• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.26.1-26.15
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• 2023

Background: The objective of this study is to investigate the differences in incidence rates of targeted diseases by classification of occupations among construction workers in Korea. Methods: In a subject-based cohort of the Korean Construction Worker's Cohort, we surveyed a total of 1,027 construction workers. As occupational exposure, the classification of occupations was developed using two axes: construction business and job type. To analyze disease incidence, we linked survey data with National Health Insurance Service data. Eleven target disease categories with high prevalence or estimated work-relatedness among construction workers were evaluated in our study. The average incidence rates were calculated as cases per 1,000 person-years (PY). Results: Injury, poisoning, and certain other consequences of external causes had the highest incidence rate of 344.08 per 1,000 PY, followed by disease of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue for 208.64 and diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue for 197.87 in our cohort. We especially found that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was more common in construction painters, civil engineering welders, and civil engineering frame mold carpenters, asthma in construction painters, landscape, and construction water proofers, interstitial lung diseases in construction water proofers. Conclusions: This is the first study to systematically classify complex construction occupations in order to analyze occupational diseases in Korean construction workers. There were differences in disease incidences among construction workers based on the classification of occupations. It is necessary to develop customized occupational safety and health policies for high-risk occupations for each disease in the construction industry.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.34
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• pp.17.1-17.10
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• 2022

Background: This study aimed to investigate the decline in quality of life (QOL) by examining changes in the employment status of workers who had completed medical treatment after an industrial accident. Methods: This study utilized the Panel Study of Worker's Compensation Insurance cohort (published in October 2020) containing a sample survey of 3,294 occupationally injured workers who completed medical care in 2017. We divided this population into four groups according to changes in working status. A multivariate logistic regression model was utilized for evaluating QOL decline by adjusting for the basic characteristics and working environment at the time of accident. Subgroup analysis evaluated whether QOL decline differed according to disability grade and industry group. Results: The QOL decline in the "maintained employment," "employed to unemployed," "remained unemployed," and "unemployed to employed" groups were 15.3%, 28.1%, 20.2%, and 11.9%, respectively. The "maintained employment" group provided a reference. As a result of adjusting for the socioeconomic status and working environment, the odds ratios (ORs) of QOL decline for the "employed to unemployed" group and the "remained unemployed" group were 2.13 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.51-3.01) and 1.47 (95% CI, 1.13-1.90), respectively. The "unemployed to employed" group had a non-significant OR of 0.76 (95% CI, 0.54-1.07). Conclusions: This study revealed that continuous unemployment or unstable employment negatively affected industrially injured workers' QOL. Policy researchers and relevant ministries should further develop and improve "return to work" programs that could maintain decent employment avenues within the workers' compensation system.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.279-288
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• 2009

The purposes of this study were to understand the differences of general characteristics, to compare understanding level of the organization cultures, and to develop more good management methods between outsourcing workers and regular workers in hospitals. Major results of this study were as follows: First, regular workers had higher level than outsourcing workers in major understanding on job satisfaction and organization cultures(pride of their jobs, recognition level of job performance ability, satisfaction on ordering method. etc.). Second, the results showed that the level of job performances related with effective management of the factors in job satisfaction and involvement. Third, through multiple regression analysis to understand factors on job satisfaction and involvement, we understood that regular workers were effected by vision performance of hospital and their value view-point, and outsourcing workers were influenced by recognition levels and education levels of hospital vision, Therefore, to maximize level of job satisfaction and involvement. we have interest in development of education program for outsourcing workers, and selection of adequate persons in hospital culture.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.39-56
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• 2015

This study calculated the potential customer satisfaction improvement index (PCSI index) and average satisfaction coefficient (ASC) by categorizing quality attributes based on the Kano analysis for medical service quality. This study seeks to suggest ways to increase the efficiency of medical business management by determining priority to improve after applying the indexes to IPA. To achieve such purposes, this study conducted a survey on 150 outpatients of a premium general hospital and 200 workers in four different sections in the same hospital. As a result of the analysis, there was a difference in the awareness of service quality to improve patient satisfaction between the outpatients and workers. Therefore, the focus should be put on those items deemed important by the patients rather than those that the workers called attention to in order to effectively improve service quality. Along with efforts to alleviate or eliminate inconveniences experienced by patients, it is necessary to provide training programs for workers on customer reception and management such as delivering services with a kind manner and giving explanations in a proper and professional manner and exhibiting the right attitude.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.581-587
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• 2023

In this study, we tried to provide basic data for radiation safety management by comparing and analyzing the exposure doses of radiation workers and frequent workers at C University Hospital in Incheon. From January 2021 to December 2022, surface dose and deep dose were analyzed for 30 radiation workers and 8 frequent workers who worked at C university hospital in Incheon. Radiation workers were targeted at radiation technicians and nurses working in the radiation oncology department and nuclear medicine department, and frequent visitors were targeted at frequent workers who manage and clean facilities in the same radiation management area. In the radiation worker group, 3.1 per 10,000 radiation technologist, 1.2 per 100,000 nurses, and 4.5 per 1,000,000 frequent workers showed the possibility of developing side effects on the lungs. The probability of radiation oncology was 1.1 per 10,000 for radiation technologist and 5.2 per 1,000,000 for nurses, and the probability of radiation technologist in nuclear medicine was 2.9 per 10,000 and for nurses was 7.1 per 1,000,000. It is hoped that this study can be used as basic data in future revisions on frequent workers, and it is considered that it will be used as basic data in the field of obstacles in relation to the stochastic effect of radiation in the future.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.279-285
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• 2022

Background; In the event of an industrial accident, the appropriate choice of hospital is important for worker health and prognosis. This study investigates whether the choice of hospital by the employer in the case of industrial accidents affects the prognosis of injured employees. Methods; Data from the 2018 Panel Study of Workers' Compensation Insurance in Korea were used in an unmatched case-controlled study. The exposure variable is "hospital selection by an employer," and the outcome variable is 'worker's disability." Odds ratios (ORs) were estimated by modified Poisson regression and adjusted for age, gender, underlying disease, injury severity, and workplace size and stratified by industrial classification. The group at increased risk was analyzed and stratified by age, gender, and area. Results; In the construction industry, hospital selection by the employer was significantly associated with increased risk of disability (adjusted OR 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI]; 1.20-1.32) and severe disability (adjusted OR 1.38; 95% CI; 1.08-1.76) among the injured. Female and younger workers not living in the Seoul capital area were more at risk of disability and severe disability than those living in the Seoul capital area. Conclusions; Hospital selection by employers affects the prognosis of workers injured in an industrial accident. For protecting workers' health and safety, workplace emergency medical systems should be improved, and the selection of appropriate hospitals to supply treatment should be reviewed.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.183-189
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• 2009

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to evaluate community mental health professionals and hospital workers attitude and awareness towards suicide. Methods : This study investigated 264 community mental health professionals and 228 hospital workers. SOQs (Suicidal Opinion Questionnaires) were used from July 2007 to September 2007. After a factor analysis for the attitude towards suicide, the items on ethics, mental illness, religion, risk, and motivation were included in the subsequent analysis. Results : There were significant differences in the attitude towards suicide according to religion, age, educational background, the marriage status, the economic position, and different professional licenses. Hospital workers' view was different from the community workers'. The hospital workers judged that suicide was due to mental illness, and suicide was high for the people in a special environment and who lacked motivation, which caused them to fall in a dangerous situation. For the lower educational group, they thought that suicide was attributable to mental illness. The awareness for suicide was significantly higher in the group with a postgraduate education, unmarried people, mental health professionals and the persons who had concern and experience with suicide. The factors that had an influence on the awareness of suicide were the items of mental illness, religion, risk and motivational factors. Conclusions : This study suggested that the factors to increase the awareness and attitude for suicide were the experience of increased education and case management of suicide. Therefore, education dealing with suicide and reinforcement of crisis management programs should be developed.

• Proceedings of the Safety Management and Science Conference
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.573-582
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• 2011

This study has three objectives; 1) Evaluate major jobs of hospital workers based on Criterion(Notification number 2003-24 from Ministry of Labor in Korea) for high-risk job for musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs), 2) Relate each jobs in criterion and the hospital jobs considered in this study, 3) Relate each jobs in criterion and MSDs symptoms of hospital workers. A total 141 hospital jobs was evaluated. Most hospital jobs belonged to the numbers 2(Job with repetitive motions by neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist or hand more than 2 hours a day) and 4(Job with unsupported and deviated postures by neck or back more than 2 hours a day) from criterion. Most hospital workers participated in this study thought that the numbers 1(Job with keyboard or mouse work more than 4 hours a day) and 2 from criterion were associated with their jobs. Further study for hospital jobs should be focused on breaking down quantification levels of each numbers in the criterion due to its atypical and non-repetitive job characteristics of hospital jobs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.35-42
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to analyze job stress factors of hospital workers, which has an effect on their turnover intention. For identifying the influences on turnover intention, types of hospitals (university hospital, general hospital, private hospital) and types of workers(office workers, technical workers, and nursing staffs) were categorized. We went to the hospitals and carried out the survey under the cooperation with the concerned hospitals. The period of survey was from 23. Sep. 2013 to 30. Oct. 2013, and 293 worker participated in the survey. On the basis of the previous study, the measurement of job stress factors and turnover intention was set up as the survey method, and its reliability and validity were measured. The stress factors were subdivided into seven factors; occupational climate, organizational system, autonomy job control, uncertainty of getting a new job, job ability to perform, job demand, job ambiance. The value of job stress factors by the measuring instrument, Cronbach's Alpha, was 0.805 and the value of the subordination variable of turnover intention was 0.881. IBM SPSS Statistics 21 was used as the statistic analysis tool and the descriptive statistics about job stress factors. As a result, the turnover intention were analyzed depending on the types of hospitals, job groups, working years, and gender. Result shows that the job stress factors are differed according to the types of hospitals, and these job stress factors have influence on turnover intention. Therefore, it could be considered that, if the hospital managers find out the major job stress factors of their employees and resolve them in advance, the job stress of the hospital workers and their turnover intention can be reduced.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.155-163
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• 1998

In order to investigate the effects of rotating shift work on the subjective characteristics of sleep and mental depression questionnaire survey was carried out on 405 shift workers and 153 nonshift workers who were nurses employed. in three university hospital. The questionnaire forms used in this study were the self rating depression scale(SDS) and circadian type questionnaire(CTQ) factor R(rigidity/flexbility of sleeping habit) and factor V(inability/ability to overcome drowsiness). The results were as follows ; 1. Mean score of CTQ R in shift workers was significantly lower than that in nonshift workers, however, no significant difference in CTQ V was observed between two groups. 2. Mean score of SDS was significantly higher in shift workers(44.1) than in nonshift workers(39.8). 3. Mean self rating depression scale scores of pervasive affect, physiologic equivalents and psychological equivalents were significantly higher in shift workers than in nonshift workers. 4. In shift worker, mean SDS score was the highest in confusion and followed by diurnal variation, retardation, and indeciveness in the descending order. In nonshift worker, that score was the highest in decreased libido and followed by confusion, and indeciveness in the descending order. 5. Circadian type questionnaire scores was significantly and negatively correlated with significantly and negatively correlating with Self-rating depression scale scores(r=-0.473).