• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2012

Objectives: The study was conducted with the aim of evaluating applied occupational health teaching for final-year medical students at Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine. Methods: The study included all sixth grade medical students (n=293) during one academic year. Pre- and post-training tests were used to assess the magnitude of change in knowledge and attitude of students on occupational health, whereas the opinion of students on several aspects of the quality of teaching sessions were assessed by using post-training questionnaires. Results: Post-training tests revealed that the level of knowledge on all aspects of occupational health increased among medical students. An evaluation of the teaching sessions showed favorable results for the overall quality of the sessions: 81.3% of the students stated that the sessions were well organized, 81.7% remarked the workplace/factory visit was a valuable experience, and 91.0% stated feeling more competent on occupational health issues. Conclusion: There was a greater increase in students' knowledge on technical precautions than their knowledge on issues related to medical practice in the workplace. Visiting a workplace was found to contribute to the overall aim of knowledge and attitude change on occupational health issues. The scope of undergraduate medical education should be extended by improving occupational health education with respect to educational content, duration, and methods.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.25-36
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the status of oral health behaviors and oral health status, and to analysis the association between health behavior and chronic disease and oral health status of male workers. Methods: The survey used structured self administered questionnaires from September to October in 2009 in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do province, randomize thirty workplace which work more than 50 workers and carry out a survey targeting 30 to 50 age male laborers who work selected workplace. Total of 1,532 replies were analysed. Results: Age, education, monthly income, job was significantly associated with number of toothbrushing, scaling experience, number of missing teeth. Smoking, amount of smoking, frequency of drinking, number of tooth brushing, unmet need and subjective oral health condition, HBP and DM was significantly associated with the number of missing teeth. In logistic regression, age(above 40), monthly income and DM were significant factors on loss of teeth. Conclusion: In conclusion, it is important to provide education on the teeth-brushing and DM management to workers engaged in a small or medium sized workplace with many tooth loss and low educational status, and to recommend a regular scaling as well as to establish policy for creating conditions upon an oral health check-up and a tooth scaling and allow the maintenance of an oral health.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.322-334
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• 2007

This study covers the investigation of the actual condition in the workplace to produce plastics products using synthetic resins and the investigation on the trends amount of the domestic production of thermoplastic resins. To analyze the monomers included in thermoplastic resins frequently used in the workplace, we analyzed thermal characteristics for test compounds using thermogravimetric analysis and did the qualitative analysis using Pyrolyzer GC-MSD & TDS GC-MSD. And then we classified the health hazard of monomers based on GHS classification criteria using information toxicity & carcinogenicity. The number of the workplace to produce plastics products among all domestic manufacturers of 73,884 was 4,391 (5.94%). The number of workers to produce plastics products among all workers of 2,522,750 in all domestic manufacturers was 104,971 (4.16%). The amount of production per year for thermoplastic resins is in the order of PP, HDPE, LDPE, PVC, ABS, PS and such compounds was producing over 1 Million ton per year each. The classification result based on GHS classification criteria for 22 main compounds included thermoplastic resins says 2 compounds of acrylonitrile, naphthalene are in Acute oral category 3 and benzene is in Acute dermal category 1. The classification results of health hazard of carcinogenicity based on IARC & ACGIH carcinogen classification says 2 compounds of benzene, vinyl chloride are in category 1A (known to be human carcinogens).

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.210-222
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• 2006

Purpose: This study was performed to identify the health status, healthy behavior, and health promotion program needs of day time and shift time industrial male workers at an workplace. Method: Relevant data were collected from June 20 to August 18, 2005. Questionaries were distributed to all subjects along with their medical records of 2005 and 151 sets of responses were used for the analysis. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 10.0. Result: 1. Health Status - day time and shift-time workers had significant differences in obesity ($x^2=8.38$, p<.01) and blood pressure ($x^2=-2.17$, p<.05). 2. Healthy Habits - Full-time and part-time workers had significant differences in regular meals (63.83, p<.01), preferred foods ($x^2=7.10$, p<.05), and sleep time (t=-3.55, p<.01). They also had significant differences in exercising ($x^2=13.11$, p<.01), exercising time (minutes) (t=-2.25, p<.01), and use of fitness centers ($x^2=7.02$, p<.05). 3. They also had significant differences in their needs of health programs ($x^2=8.66$, p<.01). Conclusion: This study revealed that day time and shift-time workers had differences in obesity and blood pressure, as well as differences in eating sleeping, and exercising patterns. Both groups needed 'fitness programs' more than any other types of health programs and picked 'weight loss' and 'stress control' programs for other options. Industrial nurses should be able to create appropriate health programs for each group based on the above results and induce the workers' active participation.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.275-283
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• 2021

Objectives: The workplace is an ideal place for encouraging health-promoting behaviors. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the effect of an empowerment program on the health-promoting behaviors of women workers. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted with 80 women workers employed at a food packaging facility in 2020. The subjects were selected using convenience sampling and were classified into intervention and control groups using block randomization. An empowerment program for women workers was conducted across 6 sessions based on an empowerment model. Data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire and the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II, which participants completed both before the program and 8 weeks after the last session. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 16 using descriptive analysis and inferential statistics. Results: There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in various health-promoting behaviors before the program. However, the intervention group's scores for nutrition (34.92±1.09 vs. 27.87±4.23), physical activity (24.40±2.94 vs. 17.40±5.03), stress management (26.35±2.60 vs. 23.05±4.27), spiritual growth (34.02±3.00 vs. 30.22±5.40), interpersonal relationships (30.82±2.38 vs. 27.60±4.61), and health responsibility (31.60±2.71 vs. 28.22±4.59) were significantly higher than the control group's 8 weeks after the program had ended. Moreover, there was a significant difference in the total score of health-promoting behaviors for the intervention group compared to the control group (179.00±9.22 vs. 151.42±20.25, p=0.001). Conclusions: An empowerment program for women workers led to significant improvements in the health-promoting behaviors of the participants. Similar programs can ultimately improve women's health in the workplace.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.419-429
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• 2016

Objectives: According to the new Chemical Control Act from the Korean Ministry of Environment (2014-259), workers handling hazardous chemicals should wear personal protective equipment (PPE). However the act simply states in basic phrases that every worker handling one or more of the 69 listed chemicals should wear PPE and does not consider the unique hazard characteristics of chemicals and work types. The main purpose of this study is to provide basic data to revise the act to suit particular work processes and situations. Methods: The hazard rank of the substances was classified based on hazardous characteristics such as LC50 and vapor pressure using matrix analysis. The workplace exposure risk of the substances was also determined through a matrix analysis based on the previously determined hazard ranks and the demands of manual handling together with the likelihood of accident frequency of the operation combined with the exposure of workers during spill accidents. Results: To meet the demands for developing subsequent guidelines for the risk-based application of PPE in hazardous workplaces, this study sorted the 69 listed chemicals into five hazardous categories based on their LC50 and vapor pressures, and also assigned exposure categories according to exposure vulnerability for various types of work which are frequently performed throughout the life cycle of the chemicals. Conclusion: In the next study, an exposure risk matrix will be produced using the hazard rank of chemicals and workplace exposure risk, and then PPE will be selected to suit the categories of the exposure risk matrix.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.61-70
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• 2020

Background: This study aims to assess whether the TSI PortaCount (Model 8020) is a measuring instrument comparable with the flame photometer. This would provide an indication for the suitability of the PortaCount for determining the workplace protection factor for particulate filtering facepiece respirators. Methods: The PortaCount (with and without the N95-Companion^TM) was compared with a stationary flame photometer from Moores (Wallisdown) Ltd (Type 1100), which is a measuring instrument used in the procedure for determining the total inward leakage of the particulate filtering facepiece respirator in the European Standard. Penetration levels of sodium chloride aerosol through sample respirators of two brands (A and B) were determined by the two measuring systems under laboratory conditions. For each brand, thirty-six measurements were conducted. The samples were split into groups according to their protection level, conditioning before testing, and aerosol concentration. The relationship between the gauged data from two measuring systems was determined. In addition, the particle size distribution inside the respirator and outside the respirator was documented. Linear regression analysis was used to calculate the association between the PortaCount (with and without the N95-Companion^TM) and the flame photometer. Results: A linear relationship was found between the raw data scaled with the PortaCount (without N95-Companion^TM) and the data detected by the flame photometer (R² = 0.9704) under all test conditions. The distribution of particle size was found to be the same inside and outside the respirator in almost all cases. Conclusion: Based on the obtained data, the PortaCount may be applicable for the determination of workplace protection factor.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.228-234
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• 2020

Background: The concept of social capital has its focus on cooperative relations in the workplace. This study investigates the association between social capital and sickness absence among workers in 41 work groups in the Danish dairy industry and examines the possible effects of an intervention on social capital in the workplace on sickness absence. Methods: A sample of 791 dairy workers working in 41 work groups that participated in an intervention study on social capital filled in a questionnaire on four subtypes of social capital, and social capital scores from individual participants were aggregated to the level of work groups. Sickness absence was measured at the level of work groups in company registers as the two-year average percentage of working time lost to sickness absence. Group-level associations between social capital and sickness absence were analyzed using multilevel linear regression analysis. Analyses were adjusted for age, gender, group size, and random effects at the workplace level. Results: We found statistically significant associations between social capital within work groups, social capital in relation to the immediate manager, and social capital toward the workplace as a whole on the one side and sickness absence on the other side. We found no support for any effects of the intervention on sickness absence. Conclusion: The work group level of social capital is associated with the work group level of sickness absence. However, the intervention to enhance group-level social capital had no effect on reducing sickness absence in the intervention group.

• Perspectives in Nursing Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.97-104
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• 2011

Purpose: This study seeks to assess the educational needs pertaining to staff competency for alcohol prevention services in the workplace. Methods: The subjects were staff in charge of alcohol prevention services in four organizations. A questionnaire was modified pursuant to the IC & RC (International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium) Certified Prevention Specialist role delineation. The questionnaire consisted of five domains with 27 items. Data were collected via the self-administered questionnaire from October to November of 2009. 400 questionnaires were mailed and 144(36.0%) were returned. The collected data were analyzed using the Borich's needs assessment model and with SPSS/WIN 15.0. Results: Overall mean scores for the importance levels of competency ratings were 3.79, while the performance levels of the competency were 2.13 and Borich's need results were 6.32. Public Health and Mental Health Center showed the highest degree of educational needs in terms of education & program development (p=.022). Conclusion: The perceived importance levels pertaining to staff competency for alcohol prevention services in the workplace were higher than those of the current performance levels. Staff working for alcohol prevention services in the workplace showed a different level of educational need as regards these competency levels according to service providers. To promote the effectiveness of alcohol prevention services in the workplace, the development of an educational program to meet the needs of the service providers is necessary.

• Psychiatry investigation
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.1071-1078
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• 2018

Objective We developed easily accessible imagery-based treatment program for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to workplace accidents and investigated the effects of the program on various PTSD related symptoms. Methods The program was based on an online platform and consisted of eight 15-min sessions that included script-guided imagery and supportive music. Thirty-five patients with workplace-related PTSD participated in this program 4 days per week for 4 weeks. Its effects were examined using self-report questionnaires before and after the take-home online treatment sessions. Results After completing the 4-week treatment program, patients showed significant improvements in depressed mood (t=3.642, p=0.001) based on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), anxiety (t=3.198, p=0.003) based on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder seven-item (GAD-7) scale, and PTSD symptoms (t=5.363, p<0.001) based on the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Check List (PCL). In particular, patients with adverse childhood experiences exhibited a greater degree of relief related to anxiety and PTSD symptoms than those without adverse childhood experiences. Conclusion The present results demonstrated that the relatively short online imagery-based treatment program developed for this study had beneficial effects for patients with workplace-related PTSD.