• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.211-240
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to identify korean agricultural extension workers' Perception of role ambiguity according to restructuring of Agricultural Administrative Systems. The target population of this study was selected from 21 centers out of 156 centers. The subjects for study were 728 agricultural extension officers by the cluster sampling drawn from the sampled 21 agricultural extension centers in four clusters. A survey questionnaire was utilized to measure variables of this study. It consisted of role ambiguity scale and demographic items. In this study, role ambiguity scale was translated from the existing scale. Through a pilot test and final survey, reliability and validity of these scales were examined. The data were collected by mail. A total 420 questionnaires out of 728 from 21 agricultural extension centers were returned. After data cleaning, 410 responses were used for analysis. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were applied for data analysis. Major findings of the study were as follows. There were significant differences of the degree of role ambiguity among the local extension workers divided by four clusters. Especially, the degree of role ambiguity of restructured local administrative system were more higher than other clusters, comparatively. Thus, the factors causing the role ambiguity to agricultural extension officers need to be measured it in-depth.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Entomolohy Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.56-56
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• 2001

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.467-477
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• 2017

Objectives: Oxidative stress and DNA damage have been proposed as mechanisms linking pesticide exposure to health effects such as cancer and neurological diseases. We investigated whether protective measures could significantly reduce the levels of biomarkers for oxidative stress and DNA damage in agricultural workers. Methods: In the present study, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), biomarkers related to oxidative stress and DNA damage, respectively, were analyzed in urine samples collected from agricultural workers in two provinces of Korea (n=60). The influence of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and performing protective behaviors on the levels of these two biomarkers was also evaluated. Results: The median urinary levels of MDA and 8-OHdG were 10.45 nmol/mg creatinine and 14.42 ng/mg creatinine in subjects living in region A, while they were 6.25 nmol/mg creatinine and 24.77 ng/mg creatinine in subjects living in region B, respectively. The levels of MDA and 8-OHdG were higher in male farmers. Farmers wearing greater numbers of PPE and performing more protective behaviors had significantly lower levels of MDA. Greater numbers of protective behaviors was significantly associated with lower levels of 8-OHdG. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that pesticide exposure could induce oxidative stress and DNA damage in agricultural workers, and that protective measures are important for mitigating pesticide exposure.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.62 no.5
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• pp.27-37
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• 2020

As domestic meat consumption increases, the broiler production industry has been larger and denser. The concentration of particulate matter (PM) and harmful gases generated is also increasing inside livestock house. However, the current research status of PM exposed to farm workers and the health effects are in the early stage. To understand PM concentration affecting workers in the broiler house, field monitoring was conducted according to its size distributions. Concentrations of PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and TD (Total Dust) were monitored using personal air samplers with teflon filter during working and moving periods considering the ventilation systems of 6 broiler houses. The purpose of this study is to monitor the PM concentration in the experimental broiler houses operated by forced ventilation system generally used in Korea and to evaluate the regional concentrations through airflow pattern. The PM concentrations were increased from inlet to outlet vents resulting in 1,872 of TD, 1,385 of PM₁₀, and 209 ㎍/㎥ of PM_2.5, respectively. The TD and PM₁₀ concentrations were increased when the workers and broilers were moving. Among them, the particle size that occupied the largest amount of PM was 13.75 ㎛. These results suggest that personal protection equipments are important to reduce the health effect from PM inhalation.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.417-427
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• 2010

Objectives: This study was conducted to develop a Korean version of the Participatory Action Oriented Training (PAOT) program and training materials for improvement of agricultural working environments. Methods: The PAOT manual and checklist were developed on the basis of the original English version of the training materials, a questionnaire survey of agricultural health and safety professionals, and a brainstorming conference. Good example pictures were collected through visits to agricultural workers' houses, and an easily understandable picture was drawn by an animation specialist. A PAOT action manual and five types of action checklists were developed for use in different agricultural environments. Each action checklist contained six categories and 38 items of agricultural health and safety principles; the six categories were material storage and handling, work stations and tools, machine safety, physical environment, working schedule and organization, and basic health and safety management. Incorporating these training materials, a one-day Korean PAOT program was developed. Results: Among 307 candidate agricultural workers from four rural Korean villages, 94 workers (59 males, 35 females) participated in a PAOT from July 2007 to Oct 2008. The PAOT program was successful and the mean self-estimated satisfaction score of the participants was greater than 90%. Conclusions: A Korean PAOT program and training materials were successfully developed and applied to Korean agricultural workers. Although more studies are needed, it is expected that PAOT will greatly contribute to the improvement of agricultural working conditions and health and safety through the use of agricultural workers' self initiatives.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.121-131
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• 2012

Many of the falling which is the number one risk factor in lethal accidents in construction could have been prevented if the right activity or supervising had been taken in time. All other measures do not preventive the fall, but rather intercept the fallen itself or preventive severe injury. The most common and the bets measures on the preventive measures are guardrails which are to be worn on the site. Workers always exposed the risk of serious accidents induced by causal effects related with environments around construction sites. In order to represent how to decrease the risk of workers, this study was accomplished with a number of interview with experienced site director, cheief of instructors, workers. And the questionaire survey (2012. 5~2012. 10) were used to make proposed policies which are expected to reduce critical disastrous accidents and strength authorized limits of director's management automatically.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.551-558
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• 2010

It is a normal circumstance to have high temperature and high humidity in Greenhouses even though these climates are changed by the area, season, climates, the size of the greenhouse, and the crops being raised. Workers in the greenhouses have complained about their uncomfortable work environment and discomfort from the hot conditions, including sunburn. The farmers' ailments are not significantly different between those working in the in greenhouses and those working in the fields. The Farmers' syndrome was almost two times higher for women than those of men for greenhouse workers. This study was developed for functional fatigue clothes for plastic greenhouses which are known for high temperatures and humidity. The ergonomic function and thermal comforts of fatigue clothes were evaluated in the climatic chamber($30.0^{\circ}C$, 70.0%R.H.). The current fatigue clothes which are made of cotton or nylon were purchased at the market. The developed clothes are made of highly absorbent and high speed drying polyester. And these fabrics have excellent elasticity. In this study, the functional fatigue clothes were designed with longsleeved sport shirts and Full length pants. Tre, Tsk, Hcl, HR and the personal subjective sensations such as heat, humidity, and comfortableness were significantly lower when subjects wore the developed clothes made with polyester than the previous attire.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
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• v.12
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• pp.225-267
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• 1985

This study is aimed to assure that the agricultural technical information which is the important factor to increase rural production should be widely used by rural communities, and for the wide circulation for the technical information, the appropriate information system is available for the farmers and extention workers who are responsible for the information transfer to farmers. The study is also aimed to find out an outline of a structure and characteristic of the appropriate information system for the rural communities in Korea. The method used to accomplish the purpose of the study, the modernization theory of agriculture of T. W. Schultz was examined and assertions of the information specialists regarding the issues of information transfer and agricultural information system :in developing countries were analyzed. Through the above literary research, the author tried to create the most suitable characteristic and structure of agricultural information system in rural communities in Korea. To justify the author's assertion, a survey through questionniares for a typical rural province was attempted. The assertion that the author tried to convey as the most suitable agricultural information system of this country is the establishment agricultural information analysis center mainly for the extention workers and designing information system which has affiliation between the rural guidance office which is already situated every unit of administractive districts all over the country and public library which is now not properly located and functioned.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.119-144
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• 2006

The Korea rural health study, a large prospective cohort study, the objectives of this study are exploration for potential causes of agricultural injuries and diseases among farmers. Current medical research suggests that they may have higher rates of some traumatic injuries, pesticide poisoning, infectious diseases, musculoskeletal diseases, asthma and other respiratory diseases. This study is designed to identify occupational, lifestyle, and environmental factors of workplace that may affect the rate of diseases in farming population. Round 1, initial cohort recruitment, will begin in 2006 and conclude in 2009. Round 2, follow-up will begin in 2010 and conclude in 2014. Approximately 54,000 persons will be selected to study population. Nested case-control studies and case-crossover studies will be conducted for getting to the bottom of agriculture-related diseases. Recruitment and follow-up are conducted in collaboration with multi-centers. As data on the exposures and health outcomes of this study population are collected and analyzed in 2014. This study will be evaluated by public health experts for effort, achievement, adequacy of performance, efficacy, process of study and so on. The author expects that this cohort study may reduce agricultural injuries and diseases and will provide information that agricultural workers can use in making decisions about their health. Also, this study will be significant basis for strengthening the competitiveness of agriculture in Korea.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.41-52
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• 2021

It is important to understand the factors that affect the business performance of insect farm for continuous insect farm management. The purpose of this study is to investigate factors influencing the business performance of insect farm. For this study, 1,577 questionnaires were collected through a telephone survey targeting insect farm owner. As a result of analysis using linear multiple regression analysis, the factors affecting total sales were gender, age, business experience, number of workers, and national and local government support projects. The factors affecting the net profit rate were age, business experience, number of workers, national and local government support projects, and education. When the gender of the business operator is male, it only affected the increase in total sales, and it was found that both the total sales amount and the net profit margin increased with the younger the business operator's age.