• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.188-196
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• 2007

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate long-term care needs using RAI MDS-HC and MI-CHOICE among the disabled workers. Methods: Data were obtained from 45 personal care recipients with the disability of mental and nervous system, and analyzed using SAS 9.1 by applying t-test, ${\chi}^2$ test, or fisher's exact test. Results: Only 'bed mobility' and 'indoor ambulation' items of ADL and problem activity were statistically significant factors by the level of personal care benefit. By MICHOICE grouping, 20.0 percent of subjects belonged to nursing home group, 51.5 percent were home care service, 28.9 percent were intermittent personal care. Conclusion: Personal care services in industrial accident compensation insurance have been categorized with two groups according to level of disability. But our results could contribute to provide personal care service according to the long term care needs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.57-66
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• 2024

Objective: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by progressive airflow obstruction that is only partly reversible, inflammation in the airways, and systemic effects. This study aimed to investigate the association between low peripheral oxygen saturation levels (SpO₂), and composite indices predicting death in male patients with (COPD). Method: A total of 140 participants with post-bronchodilator FEV₁/FVC ratio less than 0.7 were included. Three composite indices (ADO, DOSE, BODEx) were calculated using six variables such as age (A), airflow obstruction (O), body mass index (B), dyspnea (D), exacerbation history (E or Ex), and smoking status (S). Severity of airflow limitation was classified according to Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines. SpO₂ was measured by pulse oximetry, and anemia and iron deficiency were assessed based on blood hemoglobin levels and serum markers such as ferritin, transferrin saturation, or soluble transferrin receptor. Results: Participants with low SpO₂ (<95%) showed significantly lower levels of %FEV₁ predicted (p=0.020) and %FEV₁/FVC ratio (p=0.002) compared to those with normal SpO₂ levels. The mMRC dyspnea scale (p<0.001) and GOLD grade (p=0.002) showed a significant increase in the low SpO₂ group. Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis revealed higher area under the curve for %FEV₁ (p=0.020), %FEV₁/FVC(p=0.002), mMRC dyspnea scale (p=0.001), GOLD grade (p=0.010), ADO (p=0.004), DOSE (p=0.002), and BODEx (p=0.011) in the low SpO₂ group. Conclusion: These results suggest that low SpO₂ levels are related to increased airflow limitation and the composite indices of COPD.

• Korean System Dynamics Review
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.63-89
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• 2013

The purpose of this paper is to explain the entropic measures could cause the organization to increase the entropy. The organization as an open system has a tendency to input new energy to adapt itself to the change in its surroundings. This intention of inputting energy into organization is based on the second law of thermodynamics, the laws of entropy.Entropy is a measure of disorder, or a measure of progressing towards thermodynamic equilibrium. The entropy of an isolated system increases. Organizations have to open to their environment, have to do something to reduce their entropy. But, this attempt to reduce entropy entails another entropy. This study shows the side effects by giving examples of illegal receipt of worker's compensation insurance. The implications through the cases of illegal receipt of workers' compensation are as follows. Firstly, organizational policy is that inaction in itself may be the best policy, unless we always think the action best. Secondly, public organization should be careful in substituting business management in the private sector such as customer satisfaction(CS) for the value in public sector. Thirdly, the setting the expiration date of organizational policy could be the way to slow down the degree of entropy.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.405-422
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• 2010

Occupational musculoskeletal disorders currently account for the largest proportion of the occupational illnesses in Korea. In this research, status of musculoskeletal disorders among the occupational illnesses was examined through workers' compensation claims data. Types and characteristics of musculoskeletal disorders were looked at other data set as well. The data sets included epidemiological investigation data reported by Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, and data collected from occupational disease surveillance reports and Korean occupational health-related scientific journals. Number of cases, incidence rate and insurance benefits for occupational musculoskeletal disorders in Korea are increasing every year. In addition, musculoskeletal disorders occurrence is shifted from large enterprises group to small-and-medium group, from manufacturing to service sector, and from production workers to office and professional workers. Although low back pain is still most common, its occurrence characteristics is gradually shifted from traumatic to cumulative while musculoskeletal disorders are somewhat seemingly moved from lumbar to upper limb body part. Musculoskeletal disorders were observed to be more diverse and prevalent in epidemiological investigations or surveillance data rather in workers' compensation claims data. Musculoskeletal disorders occurrence is related to demographic factors, occupational psychosocial factors, and ergonomic risk factors at workplace for which appropriate preventive measures needed to be made accordingly.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.294-297
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• 2012

Previous studies on the vast increase in suicide mortality in Southeast Asia have indicated that suicide rates increase in parallel with a rise in unemployment or during periods of economic recession. This paper examines the effects of economic recession on suicidal rates amongst agriculture, fisheries, and forestry workers in Korea. Monthly time-series gross domestic product (GDP) data were linked with suicidal rates gathered from the cause of death records between1993-2008. Data were analyzed using generalized additive models to analyze trends, while a polynomial lag model was used to assess the unconstrained time lag effects of changes in GDP on suicidal rate. We found that there were significant inverse correlations between changes in GDP and suicide for a time lag of one to four months after the occurrence of economic event. Furthermore, it was evident that the overall relative risks of suicide were high enough to bring about social concern.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.393-400
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of extrinsic and intrinsic compensation on organizational commitment. It is also analyzed whether the compensation selection may play a moderating role between the types of compensation and organizational commitment. A total of 295 questionnaires from 12 Chinese companies are used for data analysis. The empirical results show that the types of compensation have a positive effect on organizational commitment. It is found a moderating effect of compensation selection only between extrinsic compensation and organizational commitment. The results reveal that more focus on external compensation and adopting a flexible benefit plan are necessary to improve organizational commitment.

• Korean Architects
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• s.560
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• pp.74-81
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• 2015

• Korean Architects
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• s.553
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• pp.56-57
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• 2015

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.400-408
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• 2019

The "fourth industrial revolution" (FIR) is an age of advanced technology based on information and communication. FIR has a more powerful impact on the economy than in the past. However, the prospects for the labor environment are uncertain. The purpose of this study is to anticipate and prepare for occupational health and safety (OHS) issues. In FIR, nonstandard employment will be common. As a result, it is difficult to receive OHS services and compensation. Excessive trust in new technologies can lead to large-scale or new forms of accidents. Global business networks will cause destruction of workers' biorhythms, some cancers, overwork, and task complexity. The social disconnection because of an independent work will be a risk for worker's mental health. The union bonds will weaken, and it will be difficult to apply standardized OHS regulations to multinational enterprises. To cope with the new OHS issues, we need to establish new concepts of "decent work" and standardize regulations, which apply to enterprises in each country, develop public health as an OHS service, monitor emerging OHS events and networks among independent workers, and nurture experts who are responsible for new OHS issues.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.71 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2011

Background: Pulmonary emphysema (PE) is major cause of obstructive pulmonary function impairment (OPFI), which is diagnosed by spirometry. PE by high resolution CT is known to be correlated with OPFI. Recently, low dose CT (LDCT) has been increasingly used for screening interstitial lung diseases including PE. The aim of this study was to evaluate OPFI risks of subjects with PE detected by LDCT compared with those detected by simple digital radiography (SDR). Methods: LDCT and spirometry were administered to 266 inorganic dust exposed retired workers, from May 30, 2007 to August 31, 2008. This study was approved by our institutional review board and informed consent was obtained. OPFI risk was defined as less than 0.7 of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC), and relative risk (RR) of OPFI of PE was calculated by multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: Of the 266 subjects, PE was found in 28 subjects (10.5%) by LDCT and in 11 subjects (4.1%) by SDR; agreement was relatively low (kappa value=0.32, p<0.001). FEV1 and FEV1/FVC were significantly different between PE and no PE groups determined by either SDR or LDCT. The differences between groups were larger when the groups were divided by the findings of SDR. When PE was present in either LDCT or SDR assays, the RRs of OPFI were 2.34 and 8.65, respectively. Conclusion: LDCT showed significantly higher sensitivity than SDR for detecting PE, especially low grade PE, in which pulmonary function is not affected. As a result, the OPFI risks in the PE group by LDCT was lower than that in the PE group by SDR.