• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.110-119
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• 2001

This study was performed to review applying the case management to the occupational health nursing as a cost-effective way for injured workers. The case management for injured workers is a comprehensive management system, which is composed of planning and implementing in cooperation with employee, employee' family, medical service provider team, employer and case manager, to provide high quality health services to employee and their family. The case management process for injured workers is similar to the nursing process. It thus appears that the occupational health nurse is best personnel to perform the role of case manager for injured workers in workplace. As a case manager in workplace. the occupational health nurse would be expected to get both knowledge and experiences, to get trusted from the employee and employer, and to expand professional domain in changing health care environment.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.87-96
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• 2017

Objectives: Improvement of the reliability of work environment measurement results is one of the principal subjects to be resolved in the field of industrial hygiene. Thus, this study was conducted in order to review domestic programs for enhancing the reliability of work environment measurement results and propose a more efficient management plan for workplace monitoring. Materials and Methods: The current domestic programs reviewed in this study are the quality control system and evaluation system for industrial hygiene laboratories, the reliability system accompanied by KOSHA (the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency), the system of permissible exposure limits and observed inspection system for permissible exposure limits. Their contents and data were analyzed by reviewing articles, reports, and guidelines related to reliability improvement for work environment measurement results. Results: As a result of the literature review, all the domestic programs investigated in this study had both merits and demerits in terms of considering the reliability of work environment measurement results. In particular, the fact that preliminary notification is provided to the head of a workplace before implementation would be an obstacle for elevating the reliability of work environment measurement results. Conclusions: Based on the review results obtained from this study, it is proposed that on-site measurement without preliminary notification should be considered for a more efficient inspection system that would enhance the reliability of workplace monitoring.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.314-318
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• 2018

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the health industry are quite common, however, there have only been a few studies regarding physiotherapists, while in Greece, there is an apparent lack of research and data. The aim of this study is to investigate MSDs experienced by physiotherapists in Greece, their causes and specific measures, and good practices followed. Additional emerging risk factors will be examined. Methods: A questionnaire of MSDs followed by individual and workplace characteristics was completed by 252 physiotherapists. It covered the major workplace categories such as public hospitals, private rehabilitation centers, and private practices. Results: Analysis indicated that 89% of the respondents had experienced a work-related MSD; 32.2% of those injuries occurred within the first 5 years of working. The most lumbered physiotherapists were those working as private practitioners and almost half of the injured respondents chose to work while injured. The most common measure taken to tackle work related MSDs was found to be physical therapy sessions. Job satisfaction and psychosocial issues were also identified as side-effects of the economic slowdown. Conclusion: Physiotherapists in Greece were found to suffer from MSDs; workplace musculoskeletal injuries were quite common but under-reported. The body parts most affected were the lower back, the upper back, the shoulders, and the neck. There was a strong correlation between the workplace setting and the number of MSDs. A well-defined occupational safety and health management system and strict administration steering were found to reduce MSDs. The economic slowdown experienced in Greece during the execution of this study placed additional pressure on physiotherapists.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.650-661
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• 2010

Purpose: Work-related anxiety and depression are frequent work-related mental health problems. In this study the relationship between workplace violence and work-related anxiety and/or depression among Korean employees was evaluated. Methods: Data were obtained from the Korean Working Condition Survey of 2006. Participants were 9,094 Korean workers aged 15-64 yr. Multiple logistic regression using SAS version 9.1 was used. Results: The incidence of work-related anxiety, work-related depression and workplace violence were 4.5%, 3.5%, and 1.8% respectively. When personal and occupational risk factors were adjusted, workplace violence was significantly associated with work-related anxiety and depression (OR for anxiety: 4.07, CI: 2.62-6.34; OR for depression: 4.60, CI: 2.92-7.25). Work-related anxiety was significantly related to type of employment, working period at present workplace, work time, shift work, job demand, and social support from superiors. Factors influencing work-related depression were gender, education, alcohol consumption, company size, type of employment, working period at present workplace, work time, shift work, and job demand. Conclusion: To promote psychological health in workers there is a need to develop work-related anxiety and depression prevention programs and to decrease in workplace violence. In developing these programs, consideration should be given to personal factors, working conditions, and psychosocial working environments.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.203-214
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing the quality of working life of cancer survivors (QWL-CS) after return to the workplace. Methods: Data were collected from 154 cancer survivors from May 16 to June 23, 2018. Participants were selected as candidates from two different hospitals in the metropolitan area and snowball sampling was used in parallel. The data were analyzed by SPSS 21.0 using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple linear regression. Results: Mean score of QWL-CS was $4.39{\pm}0.59$. QWL-CS was negatively correlated with fatigue, and job stress: however, it was positively correlated with workplace spirituality. The factor that had the greatest influence on the QWL-CS was job stress (${\beta}=-.36$, p<.001), followed by fatigue (${\beta}=-.35$, p<.001), workplace spirituality (${\beta}=.35$, p<.001), number of currently cancer treatment (${\beta}=-.15$, p=.009), and number of children (${\beta}=.12$, p=.031). The explanatory power of models was 54%. Conclusion: Effective and practical intervention programs for increasing the quality of working life are required to be provided to cancer survivors after return to the workplace in accordance with job stress, fatigue, workplace spirituality, and general characteristics of cancer survivors such as number of currently cancer treatments and number of children.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.295-304
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• 2015

Background: While attention has been paid to physical risks in the work environment and the promotion of individual employee health, mental health protection and promotion have received much less focus. Psychosocial risk management has not yet been fully incorporated in such efforts. This paper presents good practices in promoting mental health in the workplace in line with World Health Organization (WHO) guidance by identifying barriers, opportunities, and the way forward in this area. Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 17 experts who were selected on the basis of their knowledge and expertise in relation to good practice identified tools. Interviewees were asked to evaluate the approaches on the basis of the WHO model for healthy workplaces. Results: The examples of good practice for Workplace Mental Health Promotion (WMHP) are in line with the principles and the five keys of the WHO model. They support the third objective of the WHO comprehensive mental health action plan 2013-2020 for multisectoral implementation of WMHP strategies. Examples of good practice include the engagement of all stakeholders and representatives, science-driven practice, dissemination of good practice, continual improvement, and evaluation. Actions to inform policies/legislation, promote education on psychosocial risks, and provide better evidence were suggested for higher WMHP success. Conclusion: The study identified commonalities in good practice approaches in different countries and stressed the importance of a strong policy and enforcement framework as well as organizational responsibility for WMHP. For progress to be achieved in this area, a holistic and multidisciplinary approach was unanimously suggested as a way to successful implementation.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.59-73
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• 2016

Objectives: The working environment affects employees' physical and mental aspects, and has a deep associations with depression. The purposes of this study are to investigate how hazardous environment working experience impacts on depression, to provide rationale and practical implications for reducing depression and drinking. Methods: This study targeted 215 dental hygiene students from 3 universities located in Gyeonggi-do from November 30 to December 4, 2015. We analyzed the data with frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, t-test. One-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, Regression analysis by using SPSS. Results: This study showed that experience working in hazardous environments increased depression and alcohol drinking, on the other hand alcohol drinking reduced depression. In addition, experience working in hazardous environments effected on depression indirectly through mediating of drinking, subjective health had not role of Moderating Effects between experience working in hazardous environments and depression. Conclusions: In order to reduce workers' depression and alcohol, the improvements of harmful environment are needed. For this governments and local governments should efforts to support enhancing workplace environment, to develop model of standard work environment, and to change employers' awareness on the harmful environment.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.195-209
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• 2006

Purpose: This study attempted to access the health promotion activities and employee's health promotion needs in workplaces. Methods: Subjects were 280 health care managers employed at small to large scale enterprises in national-wide areas of Korea. The instrument was a structured questionnaire included characteristics of workplace and respondents, health promotion activities, health promotion needs, and bottlenecks to operate programs. Data was analyzed using SAS 8.1 by applying $x^2-test$, t-test and ANOVA. Results: 1, 25.4% of the total workplaces employed health care managers. 2. Musculoskeletal management programs(49.6%) were the highest operating program. 3. The highest needs of health promotion programs were lifestyle management and disease prevention. 4. Health promotion activities were significantly different according to the type and size of workplaces. The programs were more frequently applied in manufacturing industries than non-manufacturing and in large-scale enterprises than small and middle-scale enterprises. 5. The needs of health promotion programs were high in non-manufacturing industries than manufacturing industries in all programs. 6. The major bottlenecks to operate programs were the difficulty in securing time, lack of budgets and lack of legal regulations. Conclusions: Health promotion activities were linked to their work environments including budgets, time, and law. Therefore, to operate effective health promotion programs in workplaces, various health promotion programs are required to be developed and systems for governmental support and management should be established.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.211-219
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• 2015

Objectives: We aimed to examine the association between experience of workplace violence and musculoskeletal pain among wage workers in South Korea. Methods: We analyzed a cross-sectional survey of 29,601 wage workers from the third wave Korean Working Conditions Survey in 2011. Experience of workplace violence was assessed through three questions, "Over the past 12 months, have you ever experienced: (1) physical violence, (2) bullying, or (3) sexual harassment at workplace?" Musculoskeletal pain was measured using the three questions, "Over the past 12 months, have you ever experienced: (1) low back pain, or (2) upper limb pain(i.e. shoulder, neck, and arm), or (3) lower limb pain(i.e. hip, leg, knee, and foot)?" Wage workers could answer 'Yes' or 'No' to each of the three questions. Multivariate negative binomial regression was applied to examine the association between workplace violence and musculoskeletal pain after adjusting for confounders including self-reported physical work factors. All analyses were performed using STATA/SE version 13.0. Results: Physical violence was associated with low back pain(PR: 2.16, 95% CI: 1.77, 2.65), upper(PR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.45, 1.88) and lower limb pain(PR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.52, 2.15) among male wage workers whereas it was related to upper(PR: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.53, 2.26) and lower limb pain(PR: 2.95, 95% CI: 2.47, 3.53) among female wage workers. Significant association was observed between sexual harassment and upper(PR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.56) and lower limb pain(PR: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.97, 2.93) among female wage workers whereas the association was only significant in the analysis with lower limb pain(PR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.17, 2.97) among male wage workers. Bullying was associated only with lower limb pains among both male(PR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.32, 2.37) and female(PR: 2.10, 95% CI: 1.69, 2.61) wage workers. Conclusions: This study found that experience of workplace violence, particularly physical violence and sexual harassment, was associated with musculoskeletal pain among Korean wage workers.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.102-115
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• 2004

As a household's residential location is closely related to its workplace and place of education, the urban exodus of city dwellers changes their ways of commuting to workplace and attending school. This paper examines the influence of urban exodus on the change of a way of life through relations between residential location and modes of commuting. Despite moving to the countryside, exurban migrants still want to experience rural health without abandoning the city lifestyle. However, they are faced with various difficulties in commuting to workplace and attending school, because suburban and exurban areas have poor accessibility to the central city. In order to overcome these problems, most of them choose "the residential segmentation of the family" through which the head of the family commutes to the city from his or her family home in exurban areas and children go to school from their second home in the central city, or try "to link commuting to workplace with attending school".