• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.70-78
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• 2004

The increase of health care expenditure for Thai worker calls for the need of workplace health promotion. The purpose of this article is to describe the status of workplace health promotion in Thailand, emphasizing the roles of occupational health nurse. Secondary data analysis and extensive literature reviews were conducted. Results showed that Thailand is committed with implementing health promotion concepts in various settings including workplace. Several public organizations have developed national workplace health projects with different strategies and approaches. Role of occupational health nurses in workplace health promotion has gradually expanded. The new law specifying the functions of occupational health nurse in providing comprehensive health services is in the process. Occupational health nursing standard as related to workplace health promotion has been developed. A research based case study on workplace health promotion program is also presented to elaborate the proactive roles of occupational health nurse. Findings of this study suggest the transitional roles of Thai occupational health nurses in which training and technical supports from related organizations are in need.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.117-129
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• 2017

Chronic disease rates have become more prevalent in the modern American workforce, which has negative implications for workplace productivity and healthcare costs. Offering workplace health interventions is recognized as an effective strategy to reduce chronic disease progression, absenteeism, and healthcare costs as well as improve population health. This review documents intervention and evaluation strategies used for health promotion programs delivered in workplaces. Using predetermined search terms in five online databases, we identified 1,131 published items from 1995 to 2014. Of these items, 27 peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria; reporting data from completed United States-based workplace interventions that recruited at-risk employees based on their disease or disease-related risk factors. A content rubric was developed and used to catalogue these 27 published field studies. Selected workplace interventions targeted obesity (n = 13), cardiovascular diseases (n = 8), and diabetes (n = 6). Intervention strategies included instructional education/counseling (n = 20), workplace environmental change (n = 6), physical activity (n = 10), use of technology (n = 10), and incentives (n = 13). Self-reported data (n = 21), anthropometric measurements (n = 17), and laboratory tests (n = 14) were used most often in studies with outcome evaluation. This is the first literature review to focus on interventions for employees with elevated risk for chronic diseases. The review has the potential to inform future workplace health interventions by presenting strategies related to implementation and evaluation strategies in workplace settings. These strategies can help determine optimal worksite health programs based on the unique characteristics of work settings and the health risk factors of their employee populations.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.171-178
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was conducted to determine the effect of the performance of Workplace Health Manager at the workplace on presenteeism in the workers. Methods: Three months before this study, between June 2010 and September 2010, a self-reporting survey of 316 employees in 136 workplaces in each of each hired a Workplace Health Manager was performed at their workplace with explanations of the purpose and methods of this study after their consent was obtained. Results: The average performance score of the Workplace Health Manager as graded by the employees was 3.8 out of 5 points. The duties of the Workplace Health Manager which received higher grades were posting of the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), health education, and future management with respect to the results and procedure of health care-related work. According to the employees' survey, the score for presenteeism was evaluated as 14.3 out of 30 points. Based on the presenteeism analysis results, when (1) the employee was a male, (2) the workplace was established and managed by Industry Safety and Health Committee, (3) the employees were aware of the role of Workplace Health Managers, and (4) Workplace Health Manager fulfilled his/her role actively and successfully, presenteeism was observed to a lesser extent. Conclusion: According to the results of the study, presenteeism was observed to a lesser extent when the Workplace Health Manager actively performed his/her role.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.432-445
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship of the school organizational climate with perceived discrimination and the workplace violence among school health teachers. Methods: The research design was a cross-sectional study. The subjects of the study were 350 school health teachers with more than one year of teaching experience. Data were collected online using a questionnaire. Research variables are general characteristics, organizational climate, perceived discrimination, and workplace violence. The relationship between organizational climate and perceived discrimination and the relationship between organizational climate and workplace violence were analyzed using regression analysis. Results: The score for organizational climate of health teachers was 3.10 out of 5 points, the score for perceived discrimination was 2.85 out of 5 points, and the experience rate of workplace violence was 16.9%. School organizational climate was related to both workplace violence and perceived discrimination. The subcomponents of organizational climate affecting perceived discrimination of health teachers were interrelationship and the level of compensation. The subcomponents of organizational climate affecting workplace violence of health teachers were interrelationship and autonomy. Conclusion: The improvement of the school's organizational climate can reduce the level of workplace violence and discrimination against health teachers. It is important to establish an appropriate evaluation system for health teachers and to recognize the role and expertise of health teachers. In addition, it is necessary for school administraters to actively support health teahcers and to create an organizational climate where they can be friendly and communicative.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.210-215
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• 2018

Background: The aims of this study were to determine the extent of workplace bullying perceptions among the employees of a Faculty of Medicine, evaluating the variables considered to be associated, and determining the effect of workplace bullying perceptions on their psychological symptoms evaluated by the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed involving 355 (88.75%) employees. Results: Levels of perceived workplace bullying were found to increase with the increasing scores for BSI and BSI sub-dimensions of anxiety, depression, negative self, somatization, and hostility (all p < 0.001). One point increase in the workplace bullying perception score was associated with a 0.47 point increase in psychological symptoms evaluated by BSI. Moreover, the workplace bullying perception scores were most strongly affected by the scores of anxiety, negative self, depression, hostility, and somatization (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: The present results revealed that young individuals, divorced individuals, faculty members, and individuals with a chronic disease had the greatest workplace bullying perceptions with our study population. Additionally, the BSI, anxiety, depression, negative self, somatization, and hostility scores of the individuals with high levels of workplace bullying perceptions were also high.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.368-376
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• 2023

Objectives: Recent research indicates a potential association between workplace violence and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the working-age population. However, the relevant evidence in the United States is sparse. Thus, this study was conducted to explore the possible relationship between workplace violence and CVD among United States workers. Methods: We utilized cross-sectional data from the 2015 National Health Interview Survey, which included a representative sample of 18 380 workers, to investigate the associations between workplace violence and the prevalence of CVD using logistic regression. Workplace violence was determined based on self-reported threats, bullying, or harassment at work over the past 12 months, supplemented with additional information regarding frequency. CVD included all forms of heart disease and stroke. Results: A total of 1334 workers reported experiences of workplace violence, and 1336 workers were diagnosed with CVD. After adjustment for covariates, participants who reported any instance of workplace violence had significantly higher odds of having CVD (odds ratio [OR], 1.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35 to 2.30) than those who reported no such violence. Furthermore, the highest odds of CVD (OR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.23 to 2.63) were observed among those frequently exposed to workplace violence. Even occasional exposure to workplace violence was associated with 74% excess odds of CVD. Conclusions: Our study indicates an association between workplace violence and CVD in United States workers, exhibiting a dose-response pattern.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.246-257
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the factors related to physical and affective well-being of taxi drivers. The main factors of interests were workplace hazards and work environment. Method: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. A convenience sampling method was utilized. 181 taxi drivers in Seoul metropolitan area completed survey questionnaires. Result: In bivariate analysis, payment system, workplace hazards, and work environment were associated with physical health of taxi drivers. Multiple regression analysis revealed payment system and workplace hazards were significant predictors of physical health. On the other hand, age and workplace hazards, and work environment were significantly associated with affective health in the bivariate analysis. Moreover, workplace hazards and environment were significant predictors of affective health in the multiple regression analysis. Conclusion: To improve taxi drivers' health status, it is critical to reform payment system to monthly payment, establish prevention policies of workplace hazards, and encourage employers and taxi drivers to make efforts for better work environment.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.1-10
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to expand of workplace by analyzing the duty and workplace of health education specialist and by presenting professional duty for health education specialist. Methods: 22 papers related to health education experts were finally selected from 1993 to 2017(25 years). The selected literature analyzed the title, researchers, the publishing agency, the publication year, the main contents, and duty and workplace of the health education specialist. Results: The studies on health education specialists comprised 5 cases (22.7%) between 1993 and 1999, 3 cases (13.6%) between 2000 and 2009, 14 cases (63.6%) between 2010 and 2017. Health education specialists core duty were diagnosing health education needs, planning health education programs, developing health education methods and materials, performing and managing health education programs, evaluating and conducting research on health education programs, and health communication. The workplace were 11 for medical institutions (55.0%), 9 for healthcare organizations (45.0%) and 8 for schools (40.0%). Conclusions: In addition to the basic core duty, professional and differentiated duty capabilities such as managing the target, generating health information, encouraging involvement of the target, and mobile health care should be developed.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.293-297
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• 2009

Objectives : To evaluate the impact of the workplace smoking ban in South Korea, where the male smoking rate is high (57%), on smoking behavior and secondhand smoke exposure. Methods : A workplace smoking ban legislation implemented in April 2003 requires offices, meeting rooms, and lobbies located in larger than 3,000 square meter buildings (or 2,000 square meter multipurpose buildings) should be smoke free. A representative cross-sectional survey, the third wave (2005) of health supplements in the National Health Nutrition Survey of South Korea, was used to measure the impact of the 2003 workplace smoking ban implementation on smoking behavior. It contained 3,122 observations of adults 20 to 65 years old (excluding selfemployed and non-working populations). A multivariate statistical model was used. The self-reported workplace smoking ban policy (full workplace ban, partial workplace ban, and no workplace ban) was used as the key measure. Results : A full workplace smoking ban reduced the current smoking rate by 6.4 percentage points among all workers and also decreased the average daily consumption among smokers by 3.7 cigarettes relative to no smoking ban. Secondhand smoke showed a dramatic decrease of 86 percent (= -1.74/2.03)from the sample mean for full workplace ban. However, public anti-smoking campaign did not show any significant impact on smoking behavior. Conclusions : The full workplace ban policy is effective in South Korea. Male group showed bigger impact of smoking ban policy than female group. The public antismoking campaign did not show any effectiveness.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.105-114
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• 2017

Objectives: The Ministry of Employment and Labor's enforcement programs, such as workplace monitoring inspection, are one of the major public efforts to protect worker's health. Therefore, a more effective inspection method is required for workplace monitoring, which is helpful for controlling health hazards in the workplace. Methods: For this study, we investigated the related safety and health laws, regulations, and inspection guidelines from the USA, Japan, and Korea. We also analyzed the provisions of industrial safety and health acts, which are related to enhancing the reliability of workplace monitoring. We applied the process of opinion convergence through an experts meeting for our research. Results: We proposed an efficient inspection scheme for workplace monitoring that includes how to select companies(mainly randomized inspections by using a workplace measurement database and workers' compensation insurance database), how to proceed with the inspection process(mainly unannounced visits), and who should carry out this project. Conclusions: We conclude that our proposal for the inspection of workplace monitoring could be a very effective tool for reducing the numbers of companies that do not undertake workplace monitoring and could produce reliable monitoring results.