• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.34
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• pp.9.1-9.13
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• 2022

Background: Long working hours causes several health risks, but little is known about its effects on the liver. This study aimed to examine the correlation between working hours and abnormal liver enzyme levels. Methods: We used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV-VII. For the final 15,316 study participant, the information on working hours was obtained through questionnaires, and liver enzyme levels, consisting of serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), through blood tests. The relationship between weekly working hours and abnormal levels of liver enzymes was analyzed using multiple logistic regression, and a trend test was also conducted. Results: In male, working ≥ 61 hours per week was significantly associated with elevated AST and ALT levels compared with working 35-52 hours per week. Even after adjusting for covariates, the odds ratios (ORs) of abnormal AST and ALT increased by 1.51 (95% confidence interval: 1.20-2.05) and 1.25 (1.03-1.52), respectively, and a dose-response relationship was observed. This association was more prominent among the high-risk group, such as those aged > 40 years, obese individuals, worker on non-standard work schedule, pink-collar workers, or temporary worker. No correlation was observed in female. Conclusions: Long working hours are associated with abnormal liver function test results in male. Strict adherence to statutory working hours is necessary to protect workers' liver health.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.34-55
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• 2002

In this study, the impact of organizational culture on the quality of social work services in hospitals were empirically analysed. A mailed questionnaire survey was conducted between February 19 and April 10, 2001. A sample of total 70 hospitals, including general hospitals with one social worker at least and single-department hospital with two social workers or more, were identified nationwide through the registry of Korean Association of Medical Social Workers and Korean Association of Hospitals. According to coping strategy and reacting pattern with the environmental changes, four types of organizational culture in each hospital, classified as group culture, developmental culture, hierarchial culture, and rational culture, were adopted for the independent variables. Three dimensional aspects of quality of social work service - structure, process, and outcome were selected as dependent variables in this study. Also the quality of social work service was distributed into provider-perceiving quality and consumer-perceiving quality The major findings were as following in summary; First, most social workers reported that the characteristic of culture in their hospitals are group culture the first, hierarchial culture the second, developmental culture the third, and rational culture finally in order of comparing the level of quality perceived between social worker's recognition. Second, service provider and consumer, The provider-perceiving quality showed less score than that of consumer, especially the lowest was the score of quality of outcome perceived by provider. Third, according to the types of organizational culture, there were significantly different levels of quality in total social work services, structure dimension and process dimension. The quality of outcome dimension did not show significant differences among the type of organizational culture. Finally, the most influential variables to the quality of social work service ice proved departmental form of social work unit, leader of social work unit, and developmental culture of hospital To assure quality services, accordingly, social work unit in hospital is required to be organized as a single unit, that means to be an independent department of which qualified social worker is supposed to control the unit. It is strongly recommended to develop leadership for the leaders of social work unit.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.229-236
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• 2023

Background: In workers with moderate to severe work-related traumatic brain injury (wrTBI), this study aimed to investigate the effect of the timing of rehabilitation therapy initiation on the length of hospital stay and the factors that can influence this timing. Methods: We used data obtained from the Republic of Korea's nationwide Workers' Compensation Insurance. In the Republic of Korea, between the years 2010 and 2019, a total of 26,324 workers filed a claim for compensation for moderate to severe wrTBI. Multiple regression modeling was performed to compare the length of hospital stay according to the timing of rehabilitation therapy initiation following wrTBI. According to the timing of the initiation of rehabilitation therapy following TBI, the proportions of healthcare institutions that provided medical care during each admission step were compared. Results: The length of hospital stay for workers who started rehabilitation therapy within 90 days was significantly shorter than that for workers who started rehabilitationment were first admitted to tertiary hospitals. Approximately 39% of patients who received delayed rehabilitation treatment were first admitted to general hospitals, and 28.5% were first admitted to primary hospitals. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate the importance of early rehabilitation initiation and that the type of healthcare institution that the patient is first admitted to after wrTBI may influence the timing of rehabilitation initiation. The results of this study also emphasize the need to establish a Worker's Compensation Insuranceespecialized rehabilitation healthcare delivery system.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.117-128
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• 2013

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to explore the trends of Korean medical study on stress in the industrial worker. Methods : We received numbers of the studies about stress in the industrial worker from 6 Korean web databases, using key words such as 'Industry AND Stress', 'Oriental medicine AND Stress', 'Worker AND Stress', 'Workplace AND Stress'. We received 12 research papers and they were analyzed and the journals, the authors, the contents of 3 classification of those research papers. Results : Among them, we had 6 reviews of Dept. of preventive medicine and Dept. of third medicine, college of Korean Medicine, Won-kwang University, and the rest of them were 6 reviews. We had 4 reviews of Korean Journal of Oriental Preventive Medical Society, 2 reviews of the Journal of Traditional Korean Medicine, 2 reviews of Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry and so on. According to the contents of reviews, we had 7 reviews of correlation of industrial worker and stress, 4 reviews of cause on the industrial worker's stress and 1 case report. Conclusions : We reviewed the trends of Korean medical study on stress in the industrial worker. The stress in the industrial workers were related with the type of occupation, social psychology, drinking, smoking, the satisfaction of job, the harmony of organization. And we knew that the musculoskeletal pain was related to the industrial worker's stress. In the future, abundant case studies, follow-up trials and RCTs should be done about the industrial worker's stress.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.26-58
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• 2003

This research first finds out the resources, activities, and effectiveness of quality management effort and the resulting customer satisfaction when the total quality management is lacking in most Korean medical agencies today. Then, it analyzes the relationship among the factors mentioned earlier. This paper utilizes actual data and presents a theoretical model which explains that the resources of quality management affect the activities and that the fruit of the quality management effort benefits the customers in the end. In addition, this study conducts a corroborative analysis through executing a survey, getting a descriptive statistical result on the subjects' characteristics and the research variables using SPSS 9.0 WIN PROGRAM, and the model is approved through analyzing its make-up using LISREL 8.12 WIN PROGRAM. The study's finding is the following: First, the management leadership affects the worker's, educational training, the quality of medical service, and the survey of customer satisfaction positively. However, it does not affect the quality of work positively. Second, the internal customer satisfaction affects the worker's participation, educational training, the quality of medical service, and the survey of customer satisfaction positively. Third, the quality of medical service and the survey of customer satisfaction affects the result of quality management positively, but the worker's participation, educational training, and the quality of work do not affect the result of quality management positively. Fourth, the management leadership does not appear to affect the result of quality management positively. Fifth, the internal quality management appears to affect the result of quality management positively. Sixth, the external customer satisfaction appears to affect the result of quality management positively. In conclusion, the findings in this study indicate that medical agencies need to utilize the active variables of quality management in order to successfully establish a total quality management.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.527-531
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• 2008

Hydatid disease is a parasitic infection that is caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus. This disease is distributed worldwide, but it is rare in Korea. A 34-year old foreign male worker from Mongolia presented with cough and chest discomfort. Computed tomography of. the chest showed a cystic mass in the upper lobe of the right lung. The cyst was surgically resected, and the pathological study confirmed a hydatid cyst. The patient was given albendazole postoperatively to prevent a relapse. We report here on a surgical case of pulmonary hydatid disease along with a review of the literature.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.34
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• pp.26.1-26.13
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• 2022

It is important to assess the blood flow of fingers in the verification of hand-arm vibration syndrome. In the Republic of Korea, most assessments of the blood flow in the fingers are performed using a cold provocation test with finger skin color change. However, this test is a non-objective method with a relatively low sensitivity, leading to possible social and legal problems. Thus, we reviewed the characteristics of several tests that assess the blood flow in the fingers. Among these tests, using the radioactive isotope method, Raynaud's scan has a relatively higher sensitivity and specificity than other tests, provides objective results, and is approachable in many hospitals. So we suggest using Raynaud's scan as an alternative test when cold provocation test with finger skin color change is negative in vibration exposed worker.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.356-356
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• 2005

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.496-509
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• 1995

This study was conducted to identify the attitude of ethical dilemmas in hospital nurses. Ethical dilemmas were categorized into four areas : human life area, clients area, nursing practice area, and nurses-co-worker area. 354 nurses working in clinical settings were selected in Seoul and Kangwon area. Data were gathered from 26, June to 10, July, 1994 by structured guestionnaires. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the data. The results obtained from data were as follows : 1) In human life area mean score was 3.03. This area showed remarkabale individual differences between utilitarian and deontological position. 2) In clients area mean score was 3.94. It means that nurses tend to take a deontological position. 3) In nursing practice area mean score was 3.41. It means that nurses tend to take a slightly deontological position. 4) In nurses-co-worker area mean score was 3.88. It means that nurses tend to take a deontological position. To conclude, clinents area, nursing practice area, and nurses-co-worker area taken deontological position. Most nurse's primary concern was the 'welfare of the patients' which is to fundamental ethical professional practice. But nurses experienced more ethical dilemmas in human life area than others. Therefore, nurses should be prepared to make in-dependent decision that based on bio-ethics and professional ethics.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.155-163
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• 1998

In order to investigate the effects of rotating shift work on the subjective characteristics of sleep and mental depression questionnaire survey was carried out on 405 shift workers and 153 nonshift workers who were nurses employed. in three university hospital. The questionnaire forms used in this study were the self rating depression scale(SDS) and circadian type questionnaire(CTQ) factor R(rigidity/flexbility of sleeping habit) and factor V(inability/ability to overcome drowsiness). The results were as follows ; 1. Mean score of CTQ R in shift workers was significantly lower than that in nonshift workers, however, no significant difference in CTQ V was observed between two groups. 2. Mean score of SDS was significantly higher in shift workers(44.1) than in nonshift workers(39.8). 3. Mean self rating depression scale scores of pervasive affect, physiologic equivalents and psychological equivalents were significantly higher in shift workers than in nonshift workers. 4. In shift worker, mean SDS score was the highest in confusion and followed by diurnal variation, retardation, and indeciveness in the descending order. In nonshift worker, that score was the highest in decreased libido and followed by confusion, and indeciveness in the descending order. 5. Circadian type questionnaire scores was significantly and negatively correlated with significantly and negatively correlating with Self-rating depression scale scores(r=-0.473).