• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.5-13
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to investigate health problems of migrant workers in Korea. Methods: The data were collected from the records of the medical history of 2,233 migrant workers who visited the community health clinic in Ansan city, Gyeonggi province from Jan. 2005 to Jan. 2007. The data were analyzed by SPSS. Results: Men accounted for 56.4% of the total who participated in the study. Most of them were Chinese, Russian, and Bangladesh people. The 590 people out of all the migrant workers were employed in manufacturing industries and they comprised the largest percentage. The most commonly complained health problems were musculoskeletal (31.7%), digestive (20.7%), respiratory (12.5%), dermatologic (6.5%), cardiovascular (5.5%) and dental disorder (5.2%). The 1,853 (36.0%) workers were assumed to have hypertensive disorder and 1310 (11.1%) workers, some diseases due to high cholesterol level. Conclusions: It is necessary to establish a public health care system to improve health and welfare of migrant workers. Furthermore, the communities need to draw their attention to this matter. And it is also necessary to make accurate research on their health and medical service.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.84-88
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• 2017

Background: Workers in slaughterhouses are exposed to a wide range of biological contaminants, such as bacteria and fungi, due to their working environment. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of respiratory disorders among workers in slaughterhouses. Methods: This study was conducted on 81 workers in slaughterhouses and 81 healthy office workers as a reference group. The American Thoracic Society standard respiratory symptoms questionnaire was used to determine the prevalence of respiratory disorders. Besides, lung function tests were conducted using a calibrated spirometer at the beginning (preshift) and at the end (postshift) of the $1^{st}$ working day. Single-stage Anderson sampler was used to measure the concentration of bioaerosols in different parts of slaughterhouses. Results: The prevalence of respiratory disorders, such as cough, productive cough, breathlessness, phlegm, and wheezing, was 3.17, 4.02, 3.07, 4.66, and 3.94 times, respectively, higher among workers in slaughterhouses compared with the reference group. Conclusion: The prevalence of respiratory disorders was significantly higher among workers in slaughterhouses. Thus, the significant reduction in the percentage predicted lung function among workers in slaughterhouses might be associated with exposure to bioaerosols in their work environment.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.773-781
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• 2007

The objective of this study was to investigate the nutritional and health status of women industrial workers by working fields. One hundred forty eight (105 lead and 43 office) workers were recruited from March 2005 to October 2005. Information on age, education, smoking and drinking status were collected using questionnaire and nutrient intake and diet quality of workers were assessed by average of two-day 24 hr recall method. Biochemical indexes including blood lead level (PbB), indexes for iron status, serum calcium (Ca) and serum lipid profiles were analyzed from fasting venous blood or serum. Results showed that education level of lead workers was lower than that of office workers (p<0.05), but nutrient intake levels were not significantly different by working fields. Overall nutritional status of the subject were good except for calcium, vitamin $B_2$, C and folic acid intakes. PbB of lead workers were significantly higher than that of office workers while mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and serum Ca levels were significantly lower in lead workers. MCHC was positively correlated with zinc intake (r=0.166) and serum Ca was positively correlated with vitamin C intake (r=0.179). This study confirms that lead workers need extra care to keep their health and nutritional management especially for the nutrients known to interact with lead. Tailored nutrition education for workers at specific working fields needs to be more focused for the improvement of health status of industrial workers.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.416-420
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• 2018

Background: Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) has been widely used as a biomarker of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in occupationally exposed workers. The objective of this study is to investigate the concentration of urinary 1-OHP among charcoal workers as subjects and non-charcoal workers as controls. Methods: Early morning urine samples were collected from 68 persons (25 charcoal workers in Igbo-Ora, 20 charcoal workers in Alabata, and 23 non-charcoal workers) who volunteered to participate in this study. 1-OHP determination in urine samples was carried out using high performance liquid chromatography after hydrolysis. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis at p < 0.05. Results: The mean urinary 1-OHP concentration (${\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine) among charcoal workers at Igbo-Ora and Alabata and non-charcoal workers were $2.22{\pm}1.27$, $1.32{\pm}0.65$, and $0.32{\pm}0.26$ (p < 0.01). There existed a relationship between respondent type and 1-OHP concentration. Charcoal workers were 3.14 times more at risk of having 1-OHP concentrations that exceed the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists guideline of $0.49{\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine than non-charcoal workers (relative risk = 3.14, 95% confidence interval: 1.7-5.8, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Charcoal workers are exposed to PAHs during charcoal production and are at risk of experiencing deleterious effects of PAH exposure. Routine air quality assessment should be carried out in communities where charcoal production takes place. Assessment of urinary 1-OHP concentration and use of personal protective equipment should also be encouraged among charcoal workers.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.748-759
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• 2019

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effect of spouses participating in health coaching on stage of the change, health behaviors, and physiological indicators among male office workers with cardiocerebrovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and compare the findings with trainers who provided health coaching only to workers. Methods: A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used. Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants from a manufacturing research and development company in the city of Gyeonggi province. The health coaching program for the experimental group (n=26) included individual counseling sessions according to workers' stage of change, and provision of customized health information materials on CVD prevention to workers and their spouses for 12 weeks through mobile phone and email. Results: After 12 weeks of intervention, the total score for health behavior, and scores on the sub-areas of exercise and health checkups significantly improved in the experimental group, but there were no significant differences in the scores of stage of the change and physical indicators. The results of a paired t-test showed a significant decrease in the body mass index, abdominal circumference, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol and triglyceride values, and a significant increase in the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol value in the experimental group after the intervention. Conclusion: To improve the health of male workers with CVD risk factors in the workplace, sharing health information with their spouses has proven to be more effective than health coaching for only workers. Therefore, it is important to develop strategies to encourage spousal participation when planning workplace health education for changing health-related behaviors.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.11-21
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the relationship among musculoskeletal problems, sleep problems, and self-rated mental health of home-care workers. Methods: Data were collected from 447 home-care workers spanning three occupation types: life supporters for the elderly, home-visit caregivers, and life supporters for the disabled. Musculoskeletal problems, sleep problems, and self-rated mental health were assessed using structured questionnaires. Factors affecting self-rated mental health were analyzed using multiple regression. SPSS was used to test the mediating effects of sleep problems on musculoskeletal problems and self-rated mental health. Results: Among the general characteristics, the variables that showed significant differences in musculoskeletal problems were monthly income level, caring-related career duration, weekly working hours, and occupation type; and the variable that showed significant differences in self-rated mental health was occupation type. Among the occupation types, supporters for the disabled had the most musculoskeletal problems and the lowest self-rated mental health. Musculoskeletal problems among home-care workers had a direct negative effect on self-rated mental health and indirect negative effects on sleep problems. Conclusion: Measures are needed to reduce the differences in working conditions and health status among the occupation types of home-care workers. Considering the relevance between the health issues of home-care workers, the development of a carefully designed health promotion strategy is required.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.15-23
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• 2012

In this study, oral health promotion behaviors of employees, daily frequency of tooth brushing, tooth brushing method, brushing time, whether or not to use oral hygiene accessories, and regular dental check-up to investigate oral health status of workers to the workplace and was to provide basic data for the development of oral health program to promote oral health. This study was performed from 2011 May 2 to May 20, 249 industrial workers in Ulsan metropolitan city surveyed and collected data using PASW 18.0 ver, descriptive statistics, Pearson's chi-square test was performed. In the result, the importance of oral health recognition was lacked, in order to maintain and promote the oral health status of industrial workers, regular dental check-up on oral health counseling and oral health education were conducted together and raising awareness of workers' oral health was necessary to improve level of oral health status.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.153-161
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of Quality of Life (QOL) among workers in public health corporations. Methods: Data were composed of 213 office workers in three public enterprise in Seoul. Data were collected from February 11 to March 20, 2007. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation and stepwise multiple regression using SPSS Win 12.0 program. Results: The mean QOL of the study participants was 82.60. The QOLs of the workers were significantly different according to perceived health status of workers and working hours per week. The QOL of the workers was negatively related to working hours, job stress, and depression, and positively related to the health status, self-esteem, and health promotion lifestyle (HPLS). Significant predictors of QOL were HPLS ${\beta}=.420$), depression (${\beta}=-.291$), self-esteem (${\beta}=.261$), and hours of work per week (${\beta}=-.114$), which explained 63% in the variance of QOL. Conclusion: These results suggest that strategies to enhance HPLS could improve the level of QOL. Further investigations of the direct relationship between QOL and health promotion program is warranted.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.131-138
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• 1993

The purpose of this study was to identify K.A.P. of industrial workers on health management. The study was conducted Dec 5, 1992 to March 10, 1993. The results were as follows : 1. The total Score of K.A.P. of industrial worker on the Knowledge of industrial health management was 2.52, the Attitude score was 42, the Practice score 2, 62. 2. The office workers' score on K.A.P.(T=-2. 11, P=.038) Attitude score(T=-2.03, P=.045) were higher than that of productive workers' 3. The K.A.P. score of married worker was higher than that of single workers, and showed significant differences statistically. 4. There are significant statistical differences in the Attitude score of workers according to age(F=2.26, F=.0304). 5. There were statistically significant differences among total Scores of K.A.P. (F=3.1141, P=.0498). Practice score(F=8.4421, P=.0004), Knowledge Score (F=3.5833, P=.0323). Performed 84.7%. 6. The relationship between industrial worker's health level score and industrial health status had reverse relationship(R=-.7689. P<.001) Therefore the companies that performed better health management attained a higher health level.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.53-63
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to grasp foreign worker's industrial safety and health state, which find out the improvement to secure the basic safety net for foreign workers. We have investigated 2,050 workers through direct interviews during the period from April 12, 2010 to May 31, 2010. And the result of analysis, foreign worker's daily average working time is 10.6 hours(40.8% workers in total work 10~12 hours), the extent of exposure to harmful and dangerous working environment is 'the position which cause pain in neck, waist, hands, shoulders, legs'(69.3%), 'repetitive hands and arms movement'(66.1%). It showed 'experience of accident damage or disease related work'(27.3%), 'never apply for industrial accident compensation' is revealed high at 73%. As a result of completing a safety health education for a year, it showed 'never educated'(40.2%), 'the institute that foreign workers have used for help and advice is the foreign worker's support center'(61.9%) Thus, hiring foreign workers in the company are small in site, the environment is too harmful and dangerous. In addition, no safety and health managers, legally blind spot located in the health and safety, because it is an urgent meet for these measures to improve.