• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.124-135
• /
• 2012

Purpose : The objective of this study was to investigate the differences of hippocampal volume and shape as well as the functional change between long life experienced taxi drivers and controls of Korean population. Materials and Methods: Three-dimensional T1-weighted images and blood oxygen level dependent functional MRI(fMRI) were obtained from 8 subjects, consisting of 4 experienced (20-30 years) taxi drivers and 4 age-matched controls. The hippocampal volume and shape were analyzed with three-dimensional T1-weighted images. In addition, neuronal activities of brain were analyzed using a blood oxygen level dependent fMRI between the two groups. Results: The hippocampal volume showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p > 0.05). The left hippocampi of the taxi drivers were slightly elongated with larger head and tail portions than those of the controls (p < 0.05, uncorrected). For the functional MRI, fusiform gyrus was specifically activated in taxi drivers, compared with the control group. Conclusion: The structural and functional changes of taxi driver's hippocampus indicate the functional differentiation as a result of occupational dependence on spatial navigation. In other words, the continuous usage of spatial navigation performance may diminish degeneration of hippocampus and the related brain regions.

• KOREAN ASSOCIATION OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH NURSES
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.47-47
• /
• 2014

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.108-117
• /
• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between customer contact service and mental health among Korean taxi drivers. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of data collected from the 2015 Korean Working Conditions Survey. The sample included 496 taxi drivers in South Korea. The effect of customer contact service on mental health was analyzed using logistic regression analysis. The independent variables were general characteristics, working conditions, and hazardous factors in interactive service. Results: The prevalence of poor mental health was 56.3%. Taxi drivers experienced emotional involvement (17.2%), hiding feeling (32.0%), and contact with angry clients (18.3%) in their job. During the first month of their work, 33.7% experienced verbal abuse and 12.3% threats/humiliating behaviors. In bivariate analysis, verbal abuse, threats/humiliating behaviors, and physical violence were associated with mental health of taxi drivers. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed 'emotional involvement' and 'contact with angry clients' were significant predictors of mental health. Conclusion: The findings of this study may be useful in developing intervention programs to improve the mental health of taxi drivers in South Korea.

• Information Systems Review
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.141-154
• /
• 2016

Mobile application is growing explosively with the advent of a new technology: smartphones. Mobile application is a new marketing channel and performs as a start-up platform. This study examines the effect of mobile application on the off-line market. Despite the continuous declining demand for taxi service, paradoxically, the supply of taxi service has increased. The taxi industry can be categorized into general taxi and call taxi. General taxi is accidental and inefficient because it has to search for its own passenger. As call taxi takes the request of a passenger, it is more efficient than general taxi. However, the current defective passenger-taxi driver matching system and insufficient taxi driver management hinder the development of the call taxi market. Differences in differences (DID) is an econometrical methodology that examines whether or not an event has meaningful influence. This research uses DID to investigate the effect of the Kakao taxi application on the call taxi industry. Furthermore, it examines the effect of major companies' reckless diversification, which is considered unethical behavior. The passengers of call taxi data from August 2014 to July 2015 and those of designated driving service data of the same period were collected as the control group.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.571-580
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of secondary task such as sending text message (STM) and searching navigation (SN) using the variable indicating control of vehicle ((Medial-Lateral Coefficient of Variation, MLCV), (Anterior-Posterior Coefficient of Variation, APCV)) and motion signal (Jerk-Cost function, JC). Participants included 50s taxi drivers; 14 males and 14 females. Participants were instructed to keep a certain distance (30m) from the car ahead with constant speed (80km/hr or 100km/hr). Experiement consisted of driving alone for 1minute and driving with secondary task for 1minute. Both MLCV and APCV were significantly increased during Driving + Sending Text Message(STM) and Driving + Searching Navigation(SN) than Driving only. Also, JC was increased during Driving + STM and Driving + SN than Driving only. In this study, we found that even in the experts group who are taxi driver and have 25 years driving experience, the smoothness of motion is decreased and the control of vehicle is disturbed when they were performing secondary tasks like sending text message or searching navigation.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.227-234
• /
• 2014

Purpose: This study was conducted to understand the subjective symptom rate of musculoskeletal disease of male taxi drivers and comprehend general features, health behavior features, and factors related to the subjective symptoms of musculoskeletal system depending on the level of job stress. Methods: The participants were 206 male taxi drivers from 4 transportation companies in the Seoul and Gyeonggi areas. The investigation was conducted from July 20th 2012 to August 20th 2012 through a self-administered questionnaire survey. Results: The participants who exercised less than three times per week complained about the subjective symptoms of the musculoskeletal system (p=.016) 13.770 times as more as than those of the participants who exercised more than three times per week the participants who had a higher level of job stress complained about the subjective symptoms of the muscular skeletal (p=.011) 1.051times as more as than those who had a relatively lower level of job stress. Conclusion: This study recommends that it is necessary to provide exercise programs and arrange various plans reducing job stress to prevent muscular skeletal disease and minimize the disease susceptibility of taxi drivers.