• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.476-482
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• 2023

Introduction: There is a growing global interest in the issue of precarious employment. We aimed to analyze the characteristics and socio-demographic distribution of precarious employment using a summative score approach. Methods: To operationalize precarious employment, we utilized data from the Korean Working Conditions Survey and focused on three distinct dimensions: employment insecurity, income inadequacy, and a lack of rights and protections. By constructing a summative scale ranging from -16 to 2, with lower scores indicating higher precariousness, we measured employment precariousness among Korean wage workers. To compare employment precariousness according to survey participant characteristics, we employed the Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test. Results: We analyzed a weighted number of 38,432 workers. The overall sample showed a median (Q1, Q3) summative scale score of -3 (-6, -1). The median summative score was lower for women compared to men (men: -2; women: -5; p < 0.001), as well as for young or older workers compared to middle-aged workers (young: -4; middle-aged: -2; older: -5; p < 0.001). Similarly, workers with lower educational levels (middle school or below: -8; high school: -5; college or above: -2; p < 0.001) and non-white collar workers (blue collar: -5; service/sales worker: -6; white collar: -2; p < 0.001) experienced higher levels of employment precariousness. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that certain vulnerable groups, such as women, young or older adults, workers with low educational attainment, and caregiving or low-skilled elementary workers, are disproportionately exposed to high employment precariousness. Active policy interventions are needed to improve the employment quality of vulnerable groups.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2017

Objectives: By the end of the 2000s, the economic situation in many European countries started to deteriorate, generating financial uncertainty, social insecurity and worse health status. The aim of the present study was to investigate how the recent financial crisis has affected the lifestyle health determinants and behaviours of older adults living in the Mediterranean islands. Methods: From 2005 to 2015, a population-based, multi-stage convenience sampling method was used to voluntarily enrol 2749 older adults (50% men) from 20 Mediterranean islands and the rural area of the Mani peninsula. Lifestyle status was evaluated as the cumulative score of four components (range, 0 to 6), that is, smoking habits, diet quality (MedDietScore), depression status (Geriatric Depression Scale) and physical activity. Results: Older Mediterranean people enrolled in the study from 2009 onwards showed social isolation and increased smoking, were more prone to depressive symptoms, and adopted less healthy dietary habits, as compared to their counterparts participating earlier in the study (p<0.05), irrespective of age, gender, several clinical characteristics, or socioeconomic status of the participants (an almost 50% adjusted increase in the lifestyle score from before 2009 to after 2009, p<0.001). Conclusions: A shift towards less healthy behaviours was noticeable after the economic crisis had commenced. Public health interventions should focus on older adults, particularly of lower socioeconomic levels, in order to effectively reduce the burden of cardiometabolic disease at the population level.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.109-113
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to examine the quality of life of high schoolers related to oral health. The subjects in this study were 287 high school students, on whom a survey was conducted. After the collected data were analyzed, the following findings were given: 1. As for self-perceived oral health state, 34.8 percent of the high schoolers investigated found themselves to be in a good oral health, and 65.2 percent didn't. In regard to concern for oral health, 15.7 percent showed a lot of interest, and 52.6 percent were a little interested. 31.7 percent had no interest in that. 2. Out of the oral health impact profile (OHIP) areas, they scored highest on the area of physical pain(2.24) and lowest on the area of social disadvantage(1.35). The overall oral health impact profile was 1.66. 3. Concerning relationship between general characteristics and the OHIP areas, the high school boys got significantly higher scores on the area of social disadvantage, and those who had ever visited dentist's offices scored statistically significantly higher on the areas of physical pain and mental insecurity. 4. Regarding connections between concern for oral health and the OHIP areas, those who were very interested in oral health got statistically significantly higher scores on every area. 5. As to the correlation among the OHIP areas, there was a statistically significantly positive correlation among all the areas.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Health Science
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.39-48
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• 2013

Purpose. This study was performed on survey related dental hygienist job stress and job satisfaction, to improve the work efficiency of the dental hygienist and for dental hygienist to eliminate the cause of stress for health promotion and for management to be able to help to finding ways to provide basic data. Method. This survey is based on 235 people who are dental hygienists working in Changwon city from November 1 to November 30 2012, by statistical analysis of collected data using SPSS Win Program 20.0 version t-test, univariate analysis of variance (one-way ANOVA), correlation analysis that performed to determine statistical significance with a significance level of 0.05 was considered. Results. For correlation of job satisfaction and job stress, the job demands, job insecurity, and workplace culture shows a negative correlation. For Correlation of the physical environment, insufficient job control, interpersonal conflict, and organizational system is, lack of reward shows a positive correlation. The less job stress due to Insufficient job control, interpersonal conflict, organizational system, is, the higher job satisfaction due to job demands and workplace culture is.(p <0.05), The higher job stress is, the higher the job satisfaction is(p <0.05). Conclusions. Job satisfaction and job stress may be relevant each other, there fore several measures should be sought to solve insufficient job control, interpersonal conflict, organizational system and the lack of reward, consequently to increase the job satisfaction of dental hygienists.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.371-382
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was undertaken in order to examine how musculoskeletal disorder(MSD) symptoms were affected by particular factors and then to explore control strategies to prevent MSDs in general hospital nurses. Materials: This, as part of a large study, was conducted using a set of information on literature review, questionnaire survey and focus group interview. It obtained prevalence and factors of MSD symptoms and examined how MSD symptoms were distributed and affected by the factors in nurses working at 15 general hospitals across Korea. The factors were personal factors, work organization, nursing tasks, physical factors and psychosocial factors. Results: A total of 501 nurses were determined as subjects. The highest MSD symptom prevalence was 61% for the shoulder, among body parts, followed by leg/feet(55%), low back(51%), neck(42%), wrist(38%), and elbow(21%). Prevalence for the whole body was 80%. Odds ratios ranged from 0.4 to 22.4 in logistic regression analyses. The symptoms were significantly attributed to factor variables such as body mass index, current health status, daily work time, nursing task, pooled-physical factors, ergonomic factors, work load, interpersonal conflict, and job insecurity. Conclusions: Two or more factor variables were significant, depending on body part, for MSD systems in the general hospital nurses. It was noticeable that physical factors, such as pooled-physical factors, ergonomic factors or work load, were selectively significant for MSD symptoms in all body parts, indicating that such information should be used for prevention of MSDs in the hospital sector.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.131-148
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• 2018

Purpose: This study examined the associations of job stress and burnout with the quality of life (QOL) among 119 emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Methods: Using a descriptive correlational design, 260 EMTs working in D City or S City completed the questionnaires. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine the predictors of QOL among 119 EMTs. Results: Overall, there was relatively low job stress among 119 EMTs. There were significant differences in job stress and burnout by general characteristics, especially regarding those of gender, service career, job rank, and self-reported health. In a hierarchical multiple regression, general characteristics explained 29% of QOL (Model I, F=16.369, p<.001). The explanatory power for QOL increased to 49% upon adding job stress (Model II, F=18.737, p<.001), and 59% upon adding burnout (Model III, F=22.621, p<.001). In the last model, self-reported health (${\beta}=.316$, p<.001), job demand (${\beta}=-.130$, p=.009), job insecurity (${\beta}=-.136$, p=.010), lack of reward (${\beta}=-.189$, p=.001), emotional exhaustion (${\beta}=-.196$, p=.004) and lack of personal accomplishment (${\beta}=-.334$, p<.001) were significant predictors of QOL among 119 EMTs. Conclusion: Based on the results, it is necessary to assess and manage job stress and burnout systematically among EMTs, and to develop health improvement programs for better QOL.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.454-461
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• 2018

Background: Working conditions and psychosocial work factors have acquired an important role explaining the well-being and performance of professional drivers, including those working in the field of public transport. This study aimed to examine the association between job strain and the operational performance of public transport drivers and to compare the expositions with psychosocial risk at work of three different types of transport workers: taxi drivers, city bus drivers, and interurban bus drivers. Method: A sample of 780 professional drivers was drawn from three transport companies in Bogota (Colombia). The participants answered the Job Content Questionnaire and a set of sociodemographic and driving performance questions, including age, professional driving experience, work schedules, and accidents and penalties suffered in the last 2 years. Results: Analyses showed significant associations between measures of socio-labor variables and key performance indicators such road traffic accidents and penalties. Furthermore, multiple linear regression analysis contributed to explain significantly suffered accidents from key variables of the Job Demand-Control model, essentially from job strain. In addition, throughout post-hoc analyses, significant differences were found in terms of perceived social support, job strain, and job insecurity. Conclusion: Work stress is an issue that compromises the safety of professional drivers. This research provides evidence supporting a significant effect of job strain on the professional driver's performance. Moreover, the statistically significant differences between taxi drivers, city bus drivers, and interurban bus drivers in their expositions to work-related stress suggest the need for tailored occupational safety interventions on each occupational group.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1185-1200
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: In the United States, one in every 5 children is obese with greater likelihood in low-income households. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may have accelerated disparities in child obesity risk factors, such as poor dietary intake and increased sedentary behaviors, among low-income families because of financial difficulties, social isolation and other struggles. This study reveals insights into nutrition and health challenges among low-income families of young children in West Texas to better understand needs and develop interventions. SUBJECTS/METHODS: In-depth individual interviews were performed via Zoom among 11 families of children under the age of 3. A semi-structured interview guide was developed to explore 3 areas: changes in (1) dietary intake and (2) sedentary behaviors and (3) families' preferences regarding a parent nutrition education program. Each interview was audiorecorded, transcribed, and coded using MaxQDA software. RESULTS: Eating together as a family become challenging because of irregular work schedules during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most parents stated that their children's dietary habits shifted with an increased consumption of processed foods. Many parents are unable to afford healthful foods and have utilized food and nutrition assistance programs to help feed their families. All families reported that their children's screen time substantially increased compared to the pre-pandemic times. Moreover, the majority of parents did not associate child screen time with an obesity risk, so this area could be of particular interest for future interventions. Meal preparation ideas, remote modality, and early timing were identified as key intervention strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Online nutrition interventions that emphasize the guidelines for child screen time and regular meal routines will be effective and promising tools to reach low-income parents for early childhood health promotion and obesity prevention.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.33.1-33.9
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• 2023

Background: Studies on the association between occupational stress and depression have been frequently reported. However, the cross-sectional designs of studies limited insight into causal associations. In this study, we investigated the longitudinal association between occupational stress and new-onset depression among employees in a single manufacturing plant. Methods: The annual health checkup data of employees at a manufacturing plant in Korea were collected. A total of 1,837 male employees without depression who completed a health checkup during two consecutive years were included. Occupational stress was measured using a short form of the Korea Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS-SF), and depression was assessed using a Patient Health Questionnaire-2. The association between occupational stress change over the two years and newly developed depression was investigated using two logistic regression models. Results: Across all sub-factors of KOSS-SF, employees who reported increased occupational stress had a higher risk of new-onset depression. Newly developed depression was significantly associated with job demand (odds ratio [OR]: 4.34; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.37-7.96), job insecurity (OR: 3.21; 95% CI: 1.89-5.48), occupational climate (OR: 3.18; 95% CI: 1.91-5.31), lack of reward (OR: 2.28; 95% CI: 1.26-4.12), interpersonal conflict (OR: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.18-3.86), insufficient job control (OR: 1.93; 95% CI: 1.05-3.56), and the organizational system (OR: 1.84; 95% CI: 1.01-3.36). Conclusions: For every sub-factor of the KOSS-SF, occupational stress increase and persistent high stress were associated with the risk of developing new-onset depression. Among the seven sub-factors, job demand had the most significant effect. Our results show that occupational stress should be managed to promote employee mental healthcare.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.79-107
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• 2002

Britain's public services, especially health service and secondary education are in disarray. The current British government adopted the public-private partnership(PPP) as a major device to bring about public sector reform. In principle, PPPs could be used to outsource all sorts of public services, helping to raise standards by extending choice and competition. Up to now, however, they have been focused mainly on a relatively limited range of ancillary services related to new buildings and their subsequent operation. The unions, especially the unions covering the public sector employees are antagonistic to the PPPs. The unions have been opposing privatizing or resecting of any part of the public services, as these apt to lead insecurity of employment and degradation of working conditions of their members. Most of the union leaders consider that PPPs are 'privatization by stealth'. Even in Britain, which has a long history of trade union movements, to persuade the unions to co-operate to the reform policy has been extremely difficult. To succeed in public sector reform, the government, be it Korean or British, needs strong leadership, consistency in policies between various departments, and persuasive ability to overcome the opposition from the vested-interest group.