recent impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare. This study is one of two meta-analyses that examined sickness absenteeism in nursing. In this study, we examined demographic, lifestyle, and physical health predictors. Methods: We reviewed five databases (CINAHL, ProQuest Allied, ProQuest database theses, PsycINFO, and PubMed) for our search. We registered the systematic review (CRD de-identified) and followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Additionally, we used the Population/Intervention/Comparison/Outcome Tool to improve our searches. Results: Following quality testing, 17 articles were used for quantitative synthesis. Female employees were at higher risks of sickness absenteeism than their male counterparts (OR = 1.73; 95% CI: 1.33-2.25). Nursing staff who rated their health as poor had a greater likelihood of experiencing sickness absence (OR = 1.38; 95% CI: 1.19-1.60). Also, previous sick leave predicted future leaves (OR = 3.35; 95% CI: 1.37-8.19). Moreover, experiencing musculoskeletal pain (OR = 2.41 95% CI: 1.77-3.27) increased the likelihood of sickness absence with greater odds when it is a back pain (OR = 3.05; 95% CI: 1.66-5.62). Increased age, physical activity, and sleep were not associated with sick leave. Conclusion: Several variables were statistically associated with the occurrence of sickness absenteeism. One primary concern is the limited research in this area despite alarming rates of sick leave in healthcare. More research is required to identify predictors of sickness absence, and thereby, implement preventative measures.

• 한국시뮬레이션학회논문지
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.49-57
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• 2019

본 논문에서는 실제 교전이 일어나는 3차원 공간에서 고속 기동 중인 미사일 탐색기와 전자전 장비 간 교전 상황을 제한된 실험실 공간에서 교전 모의할 수 있는 HILS 시스템을 구축하기 위한 장치들을 구성할 수 있는 다양한 구현 방법들과 알고리즘에 관하여 기술하였다. 이 연구를 통하여 우리는 미래전장에서 다양한 고속 기동 무기체계들과 전자전 장비 간 실 교전 상황을 모의하는 실험들을 통하여 미래 전자전 장비의 주요 설계 요소들을 분석하는 방법들을 제시할 수 있었다. 즉 우리는 이 연구를 통하여 미래의 실 전자전 장비를 개발할 때 기술적인 위험요소들을 제거하고, 개발비용을 줄이며, 개발 기간을 단축할 수 있도록 도와주는 M&S 기술들을 개발하고 확인하였다. 본 연구결과는 전자전 무기체계 연구개발 분야 뿐 만 아니라 다양한 교전급 무기체계 HILS 연구 및 구축에 큰 도움이 될 수 있을 것으로 판단된다.

• 한국의료질향상학회지
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.41-61
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• 2018

Purpose: Falls are one of the most frequent health events in medical institutions, however, they can be predicted and prevented. The Quality Improvement Nurse Society clinical practice guideline Steering Committee developed the Clinical Practice Guideline for the assessment and prevention of falls in adult people. The purpose of this study was to assess the risk factors for falls in adults aged 19 years and older, to present an evidence for preventing falls, formulate a recommendations, and indicators for applying the recommendations. Methods: This clinical practice guideline was developed using a 23-step adaptation method according to the Handbook for clinical practice guideline developer (version 1.0) by National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency. Evidence levels and recommendation ratings were established in accordance to SIGN 2011 (The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network). Results: The final 15 recommendations from four domains were derived from experts' advice; 1) assessment of risk factor for falls in adult 2) preventing falls and reducing the risks of falls or falls-related injury 3) management and reassessment after a person falls 4) leadership and culture. Conclusion: This clinical practice guideline can be used as a basis for evaluation and prevention of fall risk factors for adults, to formulate recommendations for fall risk assessment and fall prevention, and to present monitoring indicators for applying the recommendations.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.3-20
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• 2019

This review aimed to identify risk factors for occupational accidents and illnesses among young workers in the Nordic countries and to attain knowledge on specific vulnerable groups within the young working force that may need special attention. We conducted a systematic review from 1994 to 2014 using five online databases. Of the 12,528 retrieved articles, 54 met the review criteria and were quality assessed, in which data were extracted focusing on identifying occupational safety, health risk factors, and vulnerable groups among the young workers. The review shows that mechanical factors such as heavy lifting, psychosocial factors such as low control over work pace, and organizational factors such as safety climate are all associated with increased injury risk for young Nordic workers. Results show that exposures to chemical substances were associated with skin reactions, e.g., hand eczema. Heavy lifting and awkward postures were risk factors for low back pain, and high job demands were risk factors for mental health outcomes. The review identified young unskilled workers including school drop-out workers as particularly vulnerable groups when it comes to occupational accidents. In addition, apprentices and young skilled workers were found to be vulnerable to work-related illnesses. It is essential to avoid stereotyping young Nordic workers into one group using only age as a factor, as young workers are a heterogeneous group and their vulnerabilities to occupational safety and health risks are contextual. Politicians, researchers, and practitioners should account for this complexity in the education, training and organization of work, and workplace health and safety culture.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.353-363
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• 2020

Objectives: Occupational diseases that occur due to or aggravated by work have commonly been recognized in the manufacturing industry, but there are now more incidences happening in the service industry due to changes in the industrial structure. Health workers are exposed to direct factors and various other causes of occupational disease at work, such as physical, chemical, biological, and psyco-social factors. This study aims to identify work-related diseases affecting health workers that are recognized as occupational diseases. Methods: The research is based on the data of workers whose diseases were accepted as work-related by the Industrial Accidents Compensation Insurance, and filed by the Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency. Amongst the approved claims during 2011 to 2015, we focused on healthcare workers and health-related workers of the Korean Standard Classification of Occupations. Descriptive statistics were performed. Results: The number of health workers(HWs) with approved work-related disease was 1,707 over 5 years. The number of healthcare workers(HCWs) excluding caregivers was 370 (21.7%) and of health-related workers (HRWs) it was 736 (43.1%). Out of HWs who were approved for their illnesses, females were 80% of HCWs and 88% of HRWs. The most common occupational disease in HWs was musculoskeletal diseases, while that of nurses was infectious disease. Conclusions: HWs are exposed to various risks from their profession and are affected by occupational diseases. It is necessary to focus on this issue and provide preventive measures.

• 문화기술의 융합
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.37-41
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• 2021

최근 ESG 투자는 전세계적으로 증가하고 있으며, 환경, 사회, 지배구조 등 ESG 위험성에 대한 인식이 높아지고 투자 결정시 이와 같은 비재무적 투자를 고려하는 추세이다. 최근 코로나19 사태를 겪으면서 환경에 초점이 맞추어지며 바이오와 헬스 관련 투자가 인기를 얻고 있는 반면 석탄 관련 사업 분야에서는 신규투자가 전면 중단되고 기존 사업은 순차적으로 사업을 종료하거나 철수하는 방향으로 의사결정이 이루어져 기후변화와 지속가능성을 투자 포트폴리오 최우선 순위로 설정하는 운용사가 증가하고 있다. 그 결과 투자환경 변화에 대한 효과적인 대응 방안을 제시하고, 리스크 관리체계의 구축에 도움이 될 수 있는 투자체계의 대응 및 준비에 노력을 기울일 필요가 있다. 따라서 동반성장과 호혜를 고려한 ESG 투자 동향을 간략히 살펴보고 시사점을 제시하고자 한다.

• 아태비즈니스연구
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• 제10권4호
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• pp.223-236
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• 2019

Governance can be defined as a concept that encompasses a series of processes including partner selection as well as control and coordination of collaboration to achieve common goals. The study examined efforts to mitigate the risks of opportunistic behaviors into partner selection, partner relationship, control mechanism, and conflict management. For cases that have achieved commercialization outputs with the participation of SMEs, data was collected and analyzed such as interviews with project managers and case records for seven months from October 2016. According to the analysis result, as the complexity increases, such as multilateral cooperation for the development of finished products, cooperation with a trusted partner rather than a partner who can perform a task well was preferred, and the process control was put ahead of the output control. Regarding the partner relationship, the relationship between the owner and the agent differed according to the point of view, and there was a lack of clear allocation of authority and responsibility as well as a reward for the result. In terms of the conflict management, most emphasis was on resolving conflicts or difficulties, and no attempt was made to utilize the positive aspects of the conflict. The structure of most industry-university-institute cooperation organizations is simply composed of the host and participating organizations, and the management regulations should be amended for companies, that put actual funds and use the outputs, to have the authority and responsibility as the owners, and be allowed to use the governance elements appropriately to take the lead as consumers.