• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.861-877
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to survey job stress and Musculoskeletal Disorder(MSDs) of workers in small plants with agricultural products. The subjects were comprised of 69 workers participated in "Helping the rural women to get the small businesses" project. The questionnaire surveys were Korean Occupational Stress Scale(KOSS), and Legal Risk Assessment of Musculoskeletal Disorders(KOSHA CODE H-30-2003). As a result of the survey, scores of KOSS 8 sub-items except for job demand were similar to that of Korea workers. Prevalence of MSDs symptoms of small plants workers was high percent (44.9%). And the rate according to kinds of product was significant difference at neck (p<0.01), lumbar (p<0.01), and leg (p<0.01). There was no significant difference between view person sign of MSDs and non MSDs according to sex, year, the number of workers, working years, working time per one day, rest time per one day, and subjective working intensity, but there were significant difference between high stress group and low stress group about MSDs at interpersonal conflict(p<0.05). Job stress and MSDs were important factor to workers of small plants producted agricultural products. Therefore, starting a business with small plats, workers consider interpersonal conflict and body part showing MSDs.

• Proceedings of the Safety Management and Science Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.329-341
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• 2008

The psychosocial stress and musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs) have been one of major health problems for hospital workers. This study tried to understand the relationship between symptoms associated with MSDs and risk factors such as working posture, job stress, psychosocial stress and fatigue. A total number of 655 hospital workers participated in this study. Specifically, REBA was applied for evaluating working posture and a checklist prepared by KOSHA(Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency) was used for symptom survey. A questionnaire from KOSHA was also used for collecting data associated with job stress, psychosocial stress and fatigue. All these data were formulated and modeled by path analysis which was one of major statistical tools in this study. Specifically, path analysis for the data we collected came up with several major findings. The risk scores from working posture based on REBA had indirect effects via fatigue factor(MFS) as well as direct effects on symptoms. The factors associated with job stress(KOSS) and psychosocial stress(PWI-SF) had significant effects on symptoms. Specifically, indirect effect of job stress factors via fatigue factors(MFS) had bigger than that of direct effect of job stress on symptom.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.379-390
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was conducted to improve the working conditions of dental technicians, through survey for working conditions related to perform one's duty, the extent of personal exposure to substances hazardous and complaint rate and factor of job stress and subjective symptom on musculoskeletal disorders. Methods: Using four types of structured questionnaires: social and demographic factor; the actual conditions of working space; working conditions; and characteristics of dental technicians, respondents filled in the questionnaires and the results were analyzed statistically. Results: The evaluation of comfort in working place found that satisfaction level on indoor noise was the lowest with 2.6 on a five-point scale and privacy space followed 2.8 point. In reasons for dissatisfaction with job, over workload ranked the highest by 25.4% and role overload had the highest by 39.5% in job stress factors. Based on the results, we could draw conclusion that dental technicians were unsatisfied with role overload and heavy workload a day. In reasons for musculoskeletal symptom prevalence, long-patient work was the highest by 24.1%. It was thought to cause dental technicians need deep procession and long-patient work due to the nature of their job. Conclusion: In conclusion, noise reduction and privacy space are required to improve job efficiency of dental technicians. In addition; we need to think of ways to increase the job satisfaction with adequate rest while deep procession and long-patient working.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.70-82
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• 2011

Objectives: Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a major cause of death in Korea and known to result from several occupational factors. This study attempted to estimate the current magnitude of IHD mortality due to occupational factors in Korea. Methods: After selecting occupational risk factors by literature investigation, we calculated attributable fractions (AFs) from relative risks and exposure data for each factor. Relative risks were estimated using meta-analysis based on published research. Exposure data were collected from the 2006 Survey of Korean Working Conditions. Finally, we estimated 2006 occupation-related IHD mortality. Results: For the factors considered, we estimated the following relative risks: noise 1.06, environmental tobacco smoke 1.19 (men) and 1.22 (women), shift work 1.12, and low job control 1.15 (men) and 1.08 (women). Combined AFs of those factors in the IHD were estimated at 9.29% (0.3-18.51%) in men and 5.78% (-7.05-19.15%) in women. Based on these fractions, Korea's 2006 death toll from occupational IHD between the age of 15 and 69 was calculated at 353 in men (total 3,804) and 72 in women (total 1,246). Conclusion: We estimated occupational IHD mortality of Korea with updated data and more relevant evidence. Despite the efforts to obtain reliable estimates, there were many assumptions and limitations that must be overcome. Future research based on more precise design and reliable evidence is required for more accurate estimates.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.356-364
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• 2011

Purpose: This descriptive study was to examine the effect factors on health promotion lifestyle of shift work nurses. Methods: The 418 working nurses who completed questionnaires with consent were analysed. Results: The average level of health promotion lifestyle of shift work nurses was 2.21 and it was significantly lower than 2.36 of fixed work nurses. In shift work nurses, the highest health promotion lifestyle was personal relationship of 2.79 and the lowest was physical activity of 1.58. The young, shorter shift work duration, unmarried and general nurses were evaluated as not-healthy diet. The old, longer shift work duration and married showed less physical activity. Less self-efficacy and more job stress, depression, fatigue showed lower health promotion lifestyle. Conclusion: Self-efficacy on health behavior of shift work nurses was the most effective factor on all areas of health promotion. Therefore, we need to develop a health promotion program including self-efficacy encouragement. We suggest that this program be more effective when more precisely characterized according to age, marital status, shift work duration, job position, and psychological problems such as depression and fatigue.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.1-7
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• 2015

The study conducted questionnaire analysis to 413 industrial safety field employees in order to examine the necessity and validity of industrial safety field's 17th neo-job classification based on National Competency standards(NCS). As a result, 50.1% of industrial safety management field and 43.3% of industrial health management field answered that classification details of occupational safety and health management field are classified by job(duty) performance. Industrial safety management field recognizes that management and engineering section play a significant role in their work, while industrial health management field recognizes worker's health care and work environment management and overall control of work environment assessment to be significant in their work. Furthermore, industrial safety management field recognizes that separating qualification and foundation of 'construction safety manager', 'chemicals(safety and health) manager', '(toxic)risk assessment evaluator or risk factor manager' to be highly significant. The study is meaningful in that it suggests industrial safety field's qualification items practical in industrial sites.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2014

Background: In Japan, more than 60% of employees are reported to suffer from anxiety and stress. Consequently, Japanese society has begun to address such important issues as psychogenic disability and job-related suicide. Furthermore, given the aging of society and the surge in the number of elderly people requiring care, it is necessary to adequately and proactively support employees who care for their elderly relatives. The purpose of the present study was to investigate caregiver burden in caring for elderly relatives and work-related stress factors associated with mental health among employees. Methods: We studied 722 men and women aged 18-83 years in a cross-sectional study. The K10 questionnaire was used to examine mental health status. Results: The proportion of participants with a high K10 score was 15% (n = 106). Having little conversation with their supervisor and/or coworkers significantly increased the risk of depression [odds ratio (OR) 1.8], as did high job overload (OR 2.7) and job dissatisfaction (OR 3.8), compared with employees who frequently conversed with their supervisor and/or coworkers. Caring for elderly relatives as a prominent characteristic of an employee was a significant risk factor for depression (OR 2.1). Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that employees who were caring for elderly relatives were significantly associated with an increased risk of depression. To prevent depressive disorders, it may be important to focus on reducing the work-caregiving role conflict, as well as enhancing employees' job control and better rewarding their efforts in the workplace.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.203-214
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing the quality of working life of cancer survivors (QWL-CS) after return to the workplace. Methods: Data were collected from 154 cancer survivors from May 16 to June 23, 2018. Participants were selected as candidates from two different hospitals in the metropolitan area and snowball sampling was used in parallel. The data were analyzed by SPSS 21.0 using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple linear regression. Results: Mean score of QWL-CS was $4.39{\pm}0.59$. QWL-CS was negatively correlated with fatigue, and job stress: however, it was positively correlated with workplace spirituality. The factor that had the greatest influence on the QWL-CS was job stress (${\beta}=-.36$, p<.001), followed by fatigue (${\beta}=-.35$, p<.001), workplace spirituality (${\beta}=.35$, p<.001), number of currently cancer treatment (${\beta}=-.15$, p=.009), and number of children (${\beta}=.12$, p=.031). The explanatory power of models was 54%. Conclusion: Effective and practical intervention programs for increasing the quality of working life are required to be provided to cancer survivors after return to the workplace in accordance with job stress, fatigue, workplace spirituality, and general characteristics of cancer survivors such as number of currently cancer treatments and number of children.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.365-375
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• 2017

This study is executed to investigate convergent factors to Job Satisfaction(JS) among Hospital Administrative Staff(HAS). The survey was administered to 221 staff from 11 general hospitals located in Jeonbuk area from Nov. 1st, 2016 to Jan. 31st, 2017. The structured self-administered questionaries were used. The hierarchical multiple regression analysis shows the following results. The JS of respondents turned out to be significantly higher in following groups: a group without work shift, a group with more employees, a group in which self efficacy is higher, a group in which skill variety in job characteristics is higher, a group in which interpersonal conflict and lack of reward in occupational stress are lower. The results show explanatory power of 61.0%. The results of the study indicate that the efforts, to increase self efficacy, and to manage job characteristics and occupational stress, are required to improve the JS among HAS. The results are expected to be useful for the program and human resource management to related to the JS among HAS. In the following study, the analysis of structural equation modeling about additional factors of the JS among HAS will be needed.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.35-44
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• 2019

Objective : The aim of this study was to investigate the individual and job related factors as risk factors for mental health of firefighters. Methods : The data of 202 fire-fighters was analyzed by using a multinomial logistic regression analysis. All participants completed self-reported questionnaires including demographics (sex, age, work duration), the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the Ways of Coping Checklist, the Colleague related traumatic events, the Korean occupational stress scale, the Korean Perceived Stress Scale-10, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Participants were divided into three groups according to the level of stress and depressive symptom scores: Low Stress-Low Depression (LS-LD), High Stress-Low Depression (HS-LD), and High Stress-High Depression (HS-HD). Results : A job related factor-organizational injustice-was a significant factor related to HS-LD, while individual factors such as active coping level and childhood trauma experience and a job related factor-difficult physical environment-were significantly associated with HS-HD. Conclusion : These results imply the need to take both individual and environmental approaches into account when managing the stress and depression of firefighters. More specifically, psycho-education to facilitate active coping strategy and adaptive emotional regulation at the individual level and the improvement of physical work environment of firefighters should be supported.