• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.69-80
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• 2007

Purpose: The present study purposed to investigate the current state of harmful business places around schools and to survey and analyze how much middle school students know about school environment hygiene purification zones, which have not been much effective. Methods: In addition, this study clarified the problem of harmful environment around schools by inquiring into students' value and perception on worsening harmful environment around schools and provided basic materials necessary for making policies on school education and the protection of educational environment. For these purposes, we conducted a questionnaire survey of 1,000 middle school students in Gyeonggi-do on their perception on harmful environment around their schools, and drew conclusions as follows. Result: Students' knowledge about the School Health Act was low, and they generally thought that the law does not play its role substantially and efficiently in purifying and regulating harmful environment and regulations are superficial and temporary. To the question of whether harmful businesses observe laws for purifying environment around schools, most of the students replied negatively. In actuality, as most of harmful businesses running at school environment hygiene purification zones are stationeries with game rooms, comic book stores, PC rooms, etc., which are highly accessible to students, they become serious problems in school environment. Conclusion: As it is required to make continuous and systematic surveys and researches on the school environment hygiene purification zones, we need to manage school environment efficiently through cooperation among the government, education offices and individual schools.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.228-240
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• 2022

A comprehensive safety management system will be required in accordance with the implementation of the Major Disaster Punishment Act for close-up safety management of construction sites. Safety management level evaluation management requires a comprehensive relationship between safety management under the Construction Technology Promotion Act and health and health management system under the Industrial Safety and Health Act. Purpose: Safety under the Serious Accidents Punishment Act. The ultimate goal is to study the comprehensive analysis and relationship of health management and to improve the safety evaluation level of health and health management. Methods: The feasibility of the questionnaire was confirmed through the second Delphi analysis of construction site experts and safety managers, and the regression coefficient and path analysis of potential variants in safety management, safety management, health management and safety inspection were confirmed. Result and Conclusion: In the structural model, the regression coefficient (89%) from safety management, health system, and safety management to safety inspection execution and lambda values of appropriate observation variables were confirmed. In the path analysis, the total effect (.809) was confirmed by mediating health hygiene in the relationship between health plan establishment adequacy and post-inspection management, and the path coefficient (.82) of temporary structure safety was confirmed.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.443-449
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• 2020

Background: The study tries to show the effect of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislation implemented via plan-do-check-act methodology on accident and sickness absenteeism. Methods: The data for the study gathered via a questionnaire from a large-sized organization operates in production and maintenance of passenger coaches in February-March 2019 in Turkey. The data analyzed via structural equation model analysis. Results: The results showed that there are statistically meaningful relationships between OHS protective measures, training and informing of employees, and employee participation and accident and sickness absenteeism. In addition, a meaningful relationship between internal control and accident and sickness absenteeism was determined. Statistically meaningful relationships between emergency measures, and health surveillance and internal control, and accident and sickness absenteeism could not be determined. Conclusion: It is concluded that the actions implemented by organizations to reduce absenteeism should be as per OHS legislation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.45-57
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• 2015

Objectives: This study aims to compare the physicochemical characteristics, toxicological data with Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs) of chemicals under the Occupational Safety and Health Act(OSHA) regulated by the Ministry of Employment and Labor of Korea. Methods: Information on chemicals which have OELs on physicochemical characteristics and toxicological data was collected using Material Safety Data Sheet(MSDS) from Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency(KOSHA) and the Korea Information System for Chemical Safety Management(KISChem) in 2014. Statistical analyses including correlation and simple regression were performed to compare the OELs with chemical characteristics including molecular weight, boiling point, odor threshold, vapor pressure, vapor density, solubility and octanol-water partition coefficient(OWPC) and toxicological data such as median lethal dose($LD_{50}$) and median lethal concentration($LC_{50}$). Results: A total of 656 chemicals have OELs under OSHA in Korea. The numbers of chemicals which have eight-hour time weighted average(TWA) and short term exposure limits(STEL) are 618 and 190, respectively. TWA was significantly correlated with boiling point and STEL was only correlated with vapor pressure among physicochemical characteristics. Solubility and OWPC between "skin" and "no skin" substances which indicate skin penetration were not significantly different. Both $LD_{50}$ and $LC_{50}$ were correlated with TWA, while the $LC_{50}$ was not with STEL. As health indicators, health rating and Emergency Response Planning Guidelines(ERPG) rating as recommended by the National Fire Protection Association(NFPA) and American Industrial Hygiene Association(AIHA) were associated with OELs and reflect the chemical hazards. Conclusions: We found relationships between OEL and chemical information including physicochemical characteristics and toxicological data. The study has an important meaning for understanding present regulatory OELs.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.130-142
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• 2011

Objectives: This study was conducted to develop a participatory learning process and apply it to community empowerment for health promotion. Methods: The participatory learning sessions were composed of three stages according to the modified Freirean model of empowerment education. Stage 1 of generating themes (listening stage) was replaced with a community health forum. Stage 2 of problem-posing was executed via a two-session small group brainstorming discussion for selecting priority community health problems and strategies to solve them. Stage 3 of act-reflect-act, the implementation of the chosen strategies, is ongoing. We tested the feasibility of the participatory learning processes in the pilot programs for health education. Then, 14 Myeon (or Dong) Health Committee members used them in Health Plus Happiness Plus projects for community empowerment to achieve health equity in Gyeongsangnam-Do, Korea. Results: In the pilot program for feasibility, more than 80% of the 95 participants gave positive responses to evaluation questionnaires after three or four participatory learning sessions. Health Committee members successfully selected various strategies relevant to their communities with facilitation, but without any teaching from outside professionals. Conclusions: We successfully applied the participatory learning process to health promotion. However, more studies are warranted to evaluate its long-term applicability.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.19-28
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• 2023

Background: With the enactment of the Hospice, Palliative, Care, and Life-sustaining Treatment Decision-Making Act in February 2018, legal guidelines for physician orders for life-sustaining treatment (POLST) were presented. This study was conducted to analyze the association of writing POLST on the use of health care before death. Methods: The study analyzed the electronic medical records and POLSTs of 1,003 adult patients who died at a tertiary hospital located in Seoul from February 4, 2018 to February 4, 2019. Results: Of the deaths, 80% (n=804) completed POLST. Among patients who completed POLST before death, 51% (n=412) were written 1-7 days before death, and only 31% (n=246) were completed by patients themselves. 99% (n=799) decided to withdraw or withhold cardiopulmonary resuscitation. As a result of analyzing the effect of POLST on medical use before death, it was found that POLST and inpatient cost had a significant negative correlation, and POLST completion significantly reduced death in the intensive care unit (ICU). However, both inpatient costs and death at ICU increased when the POLST was completed by surrogate decision-makers rather than patients themselves. Conclusion: The enactment of the Hospice, Palliative, Care, and Life-sustaining Treatment Decision-Making Act provided a legal basis for withdrawing and withholding meaningless life-sustaining treatment. By specifying the treatment to be received at the end of one's life through the POLST, inpatient treatment costs and death at the ICU were decreased. However, the frequent decision-making by the surrogates and completion of POLST close to death may hinder the original purpose of the law.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.71-83
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• 2022

This study is to investigate the degree of field awareness of how each provision of the Serious Disaster Punishment Act will affect accident prevention. As a result of conducting a survey of construction site workers, it was analyzed that construction site workers had a low sense of safety and did not voluntarily engage in safety activities. And it can be seen that they are taking a very passive position that it is efficient to implement safety under the supervision of the supervisor. Workers who need voluntary construction site safety activities are most aware of the situation at the site, but the problem was pointed out as "lack of procedures for listening to opinions and preparing improvement measures" for these problems. Future research is needed to see if this is a problem for individual workers or for those in charge of safety and health who do not correct it even though active opinions have been submitted.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.535-543
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to investigate various opinions on changes and revisions in the Medical Technician Act, to compare the curriculum of radiological technologist and physicians or dentists, and to compare the definitions and scope of work of radiological technologist in Korea and abroad. From the information, The goal is to review whether the phrase 'guidance of a doctor or dentist' specified in the definition of the 'Act on Medical Technicians, etc.' is realistically appropriate. radiological technologist receive specialized college education on radioligical science & medical imaging. The training hours for radiolgical science student are greater than medical students. In addition, radiological technologists are continuously developing their competencies for new knowledge and skills through continuing education in clinical fields. In particular, radiological technologist are making steady research efforts to reduce patient exposure and improve medical image quality. As a result of this investigation, it is considered that the term "guided by a doctor or dentist" as currently defined in the 'Act on Medical Technicians, etc.' may need to be revised in consideration of the professionalism of the radiological technologist.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.530-535
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• 2021

Background: Despite the lack of official COVID-19 statistics, various workplaces and occupations have been at the center of COVID-19 outbreaks. We aimed to compare legal measures and governance established for managing COVID-19 infection risks at workplaces in nine Asia and Pacific countries and to recommend key administrative measures. Methods: We collected information on legal measures and governance from both general citizens and workers regarding infection risks such as COVID-19 from industrial hygiene professionals in nine countries (Indonesia, India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Republic of the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand) using a structured questionnaire. Results: A governmental body overseeing public health and welfare was in charge of containing the spread and occurrence of infectious diseases under an infectious disease control and prevention act or another special act, although the name of the pertinent organizations and legislation vary among countries. Unlike in the case of other traditional hazards, there have been no specific articles or clauses describing the means of mitigating virus risk in the workplace that are legally required of employers, making it difficult to define the responsibilities of the employer. Each country maintains own legal systems regarding access to the duration, administration, and financing of paid sick leave. Many workers may not have access to paid sick leave even if it is legally guaranteed.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.279-288
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• 2016

Graphic health warning on the tobacco product package is a cost-effective tobacco control policy to convey information on harmful effect of tobacco use to health, and it is known not only to motivate smokers to quit but also to deter adolescents from start smoking. In case of Korea, amendments to National Health Promotion Act requiring implementation of graphic health warning had been submitted 13 times, from 2002 to May 2015. In May 2015, the amendment had been approved by the National Assembly and it enters into force on December 23, 2016. This research analyzed the discussions from Health and Welfare Committee of the National Assembly during the implementation of the graphic health warning in order to study decision making process of legislators. Study found that there was a shift from a general opposition on implementing graphic health warning at first to a harsh conflict over relaxation of the regulation once discussing the implementation in earnest. Particularly, while the group supporting the implementation of the graphic health warning or opposing relaxation advocated the amendment with scientific and knowledge-based evidences including the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the group opposing the adoption of the amendment itself or suggesting relaxation tended to defend their position with empathy on smokers or tobacco industries.