• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2024

Background: The present study aimed to analyze several aspects of the working conditions and health status of platform workers in the Republic of Korea, such as ergonomic and emotional hazards. We also compared the health status of the platform workers with that of the general population. Methods: A total of 1,000 platform workers participated in this survey from August 7 to August 17, 2022. The participants included 400 designated drivers, 400 food-delivery drivers, and 200 housekeeping managers. A face-to-face survey with a structured questionnaire was conducted by researchers who had received specific instructions. The focus of the survey extended to the work environment, encompassing factors such as workplace violence, as well as physical, chemical, and ergonomic hazards. Health-related data for the previous year were also collected, covering a range of issues such as hearing problems, skin problems, musculoskeletal symptoms, headaches, injuries, mental health issues, and digestive problems. Subsequently, we compared the health symptom data of the responders with those of the general population in the Republic of Korea. Results: Platform workers, including designated drivers, food-delivery drivers, and housekeeping managers, existed in the blind spot of social insurance, facing frequent exposure to physical and chemical hazards, ergonomic risk factors, and direct or indirect violence. The prevalence of health problems, including musculoskeletal symptoms, general fatigue, and depressive symptoms, in each occupational group was statistically higher than that in the general population after standardization for age and gender. Conclusion: The results revealed unfavorable working environment and inferior occupational health of platform workers compared with those of the general population.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.492-504
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• 2017

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the effect of employment of elderly over 65 years on elderly depression using the "Nation Elderly Survey 2014". Methods: The subjects were 10,451 elderly aged 65 or older who were selected from 16 cities and provinces via multilevel stratified sampling method. In an effort to represent well the nation's elderly population, composite sample analysis method was used for the study, and a hierarchical logistic regression analysis was performed to identify those factors affecting the depression among the elderly population. Results: The factors affecting the depression were education level, household income, Perceived health status, smoking, drinking, physical activity, body mass index and employment status. It was found that the unemployed persons were 1.68 times more likely to be depressed than those who remain employed. Conclusion: Where the average life expectancy is getting longer and the poverty rate of elderly is high, employment activities of the elderly are of great significance in terms of ensuring economic stability as well as in lowering medical expenses through reduction of depression. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the employment rates of the elderly for economic, social and healthcare perspectives.

• International Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.1-12
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• 2011

Many pharmaceutical products are available through prescription (Rx) only status. As a result, access to physicians and insurance coverage play a key role in the use of these products, and therefore may affect the population to whom advertising is targeted at. The movement of pharmaceutical products from prescription (Rx) to Over-the-Counter (OTC), or Rx-to-OTC switch changes the cost of acquiring the drug and therefore may change the incentives manufacturers have at targeting particular population segments. This study examines whether Rx-to-OTC switch changes the frequency and the distribution of who is exposed to pharmaceutical advertising. Using an archive of pharmaceutical advertisements and National Consumer Survey, this study examines how individuals with particular demographic characteristics are exposed to pharmaceutical advertisements before and after drugs are moved from Rx to OTC. The results provide evidence that individual's advertising exposure increases after Rx-to-OTC switch. Moreover, the increase in advertising exposure is greater for the low socioeconomic status (SES) consumers which implies they may get more information about the disease, treatment and product after the Rx-to-OTC switch through advertising. If low SES consumers have more exposure to the advertising after products switched to OTC, then FDA policies regulating this switch should recognize the potential role of advertising providing access to health-related information.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.156-164
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• 2017

Purpose: Foot and ankle disease (FAD) is a frequent cause of morbidity among the homeless population. Various conditions, exacerbated by malnutrition, poor lifestyle habits, psychiatric disorders, physical injuries, poor hygiene, and limited access to healthcare, have been described in this population. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cognition and management status of FAD in shelter based homeless people. Materials and Methods: Fifty-two male and twenty-five female volunteer homeless individuals were recruited from two homeless shelters. Each person completed a questionnaire assessing any presence of pain, pain management, as well as foot and ankle care status. A foot and ankle surgeon examined the physical status of the individual's foot and ankle, including tenderness and instability. A radiologic evaluation was done for 18 male and 11 female homeless people who agreed to participate in this test for the existence osteophyte or joint space narrowing representing osteoarthritis and some reference angles for hallux valgus, flatfoot and cavus foot. Results: Homeless people had higher prevalence of body mass index, diabetes, and smoking than the general population. The most prevalent infectious disease was fungal infection (male 78%, female 68%), with a low compliance of management for FAD. Conclusion: Although most of shelter-based homeless people showed an acceptable foot and ankle management status, the potential risk for FAD development and exacerbation of mild FAD was high.

• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.701-712
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• 2013

The e-learning industry status survey statistic provides information about the actual conditions of supply and demand of the e-learning industries. NIPA (National IT Industry Promotion Agency) has published the annual report of the survey results since 2004. Due to the 9th version of the KSIC (Korean standard industrial classification) revised in 2008, a refinement of the sampling design for the survey becomes necessary, especially that for the business demand sector. This article, based on the 9th revision of the KSIC, constructs a stratification of the target population used for the e-learning industry status survey on the business demand sector. Classification of strata in the business population is based on the industrial type and employment scale of business. Under the stratified population, we design a sampling scheme by using the power allocation method that enables us to satisfy a target coefficient of variation of each industrial stratum. In order to secure an accurate survey results based on the proposed sampling design, we consider the problem of calculating the design weights, derivation of parameter estimators, and formulas of their standard errors.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2021

Background/Objectives: To analyze changes in the incidence of thyroid cancer for Korean population using big data from the National Health Insurance Service. Materials & Methods: Sample cohort database between January 2004 and December 2013 with 1,000,000 cases for each year was enrolled in this study. Thyroid cancer incidence was analyzed by sex, age and by region. Public health insurance payment was used to reflect socioeconomic status. Results: The incidence of thyroid cancer in Korea increased for 10 years annually. There are 3 times increasing in the incidence rate of thyroid cancer from 2004, 0.03% to 2013, 0.09%. The sex ratio in the incidence rate of thyroid cancer was male : female = 1:7.2 in 2004 and male : female = 1:3.6 in 2013 that suggest decreased gap between the sex ratio. Between 2004 and 2010, the incidence rates of those in their 40s were found to be the highest, whereas the incidence rates for those in their 50s were found to be highest from 2011 and thereafter. Every year the high socioeconomic status group showed a higher incidence of thyroid cancer than low socioeconomic status group. Some specific region showed continuous high incidence of thyroid cancer, not all city and state. Conclusion: The incidence rate of thyroid cancer for 10 years had special feature by sex, age, socioeconomic status and especially by region. This results will be a barometer for further epidemiologic study about the incidence of thyroid cancer for Korean population

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.1415-1420
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• 2015

Background: We compared the health-promoting behavior of long-term cancer survivors with those of the general population to identify necessary behavioral interventions to reduce the health risk among cancer patients. Materials and Methods: We used data from the 2007 and 2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES IV [2007~2009] and KNHANES V [2010~2012]) on smoking status, alcohol use, physical exercise, and disease screening. We compared long-term cancer survivors with members of the general population; the controls were matched by propensity score matching. A multiple logistic regression model was used to investigate the association between cancer status and health-promoting behavior. Results: Long-term cancer survivors had a lower risk of smoking than the general population controls (OR: 0.42, 95%CI: 0.25-0.71). In addition, the long-term cancer survivors had a lower risk of alcohol use than the general population controls (OR: 0.70, 95%CI: 0.50-0.98). However, in terms of physical exercise and disease screening, no statistically significant differences were detected (physical exercise OR: 1.01, 95%CI: 0.75-1.35; disease screening OR: 1.27, 95%CI: 0.93-1.74). All covariates were adjusted. Conclusions: The long-term cancer survivors had a much lower risk of smoking and alcohol use than the general population controls. However, almost no differences in physical exercise and screening for cancer recurrence or secondary disease were detected between the long-term cancer survivors and general population controls. To reduce the health risks and challenges facing long-term cancer survivors, interventions to encourage physical exercise and screening for cancer recurrence and secondary disease should be implemented.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.292-297
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• 2018

Background: Gelada baboon is one of the endemic mammals of Ethiopia residing in different highlands. The population structure and habitat use of gelada baboon in Wof-Washa particularly Gosh Meda area was investigated from September 2016 to August 2017. Total counting method was used to collect data on the population status by dividing the study area in to four blocks, namely, Kundi, Arbgebeya, Goshber, and Goshmeda. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. The age-sex category and the numbers of geladas found within the different blocks were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, and paired t test was also used to analyze the pair wise comparison of the different age and sex categories during both dry and wet seasons. Results: A total of 435 and 471 gelada baboons were counted during the wet and dry seasons, respectively. The maximum group size consisted of 178 individuals whereas the minimum group size contained 53 individuals. Out of the total population adult females accounted for 54.7% in the wet and 54.56% in the dry seasons. There was a significant difference among the age-sex categories in both the wet ($F_{2432}=630$, P < 0.05) and dry ($F_{2468}=696.6$, P < 0.05) seasons. The male to female ratio was 1:5.7 during wet season and 1:5.8 during dry season. So that the population will have a better chance to increase in the study area. Conclusion: Wof-Washa Forest could be a good site for eco-tourism activities due to the presence of endemic animals and its scenic beauty. However, the quality of the habitat is decreasing due to livestock grazing, agricultural expansion, and invasion of exotic plants species. Therefore, appropriate conservation measures should be implemented to conserve gelada baboon in particular and other wildlife resources in general.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.113-116
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• 2013

The current status of Korean jewel beetle, Chrysochroa coreana is reported from the data collected in the five-year field survey (2008-2012). Despite the previous assumption of its endangered status, the beetle was recently found in the southwestern part of Korea frequently. However the local population was suffering from the inadequate management of its host plants, Celtis sinensis Persson. This study reports the restoration possibility of the beetle by the adequate management of its host plants.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.229-242
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• 2013

Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the current status of the association of job-related information such as employment status, workplace environment, and hazard material exposures with health examination outcomes. Methods: The study used data from KNHANES 2007-2009 representing the three years of 2007-2009, which was conducted annually using a rolling sampling design that involved a complex, stratified, multistage, probability-cluster survey of a representative sample of the non-institutionalized civilian population in Korea. The final analytical sample consisted of 17,240 participants. Information on age, education, smoking history and alcohol intake was collected during the health interview. Job related information consisted of employment status, workplace environment, and hazardous material exposure. The selected indices of health examination were blood pressure, fasting glucose, blood cholesterol, HDL, SGOT, SGPT, and BUN. Results: In multiple logistic regression analysis using hypertension and pre-hypertension as dependent variables and job related categories as independent variables after covariate adjustments, the odds of hypertension and pre-hypertension were significantly lower in those with responsibility and power in their job activities. Interestingly, low odds for hypertension were observed among those who reported that their jobs were fast-paced. Conclusions: This study confirmed that some job-related categories in employment status, workplace environment, and hazardous material exposure had an association with health outcome status. It is worthwhile to comment that high responsibility and power in job activities were revealed as one of the important favorable factors to improve health condition of workers.