• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.17-24
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• 2016

The regulation for industrial accident rate level assessment of construction companies was introduced to the construction industry in the Republic of Korea since 1993 and has brought positive outcome on industrial accidents reduction at construction work sites. There were considerable decrease of industrial accident ratio and enforcing of contrators' safety organizations from the beginning of the regulation for industrial accident rate level assessment. In spite of these positive outcomes, there were some negative effects such as contractors' shrinking accident reports to keep good accident ratios since these figures had a great impact on pre-qualification stage of bidding when general contractors were competing for new construction projects. In addition, Comprehensive evaluation bid system, which replaces the lowest price bid system is applied to government-ordered construction projects since 2016. Comprehensive evaluation bid system includes construction company's accident rate as one of the evaluation items and carries out with the industrial accident rate level assessment of construction companies at the same time. The regulations of two systems have been called for improvement to unify these different procedures and standards which have led business stakeholders to confusion for several years. This study aims to devote on lessening shrinking accident reports and to reduce the waste of business stakeholders through changing the regulation for industrial accident rate level assessment.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.15-25
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• 2020

Purpose : Sexual harassment cases involving health and medical workers, including physical therapists, nurses and psychotherapists, are on the rise. Despite the increased incidence of sexual harassment, prior studies show that physical therapists, nursing assistants and caregivers are not doing well cope with sexual harassment. Therefore this study examines the factors associated with sexual harassment damage experience among physical therapists, as well as the relationship between sexual harassment damage experience and job-related aspects. It is intended to prepare basic data for programs and research that can mediate these issues. Methods : We conducted a self-reported questionnaire survey of 200 physical therapists working at medical institutions in the Seoul metropolitan area. The survey items included sexual harassment experience and job-related aspects such as satisfaction, stress, burnout, and engagement. A correlation analysis was conducted to clarify the relationship between sexual harassment experience and job-related factors, and multiple regression analysis was conducted to verify the correlations of sexual harassment experience on physical therapists' job. Results : There was a weak correlation between sexual harassment experience, job satisfaction, and job engagement, and a moderate correlation between sexual harassment experience, job stress, and job burnout. The impact of sexual harassment experience on job had a significant correlation on job satisfaction, job stress and burnout. Conclusions : Sexual harassment damage experience among physical therapists had a significant impact on many job aspects. Thus, there is a need for countermeasures and education to prevent sexual harassment, or at least effectively cope with the consequences. It is proposed to expand to other local or national units as follow-up studies, to study other factors affecting sexual harassment damage experience, and to develop and verify programs to cope with or prevent sexual harassment damage experience.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1025-1035
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• 2018

Objectives: This study examined dental hygiene students' frequency of participation in community volunteer activities, job consciousness, depression, and self-esteem, and then identified the correlation among them. We also analyzed the moderating effect of depression and self-esteem on the correlation between participation in community volunteer activities and job consciousness. Methods: We surveyed 312 dental hygiene students attending four universities in South Chungcheong Province, Korea, from May 2 to June 15, 2016, through direct visits. They were given structured questionnaires containing four items on community volunteer activities, three on job consciousness, ten on self-esteem, and 13 on depression. To examine the moderating effect of depression and self-esteem, we performed analysis of variance, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling analysis (based on the path analysis model and by inserting interaction terms) using SPSS and AMOS. Results: We observed a negative correlation between self-esteem and depression (r=-0.062) but a positive correlation between self-esteem and job consciousness (r=0.125). Depression and job consciousness had a negative correlation (r=-0.176). Depression had a statistically significant impact on job consciousness (r=-0.519, p<0.01). The interaction term between depression and frequency of community volunteer activities also had a statistically significant influence on job consciousness (r=0.090, p<0.05). These findings indicate that depression moderates the correlation between frequency of community volunteer activities and job consciousness at a statistically significant level. Conclusions: More frequent participation in volunteer activities enhances dental hygiene students' self-esteem, reduces depression, and raises job consciousness. The positive impact of volunteering on self-esteem, depression, and job consciousness warrants encouraging students' participation in community volunteer activities, creating supportive structures, and developing various volunteer programs relevant to the students' area of study.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.303-311
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• 2018

This study was conducted to examine the relations of oral health relevance to disabilities according to the relationship types between them and their guardian. The guardians were surveyed using self-writing questionnaires regarding the cohesion and communication process, and the oral health of disabled was analyzed by evaluation table. Total 78 copies were analyzed. SPSS win. 24.0 statistical program was used and the significance level was verified at .05. There was significance in the communication process(p<.01) according to the type of relationship with the disabled and their guardians. In oral health of the disabled according to the type of relationship with their guardians, there was significance in DMFT index(p<.01), first molar soundness(p<.01) and Pocket depth(p<.01).Therefore, the mother had a positive effect for the disabled on most items such as cohesion, communication process, and oral health. However, it is expected that policy support and research to increase the interests in oral health care management are needed for personal assistants, who showed a low impact on the cohesion, and communication process with disabled persons, and spouses, who showed a low influence on oral health of persons with disabilities.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.697-704
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• 2007

Purpose: The objective of the study is to identify plastic surgeons' views on the effects of online communication between doctors and patients.Methods: Cross-sectional online survey of members of the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons was made to identify their evaluation on the accuracy and the relevance of the internet health information and their perceptions of the effects of discussing the information with the patients on time-efficiency, requests for specific interventions, health outcomes, and the doctor-patient relationship. A questionnaire with 25 items was sent to the surgeons' e-mails, and 111 replied. SPSS Win version 12.0 was used to analyze the statistical differences and meanings among data.Results: The percentage of the plastic surgeons who were experiencing the online communication was 65.8%, and the most frequent medium used was homepage of the clinic/hospital. Even though the percentage of the plastic surgeons who were using the online communication for their everyday practice was high, the percentage of patients who visited the clinic/hospital after using the website of the clinic/hospital was relatively low. The effects of online communication on doctor-patient relationship were neutral in 40(36.0%) and positive in 39(35.1%). The effects on the efficiency of the practice was positive in 45(40.5%), and the effects on the quality of care and the patients' outcome were positive in 46(41.4%) respectively.Conclusion: The ratio of surgeons who are experiencing the online communication is relatively high, whereas the ratio of patients who are using online communication is low. Most of plastic surgeons are positive on the effects of the online communication on doctor-patient relationship, quality of care, and patients' outcome.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2018

Purpose: Postpartum fatigue can impact maternal well-being and has been associated with levels of perceived self-care. This study aimed to examine the relationship among fatigue, depressive mood, self-care agency, and self-care action among postpartum women in Bangladesh. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional survey was done with 124 first-time mothers from two tertiary hospitals in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Modified Fatigue Symptoms checklist, Denyes' Self Care Instrument, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and items on sociodemographic and delivery-related characteristics, were used in Bengali via translation and back-translation process. Results: High fatigue levels were found in 18.5% (n=23) and 73.4% had possible depression (n=91). There was a significant negative relationship between fatigue and self-care agency (r=-.31, p<.001), and self-care action (r=-.21, p<.05). Fatigue differed by level of self-care agency (t=4.06, p<.001), self-care action (t=2.36, p=.023), newborn's APGAR score (t=-2.93, p=.004), parental preparation class participation (F=15.53, p<.001), and postpartum depressive mood (t=-4.64, p<.001). Conclusion: Findings suggest that high level of self-care efficacy and behaviors can contribute to fatigue management, and highlight the need for practical interventions to better prepare mothers for postpartum self-care, which may, in turn, alleviate postpartum fatigue.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.71-96
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• 2011

Within the traditional medical delivery system, patients residing in medically vulnerable areas, those with body movement difficulties, and nursing facility residents have had limited access to good healthcare services. However, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) provides us with a convenient and useful means of overcoming distance and time constraints. ICT is integrated with biomedical science and technology in a way that offers a new high-quality medical service. As a result, rapid technological advancement is expected to play a pivotal role bringing about innovation in a wide range of medical service areas, such as medical management, testing, diagnosis, and treatment; offering new and improved healthcare services; and effecting dramatic changes in current medical services. The increase in aging population and chronic diseases has caused an increase in medical expenses. In response to the increasing demand for efficient healthcare services, a telehealth service based on ICT is being emphasized on a global level. Telehealth services have been implemented especially in pilot projects and system development and technological research. With the service about to be implemented in earnest, it is necessary to study its overall acceptance by consumers, which is expected to contribute to the development and activation of a variety of services. In this sense, the study aims at positively examining the structural relationship among the acceptance factors for telehealth services based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Data were collected by showing audiovisual material on telehealth services to online panels and requesting them to respond to a structured questionnaire sheet, which is known as the information acceleration method. Among the 1,165 adult respondents, 608 valid samples were finally chosen, while the remaining were excluded because of incomplete answers or allotted time overrun. In order to test the reliability and validity of the assessment scale items, we carried out reliability and factor analyses, and in order to explore the causal relation among potential variables, we conducted a structural equation modeling analysis using AMOS 7.0 and SPSS 17.0. The research outcomes are as follows. First, service quality, innovativeness of medical technology, and social influence were shown to affect perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of the telehealth service, which was statistically significant, and the two factors had a positive impact on willingness to accept the telehealth service. In addition, social influence had a direct, significant effect on intention to use, which is paralleled by the TAM used in previous research on technology acceptance. This shows that the research model proposed in the study effectively explains the acceptance of the telehealth service. Second, the research model reveals that information privacy concerns had a insignificant impact on perceived ease of use of the telehealth service. From this, it can be gathered that the concerns over information protection and security are reduced further due to advancements in information technology compared to the initial period in the information technology industry, and thus the improvement in quality of medical services appeared to ensure that information privacy concerns did not act as a prohibiting factor in the acceptance of the telehealth service. Thus, if other factors have an enormous impact on ease of use and usefulness, concerns over these results in the initial period of technology acceptance may become irrelevant. However, it is clear that users' information privacy concerns, as other studies have revealed, is a major factor affecting technology acceptance. Thus, caution must be exercised while interpreting the result, and further study is required on the issue. Numerous information technologies with outstanding performance and innovativeness often attract few consumers. A revised bill for those urgently in need of telehealth services is about to be approved in the national assembly. As telemedicine is implemented between doctors and patients, a wide range of systems that will improve the quality of healthcare services will be designed. In this sense, the study on the consumer acceptance of telehealth services is meaningful and offers strong academic evidence. Based on the implications, it can be expected to contribute to the activation of telehealth services. Further study is needed to assess the acceptance factors for telehealth services, such as motivation to remain healthy, health care involvement, knowledge on health, and control of health-related behavior, in order to develop unique services according to the categorization of customers based on health factors. In addition, further study may focus on various theoretical cognitive behavior models other than the TAM, such as the health belief model.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.5023-5029
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• 2013

Background: To evaluate knowledge about screening tests and tests without proven screening value in a Greek Breast Unit population undergoing benign vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VABB). Materials and Methods: This study included 81 patients. Three knowledge-oriented items (recommended or not, screening frequency, age of onset) were assessed. Regarding screening tests two levels of knowledge were evaluated: i). crude knowledge (CK), i.e. knowledge that the test is recommended and ii). advanced knowledge (AK), i.e. correct response to all three knowledge-oriented items. Solely CK was evaluated for tests without proven screening value. Risk factors for lack of knowledge were assessed with multivariate logistic regression. A second questionnaire was administered 18 months after VABB to assess its impact on the performance of tests. Results: Concerning screening tests considerable lack of AK was noted (mammogram, 60.5%; Pap smear, 59.3%; fecal occult blood testing, 93.8%; sigmoidoscopy, 95.1%). Similarly lack of CK was documented regarding tests without proven screening value (breast self-examination, 92.6%; breast MRI, 60.5%; abdominal ultrasound, 71.6%; barium meal, 48.1%; urine analysis, 90.1%; chest X-Ray, 69.1%; electrocardiogram, 74.1%; cardiac ultrasound, 75.3%). Risk factors for lack of AK were: place of residence (mammogram), age (Pap smear), personal income (sigmoidoscopy); risk factors for lack of CK included number of offspring (breast MRI, chest X-Ray), BMI (abdominal ultrasound), marital status (urine analysis), current smoking status (electrocardiogram). VABB's only effect was improvement in mammogram rates. Conclusions: A considerable lack of knowledge concerning screening tests and misperceptions regarding those without proven value was documented.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 1999

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the impact of shift work on psychological, physical and social adjustment in nurses. Methods: Two hundred ninety-nine female nurses(179 shift worker, 120 non-shift worker) filled out a questionnaire, which consisted of fifty-six items including demographic characteristics. Subjective ratings of psychological, physical, social and sleeprelated distresses were assessed with a visual analogue scale(100mm). Results: Shift work exerted significantly negative impacts on all psychological, physical, social and sleep-related variables of the shift work nurses. The subjective perception about psychological and physical health of shift work nurses was significantly negative as compared to that of non-shift work nurses. Shift work nurses complained of more shift work related social dysfunction and limited social activity. Shift work nurses were also suffering from significant sleep difficulties as compared to non-shift work nurses. Conclusions: This study suggests that shift work can exert a negative impact on psychological and physical health of nurses as it can cause disturbances of the normal circadian rhythms of the psychophysiological functions, beginning with the sleep-wake cycle. Shift work can also cause difficulties in maintaining the usual relationships both at family and social levels. These results may suggest that we need appropriate coping strategies to overcome adverse effects of shift work.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.337-344
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• 2021

To determine the impact of long-term social distancing and isolation from COVID-19 on the area of adult occupational performance, targeting adults in their 20s to 60s distributed nationwide for 2 months from November 2020 to December 2020. A questionnaire based on the occupational therapy execution system was constructed and investigated. A total of 270 people responded to the questionnaire, and the survey method was an online questionnaire. As a result of the analysis, there were significant differences in both occupational performance and satisfaction before and after COVID-19 in 33 (75%) of 45 items in 9 areas of the occupational performance area. There were significant changes in performance and satisfaction by age group in all age groups in health management, social participation, leisure, and work. In particular, those in their twenties showed the greatest change in performance and satisfaction in the leisure domain, while those in their 30s and 60s showed the greatest change in both the performance and satisfaction in the leisure domain. Along with these changes, the survey subjects recognized that their occupational performance and satisfaction were lower than before COVID-19 was a problem and confirmed that they are willing to improve. As COVID-19 is still a pandemic, it is necessary to involve experts in each area and follow-up studies to improve the differences by occupational performance area and age, which have changed due to long-term social distancing and isolation.