• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.27 no.4 s.48
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• pp.747-761
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• 1994

Workers' periodic health examination is the main tools used to manage the health problems of most workers in Korea. The most common health problem found in workers' periodic health examination is liver disorder. Liver disorder is also one of the most common health problems in general population and one of the leading causes of mortality in adult population. Regulation proposed by government (No. 207, Ministry of Labor, 1992) defines the criteria for selection of workers with the liver dysfunction for further evaluative examination and the examination items used for diagnosis of the workers with liver dysfunction. This study was designed to evaluate the proficiency of each examination items presently defined in Regulation and propose the optimal examination items for detection of the liver disorders found by workers' periodic health examination. Study subjects are 186 workers with abnormal liver function tests in screening examination of workers' periodic health examination. Questionnaire survey including past history of liver disorder, drinking history, height and weight was done. Physical examination by physician, routine test items defined by Regulation (SGOT, SGPT, $\gamma$-GTP, protein, albumin, total and direct bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, $\alpha$-feto protein, HBsAg and anti-HBs), anti-HCV antibody test and liver ultrasonography were done. Results are as follows; 1. Result of evaluative examination utilizing only the items defined in Regulation was; There were 75 workers with suspected live. disorder(40.3%), 63 with no liver dysfunction (33.9%), 13 with suspected hepatitis B(7.0%), 10 workers with hepatitis B(5.4%), 10 workers with hepatitis B carrier state(5.4%), 10 with alcoholic liver disorders(5.4%), 5 with fatty liver(2.7%). When alternative diagnostic criteria applying additional examination items (drinking history, body mass index, anti-HCV antibody and ultrasonography) diagnosability of liver disorder was increased. When all four items were included, final results were; 23 workers (17.8%) with hepatitis B (10 carriers, 13 suspects and 10 hepatitis B), 10 (5.4%) with hepatitis C(4 carriers, 5 suspects and 1 hepatitis C), 13(7.0%) with alcoholic liver disorder, 45(24.2%) with fatty liver (40 suspects, 5 fatty liver), 410%) with suspected liver disorders and 44 (23.7%) with normal liver. 2. Of examination items defined by Regulation, only SGOT, SGPT, $\gamma$-GTP and HBsAg were significantly different in abnormal rate and mean value, and all other laboratory findings did not showed significant difference between two groups. Drinking history, body mass index and anti-HCV antibody test which are the items that authors included in this study, also showed significant difference between two groups. Utilization of body mass index (BMI) for abnormal liver function group in diagnosis of fatty liver had high specificity (97.6%) but sensitivity (22.3%) was low. Therefore we suggest that SGOT, SGPT, $\gamma$-GTP, HBsAg, alcohol drinking history, BMI and anti-HCV Ab were useful for diagnosis of liver disorders among worker's periodic health examination.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 2000

This study was carried out to investigate what factors affect satisfaction of periodic health examination undertaken by employees. The purpose of the study was to improve quality of periodic health examination and to increase the rate of workers participation in the screening test. The content of questionnaire was designed with focus on the satisfaction and attitude on the periodic health examination. Data were analyzed with 212 males, 181 females among 393 samples who took periodic examination at a general hospital in Seoul. Korea. The results were as follows: 1. Respondents were mainly in the thirties(42.7%), married(58.5%), more than 3 years working experiences(66.7%) and employed in Sales & Customers service industry(60.1%). 2. There were significant differences in the scores of satisfaction by general characteristics among the respondents. The highly educated and the single showed higher satisfaction on the periodic health examination than other respondents. 3. The scores of satisfaction in periodic health examination showed highly influenced by level of age, work duration, level of knowledge to the health screening and income. Based on the results, this study concluded that the periodic health examination might be necessary to modify its items according to the clients characteristics and their individual demands for maintenance of healthy life.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.19-30
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• 1983

This report is intended to find out the health status of the korean industrial workers based on the periodic physical examination in 1982. It has resulted in the followings: 1. As of April, 1982, total No. of industries was 81,136 of which workers was totally 3,383,700 persons classifying into 2,163,600 in male and 1,220,100 in female, and manufacturing field was occupied 44.6% of total industries and 61.0% of total workers. 2. In view of size, industries having less than 9 ordinary workers was 47.5%, those having less than 29 ordinary workers was 77.0%. 3. Applicable target industries to industrial safety & health law was 31,059 which was covered 38.3% of total establishments and No. of workers was 2,192,511, 64.8% of all industrial workers. 4. No. of establishment & workers conducting the physical examination was 26,463 which is 85.2% of all examining industries and was 2,007,091, 91.5% of all examining required workers. 5. Case having general disease by general physical examination was 3.5% of examining workers and especially it was appeared 9.7% in mining. 6. Case having general disease by special physical examination was 3.8% of examining workers and incidence rate for occupational disease was 2.4% of examining workers. 7. No. of the occupational diseased was 5,341 persons which is 2.6% of all the examining workers, 205,497 and its rate was appeared highly as 7.5% of silicosis in mining workers and 1.4% of hearing difficulty to noise in construction.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.25 no.4 s.40
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• pp.343-356
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• 1992

Authors studied the workers' knowledge about the health problems detected through the previous workers' periodic health examination, content of follow-up management ana actions taken for their health problem detected on previous health examination. From June to September 1992, workers' periodic health examination was peformed on workers employed in 10 companies located in 2 middle-sized Korean cities. A questionnaire survey was done far 150 workers who reported to have $D_2$ result of either hypertension or liver disorder at the previous workers' periodic health examination done in 1991. The results are as follows; 1. Of 160 workers who had $D_2$ result of either hypertension or liver disorder in previous examination one year before, only 85 workers(51.3%, 43 workers with hypertension, 38 workers with live disorder) responded that they have such disorders. The other 65 workers responded to questionnaire were all those with C results. Respondents' knowledge about their diagnoses was relatively precise (95.2% in hypertension group, 94.6% in liver disorder group) but knowledge about classification of diseases was poor. 2. The main efforts to solve the health problem nab self management (20 spells, 55.3%), visiting clinic or hospital(6 spells, 12.8%), use of herb medicine (2 spells, 4.3%) and use of drug store(2 spells, 4.3%) in hypertension group. In liver disorder group, 30 spells (71.4%) relied on self management,6 spells (14.3%) on hospital or clinic and 9 spells (21.4%) had no effort to improve the health problem. Content of self management was low salt diet, quit smoking, regular exercise and quit alcohol drinking in order. Avoidance of salt in diet was high in hypertension group and quitting alcohol drinking was high in liver disorder group. In those with self management, 80.7% of hypertension group and 83.3% of liver disorder group continued previous effort. Those, however, who utilized clinic or hospital, only 16.7% and 50.0% were still visiting hospital or clinic. 3. Fifty seven percent of hypertension group and 64.3% of liver disorder group was presently smoking,8.5% and 11.9% reduced smoking and 21.3% and 14.3% stopped smoking. Forty nine percent of hypertension group and 28.6% of liver disorder group was presently drinking. Reduced alcohol intake was reported in 29.8% and 40.5%, 12.8ole and 23.8% stopped alcohol drinking. Sixty six percent of hypertension group and 73.8% of liver disorder group did no regular exercise, but 12.8% and 11.9% of each group increased their physical exercise far last one year. Forty three percent of hypertension group and 38.l% of liver disorder group was overweight (defined by bodymass index greater or equal than 25). Reduced body Weight was reported in 17.2% and 16.7% of each group. Reduced dietary salt intake was high in hypertension group (51.5%). The study results suggest that follow-up management after workers' periodic health examination is not satisfactory. In order to improve this situation, adequate information on the result of the workers' periodic health examination should be distributed to each worker group with health education and counselling.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.843-855
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• 1995

Occupational Dentistry was introduced in Korea about 70 years ago. During the colonial period occupied by Japan till 1945, there were few documents about industrial dentistry, furthermore most cases of occupational diseases and accidents might have been concealed intentionally by the colonial government. After being an independent country, several dentists made efforts to set up 'Preventive Dentistry for Workers' performing specific oral health surveys, even though which were stopped by Korean War. In 1960s' and 1970s', some investigations of oral status were carried out intermittently for specific small groups;white-collar workers, mentally retarded person, buddhist monks and crews of ocean liners. At the same time there was important study in Korean history of occupational dentistry, which was 'a comparison of the oral hygiene conditions in the female workers of a spinning factory at intervals of 30 years.' In 1980s', young researchers began to give attention to erosion of the teeth due to sulphuric acid in the acid-related industry and dental caries due to sugar and flour in the sweets industry. After being democratic labor union movement activated in 1987, hidden and suppressed occupational diseases under the military dictatorship were exposed and flushed in the newspapers. It was shocking for all people that 15-year old boy had been dead due to mercury intoxication after 3-month employment in 1988. In 1990s', the activity for studying oral status of workers in their workplaces was launched and 'Occupational Accidents and Diseases in Oral and Maxillofacial Field' was published. And also The Korean Association of Occupationl Dentistry was established. Oral health examination of workers at the time of employment and of workers exposed to 5 special chemicals at the time of routine special health examination was adopted in 1992, and epocally oral health examination was also included in periodic routine examination of workers' health in 1995. So, occupational dentistry in Korea should cope with the changing needs of working environment and the altering scheme of health examination.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.139-145
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• 1993

The purpose of this study was to identify the degree and the relationship of the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of industrial health care services of workers. This information will provide useful data for an effective industrial health care service. The was collected from 600 data employees in Kwang-ju city & Chonnam province. The data was gathered by questionnaire from Dec 20, 1992 to Jan 20, 1993. The questionnaire was developed by the Academic Affairs of Community Health Nursing Academy. Data was analyzed by using the statistical computer package, SPSS to manipulate the data along with percentages, means, standard deviations, modes, t-test and ANOVA. The results in this study were summarized as follows: 1. General characteristics of workers: Distributions of workers was laborer(76.2%). in the 25-34 age group(50.2%), married(63.3%), males comprised(77.5%), the educational level with the highest percentage was high school graduates (71.1%), with a monthly income of 300-700 thousand won(43.8%), and has been working in the present career over seven years (31.5%). 2. The Knowledge, Attitude and Practice levels of employees about industrial health care services The levels were measured according to a five point scale. The total mean score of knowledge was 2.92 points out of 4. The following are the scores of Knowledge of special medical examination and location of industrial clinic(3.48), periodic medical examination (3.18), occupational disease(3.08), personal protective equipment (2.92), and health education(1.37). The total mean score of Attitude was 2.77 point out of 4. The following are the scores of Attitude in order of working environment (3.35), necessity of periodic medical examination and health education(3.15), the worker's perception influence on the working environment to health was high(3.11). But, the level of satisfaction in the content of periodic medical examination was low(2.19). The total mean score of Practice was 2.70 points out of 4. The scores of Practice in order were, practice of periodic medical examination(3.70), utilization of industrial clinic(2.92), and to participate in health education(1.47). 3. The relationship of general characteristics to Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of workers: Knowledge had a significant difference by sex (P<.01), marital status(P<.01), education level (P<.05) and monthly income(P<.01). Attitude was significantly different with sex(P<.05) and Practice was significantly related to monthly income (P<.01).

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.28 no.3 s.51
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• pp.663-677
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• 1995

Special health examination institute has done periodic health examination for workers who have worked in the hazardous workplace. However, assessment on outcome in special health examination institute about detection ability of occupational disease has not been. In this circumstances, we studied on the differences of health examination outcome among special health examination institutes and identified related factors which affected outcome of special health examination in the special health examination institutes. The summary of the results were as follows. 1. 50 special health examination institutes were examined in this study. Among them, university institutes were 13 cases(26.0%), hospitals were 20 cases(40.0%), a corporation aggregates were 9 cases(18.0%) and an auxiliary organs of company were 8 cases(16.0%). There were 29(58.0%) institutes with a preventive medicine specialist, but 21 institutes(42.0%) were not. 2. Total workers examined in 50 institutes were 606,948 and workers diagnosed as occupational disease$(D_1)$ were 3,156. The rate of occupational disease was 6 workers per 1,000 examined workers. Workers needed for close observation(C) were 95,809 and the rate of workers needed for close observation was 141 per 1,000 examined workers. 3. The rate of occupational disease of university institutes was highest(11.3 per 1,000 examined workers), and followed by hospitals(6.0 per 1,000 examined workers), a corporation aggregates(4.2 per 1,000 examined workers), and an auxiliary organs of company(1.2 per 1,000 examined workers). The difference of the rate of occupational disease between university institutes and an auxiliary organs of company was statistically moderate significant(p<.1). The rate of occupational disease in special health examination institutes with establishment duration was more than 10 years was statistically higher than institutes with establishment duration was less than 10 years(p<.1). 4. The results of multiple regression, $R^2$ was 0.3394(adjusted $R^2$ was 0.2109), F-value was 2.6416(p<.05), and statistically significant variables were establishment duration(p<.01), number of examined workers per one doctor(p<.1), and auxiliary organs of company(p<.1), which dependent variable was the rate of occupational disease and independent variables were number of examined workers per one doctor, classification of institute, the rate of working environment exceeding TLV, duration of institute establishment, presence of a preventive medicine specialist.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.14-24
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• 1993

The Purpose of this study was to explore the condition of periodic medical examination and the health care services of industries in order to offer some basic data on developing industrial nursing care. To achieve this goal a self - administered questionnaire (developed by the academic affairs of community health nursing) was provieded to the nurses in 56 industries from Dec. 10, 1992 to Jan. 20, 1993. The statistical computer package, SPSS, was used to manipulate the data along with T-test and ANOVA. The results were as follows : 1. General characteristics: The greater part of the industries were manufacturing company, and below 300 employees of industry were 55.4%. The shift system was mostly one shift(66.1%) and three shift(23.2%), and 50.0% them organized the Industrial Safety and Health Commitee. Average a number of employees was 631 person. 2. Periodic Medical Examination: Most of the workers were receiving periodic medical examination from the designated hospital (95.71%). From the about 12.89% were gone through a colse medical examination. In colse medical examination 58.41% were decided 'C' and 36.73% were decided 'D'. About 6.23% off those who had any clinical findings were work-time shortening(7.84%), work-transition(8.12%), recoverating at home. The majority of the workers receive the result of the periodic medical examination individually (78.5%). 3. Special medical examination: The rate of those who are receiving special medical examination were 76.82% and about 8.24% were decided 'C' and 1.23% were decided 'D' Those who had any health problems were receiving follow-up checking (9.10%) and medical treatment while working (15.04%). The health managers in the company can consult (85.7%) those who had any suspicious sign and symptoms of occupational disease. 4. Health care services: The average score of health care services were 17.57 point out of 28 point, and the score was lower in health assessment and environmental hygiene than medical diagnosis and health education. There were significant differences in environmental hygine (F=3.72, P=0.017), health care services(F=3.94, P=0.013) according to the size of the size of the industries The other's significancy is not shown by any type of industrial nurse. The level of health care services were higher in the wokers who had better health and showed no singificant differences(T=-0.73, P=0.470).

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.58-66
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• 1993

The purpose of this study was to explore the condition of periodic medical examination, and health care services in industries. This will offer some basic data in developing industrial nursing care requirements. To achieve this goal a self-administered questionnaire (developed by the academic affairs of community health nursing) was provided to the nurses working in 40 industries from Dec 20, 1992 to Jan 20, 1993. The statistical computer package SAS, along with t-test, and ANOVA was used to manipulate the date. The results were as follows : 1. General Characteristics: The greater part of the industries studied were manufacturing company, with over 500 employees. The shift system was used with most companies using one or three shifts, and 75.0% of them were organized with Industrial Safety and Health Committees. 2. Periodic Medical Examination : Most of the workers were receiving periodic medical examination from a designated hospital (96.7%). Of those 15.8% had a close medical examination. In the medical examination 9.4% were evaluated at 'C' and 3.8 were evaluated at 'D'. About 55.0% of those workers received the result of the periodic medical examination individually(95.0%). 3. Special Medical Examination : The rate of those who were receiving special medical examination was 98.4% and about 11.7% were evaluated at 'C' and 3.9% were evaluated at 'D'. Those who had any health problems (54.2%) were receiving follow-up care, 52.4% of them had medical treatment while working. The health care managers in the company consulted 97.1% of them who had any suspicious signs and symptoms of occupational diseases. 4. Health Care Services : The average score of health care services was 13.8 out of a possible 28 point. The score of health education and health assessment, was lower than medical diagnosis and environmental hygiene. There were no significant differences in health care services according to the size of the industries(F=.95, P=.429). The score of health care services was higher in the worker who had better health and showed significant differences (F=4.50, p=.025).

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.29 no.4 s.55
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• pp.733-746
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• 1996

To evaluate the follow-up management state and related factor of lead battery workers in periodic health examination as part of program of group occupational health service, author studied 293 workers with questionnaire on knowledge of results and follow-up management state and related factors, and compared the responses to their periodic health examination result charts. The results were as follows: 1. 252(86%) workers responsed that they had received the health examination result chart, but only 116(39.6%) workers responsed that they had been educated or explained about the results of health examination, and 11(57.9%) workers among 19 workers with non-occupational disease D, 101(44.3%) workers among 228 workers with non-occupational disease C, and 19(28.4%) workers among 67 workers with occupational disease C knew accurately their health examination results. 2. 78(24.8%) of the workers responsed that they had follow-up management, and contents of follow-up management were follow-up(36.6%), out-patient treatment (31%), change worksite(8.5%), temporary retirement(7.0%) and others(16.9%). 3. Most of the workers responsed that the health examination were necessary, but three-fourths of the workers responsed that the health examination had been superficial or that they didn't know. 4. In this study, follow-up management show significant association with only explanation or education about health examination result chart.