• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.171-179
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the mental health and presenteeism of early childhood teachers and to explore the effects of working conditions and job satisfaction on these. Methods: Data from the 4thKorean Work Environment Survey were used. The sample consisted of 474 female early-childhood teachers from private facilities. Mental health was measured using the WHO-Wellbeing Index. Presenteeism was attributed to a participant upon indication that, during the past 12 months, she had ever attended work, despite being sick. The data by complex sample design were analyzed through the Rao-Scott $x^2$ test and logistic regression analysis. Results: 37.9% of early childhood teachers reported poor mental health and 34.2% had experienced presenteeism. Early childhood teachers in permanent employment, who did not work evening shifts, and with sustainable jobs, were more likely to have better mental health. Moreover, those in permanent employment and remunerated appropriately were less likely to experience presenteeism. Conclusion: Type of employment, number of days working in the evening, and job sustainability affect mental health. Further, type of employment, number of workers, and being well paid have an effect on presenteeism. We suggest that improved working conditions should precede the improvement of early-childhood teachers' mental health.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.468-480
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was to describe and develop public health nursing. Methods: Data were collected from 19 nurses sampled from 5 public health centers. The grounded theory of Strauss and Corbin (1990) was applied. Results: As a result, 48 concepts, 23 subcategories, and 11 categories were deduced from open coding. In axial coding, casual conditions 'facing difficulties of practical administration' and 'attaching importance to health support for residents' and context condition 'assessing of residents' service needs' impacted phenomenon 'searching for efficient performing methods.' Intervening conditions 'forming of support system' and 'working with positive,' and action-interaction conditions 'improving of resident's health and medical accessibility' and 'striving for self-development' lead to consequences 'carried out promptly for field-based problem solving,' 'mastered of successful program planning methods' and 'solving the issues with existing style.' The periods of process were divided into 4 stages, confirming program-contents, probing program-method, developing program-strategies, and applying program-competencies. The core category, ‘strengthening of practical-planning work competencies' incorporated the relationship between and among all categories and explained the process. Conclusion: This study described public health nurses' performance in Korea. These findings have important implications for the practice and must be considered to develop competencies for planning and practice of public health.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.188-195
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• 2019

Background: Mine workers in South Africa face challenges relating to poor health and safety, including fatigue risks, and poor socioeconomic and living conditions. Fatigue results in impaired mental and physical performance. The aim of this study was to assess contributors to fatigue of mine workers in South Africa. Methods: Data collection took place at four gold mines and one platinum mine in South Africa. A total of 21 focus groups were held with individuals in management, union representatives, and mine workers, and 564 questionnaires were completed by mine workers to gather information about fatigue and potential contributors to fatigue at these mines. Results: Qualitatively (through focus groups), fatigue was attributed to extended working hours, harsh working conditions, high workloads, production pressure, and resource constraints, along with aspects relating to demographic and socioeconomic factors, living conditions, lifestyle, health, and wellness. Greater fatigue was significantly associated with younger age, indebtedness, a lack of exercise, poor nutrition, less sleep, increased alcohol use, poor self-reported health, more sick leave, higher stress, and lower job satisfaction. Conclusion: The aim of the study was achieved; numerous work-, sociodemographic-, lifestyle-, and wellness-related factors were linked to fatigue in the participating mine workers. Contributors to fatigue should be addressed to improve health, safety, and sustainability in the industry.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.378-385
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• 2017

Background: The present rapid shift of industrialization from developed to developing countries requires developing countries to understand issues related to work organization, management, and working conditions. There are many factors slackening production, of which working conditions is part. A complete inquiry into the workers' working conditions can enable managements to reduce risks in the workplaces and improve productivity. Understanding and awareness of the benefits of workplace research and a probe into the working conditions in the Ugandan apparel assembly plants are urgently required. Methods: A total of 103 (70 women and 33 men) workers from five different plants were interviewed. Together with the top management of various plants, questionnaires about the workers' opinions of their physical working conditions were prepared. Data was collected using two methods: (1) questionnaire; and (2) observation of the workers during their work. Results: The results indicated that poor plant working conditions were mainly contributed by the workers' social factors and the management policies. Conclusion: The government, together with the management, should work to improve the working conditions in the apparel assembly plants, as it greatly affects both.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.69-84
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• 2004

This study was conducted to identify actual dental care status, levels of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors about dental health, and dental health conditions in elementary students; and examine the relationships between the levels of knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and dental health conditions for 427 students in their sixth grades from six elementary schools in Pusan area from November 1st to December 5th, 2002. The data was collected through a structured study questionnaire and through dental checkups by dentists and was analyzed into frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, one-way ANOVA and Pearson's correlation analysis using SPSS program. The main results of this study were summarized as follows： 1) The levels of knowledge, attitudes, behaviors about dental health was found to be high as mean score 18.75 points (64.7％) in knowledge, 17.86 points (59.5％) in attitudes, and 31.64 points (67.3％) in behaviors. Therefore they were found to care a lot about their dental health. The indices of dental health conditions were found to be low as mean score 0.87 pieces (3.1％) of treated teeth, 1.27 pieces (4.5％) of teeth to be treated, 7.64％ of the DMFT rate and 0.43 points (7.2％) of the simplified oral hygiene index. Therefore their condition of dental health was found to be very clean. 2) The relationships among the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors about dental health showed a weak level of positive correlations. Among the conditions of dental health, treated teeth and the DMFT rate showed a moderate level of positive correlation； and treated teeth and the simplified oral hygiene index showed weak level of positive correlation. 3) The condition of dental health of the subjects of this study was found to be good and dental care was properly done when there was participation of parents and school health educators in dental care. It tells us that dental education is required not only for children but also for their parents. As there were significant correlations between knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors about children's dental heath, school health educators should encourage students to have continuous dental care habits for lifelong dental health with repetitive education, rather than to deliver simple knowledge to students during dental health education.

• Korean Journal of Rural Living Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.51-62
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• 1998

This study was performed to suggest the health management of farmers compared with different farming types, such as rice plant, livestock, horticulture, orchard and others, for the farmer's health enhancement. For this study, 720 subjects were selected in 8 provinces through cluster method, and relevent caculations for the analysis of the subjects were made SAS program, and tested significance with x$^2$ and F value, those probability levels were 0.1%, 1% and 5%. Among the subjects, aged 40's were 38%, females 66%, elementary graduates (32%), and think of living conditions were average (67%). In the self-consciousness test for health, there was no significant difference of farmers with farming types. In the aspect of agricultural work situation, they took holidays according to the weather conditions or no pressed work to be done. And They took a break “when they feel tired during work”. For the recovery of fatigue, sleeping was chosen as the most favorite (68%) followed bathing (17%). but exercise was the lowest (7%). In the case of working conditions, 74% of them replied they work under average condition, and only 9% of them thought they were under pleasant surroundings. And 37% of them have had healthy food, for health practice and restorative for health. 20% of them have had breakfast irregularly. In addition to the regular meal intake, sufficient re자 and pleasant agricultural working conditions would be necessary for health, and the farmers themselves should recognize the importance and care of health. The project for enhancement of the farmers' health is needed and who should give guideline to have the responsibility for health.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.31 no.spc
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• pp.525-533
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• 2020

Purpose: Workers in special employment relationship (WSERs) are workers in nonstandard employment arrangements who lack worker protection accorded in standard employment arrangements. This study aimed to describe self-rated health (SRH) and depressive symptoms (DS) among Korean WSERs in comparison to regular wage workers (RWW) and identify associations between working conditions and those outcomes. Methods: In this study, secondary data analysis using the 5th Korean Working Conditions Survey was used. The sample totaled 29,120, including 1,538 WSERs and 27,564 RWWs. Sociodemographic and work-related characteristics were employed as explanatory variables and SRH and DS as dependent variables. Using multiple logistic regression, the determinants of fair/poor SRH and DS were identified. Results: The prevalence rates for fair/poor SRH and DS in WSERs were 25.2% and 28.3%, respectively, and 20.7% and 25.0% in RWWs, respectively. Compared to RWWs, WSERs had 31% (aOR=1.31, 95% CI=1.14~1.49) and 20% (aOR=1.20, 95% CI=1.06~1.36) higher odds of SRH and DS, respectively. Some factors, such as a lack of rest guarantee and sickness presenteeism, had a larger influence in the WSER than in the RWW group. Conclusion: Compared to RWWs, WSERs reported having poorer working conditions and were more likely to report poor general and mental health. Therefore, in Korea, public health policymakers should consider measures to protect the working conditions and health of WSERs, a growing segment of the working population. The study produced new epidemiological evidence regarding the relationships between employment arrangements and health.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.741-750
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• 2021

Objectives: To provide basic data for oral health policy by identifying the differences in oral health behaviors and conditions among middle-aged people in their 40s and 50s and relating these to their health-related quality of life, and to identify factors affecting health-related quality of life. Methods: In this study, secondary data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used. Data were gathered from 8,127 participants, of which 2,353 were middle-aged (40-59 years old). Covariance analysis was performed using a complex sample general linear model to investigate the changes in the subjects' health-related quality of life (EQ-5D) according to their general characteristics, oral health behaviors, and oral health status. Results: Oral health behavior was not significantly related to health-related quality of life. In contrast, a higher oral health status (chewing function) was associated with better health-related quality of life. Conclusions: In conclusion, this study suggested a close relationship between oral health status (chewing function) and health-related quality of life. Therefore, it is necessary to recognize the importance of oral health in improving the health-related quality of life of middle-aged people in their 40s and 50s, as well as in informing oral health policies and preventive measures for individuals and communities.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2015

Purpose: This study is to find relationship between cancer patient's spiritual health and the level of their anxiety and pain. Methods: From April 27 through May 11, 2012, a survey was conducted with 167 cancer patients hospitalized at a university hospital in Busan. Spiritual health was measured by the Spiritual Health Inventory developed by Highfield (1992). The instrument for anxiety measurement was the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory by Spielberger (1975) and that for pain was the Visual Analogue Scale (2009). The association between patients' characteristics and spiritual health, anxiety or pain degree were analyzed using the ANOVA test. The interrelationship between spiritual health, anxiety and pain was analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficients. Results: The patients exhibited a moderate degree of spiritual health and anxiety and a mild level of pain. Patients' spiritual health significantly differed by their religion, education, monthly income of the family, illness conditions, physical conditions, metastasis, daily living and support. Their anxiety level was significantly different according to age, religion, education, illness conditions, physical conditions, metastasis, daily living, family/friends' support and use of analgesics. Significant differences were also found in the level of pain according to illness conditions, physical conditions, metastasis, daily living, family/friends' support and use of analgesics. We found a moderately negative correlation between spiritual health and anxiety. Anxiety and pain showed a positive correlation, and spiritual health and pain exhibited a negative correlation. Conclusion: To help cancer patients to manage their spiritual health, anxiety and pain, a program should be developed considering the primary factors discussed in this study.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.116-135
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• 1991

Few studies have been conducted on the detailed routes of medical care utilization under the National Health Insurance. This study was undertaken to identify the utilization patte군 of health care facilities among industrial workers and their dependents. One of the largest health insurance association was purposively chosen for this objective. The association had 345, 757 members as of 31 December, 1990. The study sample of 297, 948 subjects have been drawn from the membership pool on the basis of their continuous membership status during 1 January through 31 December 1990. This study has tried to identify differential utilization patterns between acute and chronic conditions, and among standard income classes. All the diagnoses were recoded in a manner to achieve the objective of this study. As for acute diseases, most age group had used one medical facility as much as by 60% except the age group of 1-4, This young age group had used over three different health facilities as much as by 10.9-15.8%. The finding suggests that some policy measures by sought for remedying the excessive/inappropriate use of services. In addition, mid-income classes(between 17 and 48) were more likely to use multiple sources of care than lower income classes(between 1 and 16) and upper income classes(above 49). This study has revealed that chronic cases are more likely to pursue multiple sources of care, however those with chronic conditions tend to use single health facility more than those with acute conditions(67.9% versus 52.4%). As many as 12.2% have visited more than three health facilities in chronic conditions, but 5.9% for acute conditions. The most likely source of care was primary clinics for both acute and chronic conditions. Compared with the role of general hospital, small-size hospitals found to play a minimal role in the care and referral of patients. This indicates the need of strengthening the function of small-size hospitals. While a minor cross utilization of western medicine and pharmacy was noted, no significant boundary crossing was identified between western medicine and oriental medicine, or between pharmacy and oriental medicine. It is too early to confirm that whether there is substitutability or cross utilization among these alternative sources of care. A further study is needed to identify these relationship.