• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2024

Background: The present study aimed to analyze several aspects of the working conditions and health status of platform workers in the Republic of Korea, such as ergonomic and emotional hazards. We also compared the health status of the platform workers with that of the general population. Methods: A total of 1,000 platform workers participated in this survey from August 7 to August 17, 2022. The participants included 400 designated drivers, 400 food-delivery drivers, and 200 housekeeping managers. A face-to-face survey with a structured questionnaire was conducted by researchers who had received specific instructions. The focus of the survey extended to the work environment, encompassing factors such as workplace violence, as well as physical, chemical, and ergonomic hazards. Health-related data for the previous year were also collected, covering a range of issues such as hearing problems, skin problems, musculoskeletal symptoms, headaches, injuries, mental health issues, and digestive problems. Subsequently, we compared the health symptom data of the responders with those of the general population in the Republic of Korea. Results: Platform workers, including designated drivers, food-delivery drivers, and housekeeping managers, existed in the blind spot of social insurance, facing frequent exposure to physical and chemical hazards, ergonomic risk factors, and direct or indirect violence. The prevalence of health problems, including musculoskeletal symptoms, general fatigue, and depressive symptoms, in each occupational group was statistically higher than that in the general population after standardization for age and gender. Conclusion: The results revealed unfavorable working environment and inferior occupational health of platform workers compared with those of the general population.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.39-56
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• 2015

This study calculated the potential customer satisfaction improvement index (PCSI index) and average satisfaction coefficient (ASC) by categorizing quality attributes based on the Kano analysis for medical service quality. This study seeks to suggest ways to increase the efficiency of medical business management by determining priority to improve after applying the indexes to IPA. To achieve such purposes, this study conducted a survey on 150 outpatients of a premium general hospital and 200 workers in four different sections in the same hospital. As a result of the analysis, there was a difference in the awareness of service quality to improve patient satisfaction between the outpatients and workers. Therefore, the focus should be put on those items deemed important by the patients rather than those that the workers called attention to in order to effectively improve service quality. Along with efforts to alleviate or eliminate inconveniences experienced by patients, it is necessary to provide training programs for workers on customer reception and management such as delivering services with a kind manner and giving explanations in a proper and professional manner and exhibiting the right attitude.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.55-66
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• 2009

Background: The purpose of this research was to investigate the factors affecting the low back pain of workers in hospital. 214 subjects waking at two general hospitals in Yosu city participated in this survey. Subjects consisted of doctors, nurses, medical engineers, officers and general laborers. The survey data were collected by a written questionnaire which made out by themselves for 25 days, from fourth August to 29th August, 2008. Methods: The questionnaire consisted of four categories, general, occupational, working habitual and the daily living characteristics. The collected data were analyzed by Chi-square test based on the present or absent of low back pain. Results: 1. In the general characteristics, low back pain had no significant relationship to all factors, sex, ago, body mass index, weight and height. 2. In the occupational characteristics, the phase of distribution of low back pain had statistical significant differences in the working hours a week, satisfaction of pay, satisfaction of occupation(p<0.05). However low back pain did not significantly related to the kind of occupation, period of work and degree of stress. 3. In the habitual characteristics, low back pain was significantly influenced by working posture, frequency of using lumbar and heavy material lifting, monotonous repetition of working operation and noise(p<0.05). No significant difference was shown in the factor of convenience of chair. 4. In the daily living characteristics, low back pain shown the significant differences in walking time a day, status of health and smoking pattern(p<0.05). there were, however, no significant differences in the aspect of the kind of house and bed, sleeping attitude, driving, riding time on the vehicle, exercising, frequency of cultural life and drinking alcohol. Conclusion: when I see above resultants totally, it appears a higher incidence caused by working environment rather than living habit and then consequently compared to hospital workers, they also have high incidence like others. In order to reduce incidence of low back pain and enjoy the our life we need to educate ourselves preventing program for low back pain and try to effort for preventing of low back pain on each department and individual.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.40-61
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to promote the efficiency of the management of the controls organization in the university hospitals and general hospitals by evaluating the factors underlying organizational conflict. The subject population included 351 hospital workers randomly selected from two general hospitals of less than 200 beds and two university hospitals over 500 beds in Seoul area. Data were collected through a survey questionnaire. To define related factors for the level of conflict among departments in each hospitals multivariate regression analysis was conducted. Independent factors were characteristics of subjects, conflicting factors between the departments. The results are as follows: 1. Those in high job position group demonstrated significantly higher level of conflict between departments. Those working in the general hospitals, who were older and had long-term tenure at current working hospital had higher level of conflict between the departments. 2. Concerning the involvement of conflicting factors and the level of conflict in the employees' there was statistically significant positive correlation between reliability and job-related and intradepartmental level of conflict in university hospitals. There was a significant positive correlation between interdepartmental conflicting factors of mutual dependence, difference in goal/orientation and interdepartmental level of conflict. 3. In the university hospitals, among the interdepartmental factors, mutual dependence and difference in goal/orientation had statistically significant influence and showed a positive relationship with interdepartmental level of conflict. In the general hospitals, job position was a significant factor which showed that those in high position such as section chief or above, compared to those in general position had higher level of conflict. Among the interdepartmental characteristics, factors of mutual dependence and goal/orientation had statistically significant influence and showed a positive relationship with interdepartmental level of conflict. In the general hospitals setting efforts to reduce conflict in areas among workers with high position, old age, and long tenure and those in medical care department should be made and prudent management and planning for improved manpower and increased budget or efficient allocation and clear definition of job description are necessary to adequately assess. In the university hospitals setting efforts to reexaminitation of the organizational structure and efficiency conveyance of information and efforts to resolve conflict among young workers with lower level of education is need. This study has its own merit in comparing empirically the conflict among hospital workers in the university hospitals and general hospitals. Future study are needed with respect to the relationship between interdepartmental level of conflict and the effectiveness of the hospital organization for improved resolution of conflict in the organization and hospital management.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.375-382
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to analyze the risk factors of the musculoskeletal workload of mid-old-age food preparation workers by identifying the differences in the complaints of subjective symptoms between mid-old-age housewives and mid-old-age food preparation workers. This study was carried out on a total of 83 subjects from April 2009 through July 2009: 43 food preparation workers at the catering department of general hospital A, with a high rate of mid-old-age food preparation staff, and 40 full-time housewives (40~59 years old). The analysis of the relationship between the rates of the subjective symptoms of the two groups showed that the mid-old-age food preparation workers had a 7.8-fold higher risk of developing musculoskeletal diseases than the full-time housewives. The musculoskeletal workload of the mid-old-age food preparation workers included repetitive motions, uncomfortable postures, and heavy lifting. It is hoped that this study will help provide mid-old-age people with opportunities for appropriate economic activity and labor and will help improve their work postures and methods as well as their environmental-risk factors.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.117-125
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• 2022

Background: External-cause mortality is an important public health issue worldwide. Considering its significance to workers' health and inequalities across industries, we aimed to describe the state of external-cause mortality and investigate its difference by industry in Republic of Korea based on data for 2018. Methods: Data obtained from the Statistics Korea and Korean Employment Information System were used. External causes of death were divided into three categories (suicide, transport accident, and others), and death occurred during employment period or within 90 days after unemployment was regarded as workers' death. We calculated age- and sex-standardized mortalities per 100,000, standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) compared to the general population and total workers, and mortality rate ratios (RRs) across industries using information and communication as a reference. Correlation analyses between income, education, and mortality were conducted. Results: Age- and sex-standardized external-cause mortality per 100,000 in all workers was 29.4 (suicide: 16.2, transport accident: 6.6, others: 6.6). Compared to the general population, all external-cause and suicide SMRs were significantly lower; however, there was no significant difference in transport accidents. When compared to total workers, wholesale, transportation, and business facilities management showed higher SMR for suicide, and agriculture, forestry, and fishing, mining and quarrying, construction, transportation and storage, and public administration and defense showed higher SMR for transport accidents. A moderate to strong negative correlation was observed between education level and mortality (both age- and sex-standardized mortality rates and SMR compared to the general population). Conclusion: Inequalities in external-cause mortalities from suicide, transport accidents, and other causes were found. For reducing the differences, improved policies are needed for industries with higher mortalities.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.119-145
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• 2008

The objectives of this study were to inspect how the law effected on hospital employment system and which policy and strategy are needed to cope with the present situation as the law regarding irregular workers law has enacted for a year. To grasp the changes of employment style in hospital, 56 hospitals among 311 general hospitals were questioned in this study. And employment policy and strategy were developed by referencing examples of developed nations and other industries. The survey showed that the wage and welfare level of irregular workers in hospitals was improved compared to that in the other industries. But there were still much discrimination between regular and irregular workers. The policy direction of government is, first of all, to follow the principle of equal treatment to equal value of labour. The first feasible policy is to enforce social security. The second one is an employment promotion policy which reduces or exempts hospitals employing irregular workers from tax and insurance fee. The third one is to extend employment contract period to 3 years. and finally there are policies to permit more dispatched jobs and to expand the social insurance coverage. The strategies to solve the problem of irregular workers are as follows; 1) performance wage system, 2) guaranteeing employment by unlimited contract, 3) creating new category of workers, 4) the wage system of management by object, 5) the method of job classification. This study has a meaning in the point that it was studied on hospital which is special industrial part and analyzed the changes after enacting irregular workers law and presented management strategy for countermeaure program. In this study, it was expected to contribute to decisions-making in hospital management, especially when using human resources.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.201-209
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• 2017

Objectives: This study was conducted to assess the association between level of physical activity and depressive symptoms among Korean male workers. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was distributed and anthropometric measurements were conducted with 1,379 male workers during a general health check. From this data, we identified the general characteristics, levels of physical activity(IPAQ), and depressive symptoms(CES-D) of the study population. We conducted univariate logistic regression to verify the variables that affect depressive symptoms and multivariate logistic regression to calculate odds ratios. Results: Among the 1,379 male workers, 43.4% were in the insufficiently active group(IPAQ category 1) and 22.8% were in the depressive symptom group($CES-D{\geq}16$). The odds ratio(OR) for depressive symptoms was statistically higher in the insufficiently active group, workers aged over 30, the shift work group, and the unmarried group. Adjusted for those variables, the ORs for depressive symptoms were found to be 1.45(95% CI=1.25-2.11), 1.15(OR=1.15, 95% CI=1.08-1.99) and 1.75(95% CI=1.48-2.02), for the insufficiently active group, workers aged over 30, and the shift work group, respectively. Conclusions: We found physical inactivity, age, marital status, and shift work to be associated with depressive symptoms among male workers. This study supports the suggestion that physical activity can be helpful to reduce depressive symptoms among workers.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.451-460
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine occupational risk factors that affect the mental health (depression, anxiety, anger, insomnia, self-esteem, trauma) of hospital facility workers. Methods: A survey was conducted from November 17, 2020 to December 1, 2020 for 700 non-medical workers (Temporary and contract workers: cleaning, security, information, office workers, etc.) working at a general hospital in Seoul. Results: As a result of the study, the risk of musculoskeletal disorders was found to have a significant effect on depression, anxiety, insomnia, and trauma. Noise had a significant effect on depression and anger, dust hazard had an effect on depression and self-esteem, and high temperature had a significant effect on anxiety and insomnia. Conclusions: Based on these results, it is necessary to examine the influence of occupational risk factors to improve the mental health of non-medical hospital facility workers.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.659-666
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• 2020

This study is a comparative study on the impacts of workers' emotional labor influencing job stress by health care and the types of hospitals. The research used 387 questionnaires as final assay data, which were obtained by health care workers who work for hospitals or higher-level hospitals located in G-metropolitan city, JD through the direct survey method. The results are as follows. First, after analyzing the difference of emotional labor and job stress in terms of socio-demographic characteristics, there was a significant difference in both general hospital and nursing hospital: In case of general hospitals, a significant difference in emotional labor is shown based on monthly earnings and the years of employment at current hospital, and a significant difference in job stress is shown based on an academic career, the years of employment at current hospital, and the establishment classification. In case of nursing hospitals, there was a significant difference in emotional labor based on an academic career, alcohol use, and monthly earnings. Second, after analyzing the correlation between emotional stress and job stress by the type of hospital, a significant positive correlation is observed at both general hospital and nursing hospital. Third, after comparing the impacts of emotional labor on job stress by the type of hospital, it was shown that emotional labor has a significant positive impact on job stress at both general hospital and nursing hospital.