• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2010

Over years it has been increasingly concerned with how upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (UEMSDs) are attributed to psychosocial job stressors. A review study was conducted to examine associations between UEMSDs and psychosocial work factors, and to recommend what to consider for the associations. For studies in which the job demand-control-support (DCS) model or its variables were specifically employed, published papers were selected and reviewed. A number of studies have reported relationships between UEMSDs symptoms and psychosocial exposure variables. For example, the findings are: higher numbness in the upper extremity was significantly attributed to by less decision latitude at work; work demands were significantly associated with neck and shoulder symptoms while control over time was associated with neck symptoms; and the combination of high psychosocial demands and low decision latitude was a significant predictor for shoulder and neck pain in a female working population. Sources of bias, such as interaction or study design, were discussed. UEMSDs were shown to be associated with psychosocial work factors in various studies where the job DCS model was addressed. Nonetheless, this review suggests that further studies should be conducted to much more clarify the association between UEMSDs and psychosocial factors.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.88-93
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• 2020

Objectives: Mood disorder is highly comorbid with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and comorbid ADHD symptoms are associated with suicide risk. The aim of this study was to examine the association between comorbid ADHD symptoms and the number of suicide attempts among patients with unipolar and bipolar depression. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 100 patients with either unipolar or bipolar depression constituted the final sample. Pearson's correlation and multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between comorbid ADHD symptoms and suicide risk. Results: Among patients with bipolar depression, the number of suicide attempts was significantly correlated with ADHD symptoms (r=0.324, p<0.01). ADHD symptoms significantly predicted the number of suicide attempts (β=0.249, p<0.05). Conclusion: Our findings underscore the importance of screening and assessing ADHD symptoms in male young adults with depressive disorders.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.214-221
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• 1995

There appears to be an increased incidence of anxiety symptoms in association with certain medical illness. It is usually assumed that certain medical disorders are directly associated with anxiety symptoms in that the pathophysilolgy of the medical illness somehow causes the anxiety symptoms. However, the pathophysilolgies of many such medical illnesses as well as anxiety are not known and no discrete group of medical illnesses is clearly more likely to produce anxiety symptoms than any other Moreover, anxiety symptoms may be the representation of other psychiatric symptoms, like depression and delirium. Though it is important to differentiate primary and other causes(secondary) of anxiety clinically, the clear differentiation is somewhat arbitrary, as the confusion of mind-body dichotomy. for the purpose of accurate treatment of anxiety symptoms relating medical illness, this review article focuses on those clinical features and mechanisms of anxiety that are potentially useful in differential diagnosis.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.98-107
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• 2002

Multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) is a chronic immune-mediated peripheral myelinopathy. The major clinical features include slowly progressive, painless, and asymmetric weakness, usually of distal limb muscle. Early in the course of the disease, weakness is not necessarily associated with muscle atrophy, owing to the initial primary involvement of peripheral myelin. Chronic progressive weakness is often associated with some degree of concurrent axonal loss and subsequent muscle atrophy. Sensory symptoms are usually mild or absent, and involvement of cranial and respiratory muscles is rare. The findings of multifocal motor conduction block, abnormal temporal dispersion, and focal conduction slowing at segments not at risk for common entrapment or compression injury, associated with normal sensory conduction studies along the same segments, are the hallmark electrophysiologic features of MMN. The slow progression and absence of upper motor neuron signs are the major clinical points that separate MMN from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The role of GM1 antibodies, found in high titers in 22~84% of MMN patients, remains uncertain. The contention that MMN is an autoimmune disorder is largely based on the often dramatic improvement in symptoms following the administration of intravenuos immunoglobulin or cyclophosphamide.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.473-485
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• 2001

This cross-sectional design was to identify the age at menopause of Korean women and the levels of bothersome menopausal symptoms. In addition, examining relationships between the levels of bothersome menopausal symptoms and sociodemographic factors, body mass index, menopause-related factors, and life-style behavior factors including smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, and diet was done. Two thousand eight hundred seven naturally postmenopausal women aged between 41-65 years were recruited by self-selection from 7 metropolitans and 6 provinces in Korea from Dec. 20, 1998 to April 30, 1999. The age at menopause of Korean women was 49.2 years(mean) and 50.0 years (median). The menopausal age of Korean women has slightly increased compared to a previous study. Based on the demographic factors, residential area and socioeconomic status were associated with the bothersome levels of climacteric symptoms. In the case of the life-style behaviors analysis, only alcohol use and a preference for wheat were associated with the bothersome levels of climacteric symptoms, especially physical symptoms.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.236-243
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• 2015

Objectives: This study sought to examine the association between long working hours and depressive symptoms among interns and residents in South Korea. Methods: We analyzed a cross-sectional survey of 1,661 interns and residents from the 2014 Korean Interns & Residents Survey. Total working hours during the preceding week was assessed and classified into five categories(i.e. less than 60 hours, 60-79 hours, 80-99 hours, 100-119 hours, and 120-168 hours). Depressive symptoms during the previous week were measured by using ten items from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale questionnaire. Multivariate negative binomial regression was applied to examine the association between long working hours and depressive symptoms after adjusting for potential confounders, including medical specialty and training year. All analyses were performed using STATA/SE version 13.0. Results: 86%(N=1,429) of interns and residents worked 60 hours or more per week. Compared to the "less than 60 hours" group, long working hours for interns and residents were significantly associated with depressive symptoms: "60-79 hours"(PR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.32), "80-99 hours"(PR: 2.27, 95% CI: 1.54, 3.33), "100-119 hours"(PR: 2.62, 95% CI: 1.76, 3.89), and "120-168 hours"(PR: 3.28, 95% CI: 2.21, 4.86). Conclusions: This study found that long working hours were prevalent among interns and residents in South Korea, and it was associated with depressive symptoms.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.66-70
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• 2023

Background: Online teaching and learning extend the duration of using gadgets such as mobile phones and tablets. A prolonged usage of these gadgets in a static position can lead to musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). Therefore, this study aims to identify the risk factors related to musculoskeletal symptoms while using gadgets during work from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A cross-sectional survey with online-based questionnaires was collected from the University of Indonesia, consisting of lecturers, students, and managerial staff. The minimum number of respondents was 1,080 and was defined by stratified random sampling. Furthermore, the dependent variable was musculoskeletal symptoms, while the independent were age, gender, job position, duration, activity when using gadgets, and how to hold them. Result: Most of the respondents had mobile phones but only 16% had tablets. Furthermore, about 56.7% have used a mobile phone for more than 10 years, while about 89.7% have used a tablet for less than 10 years. A multivariate analysis found factors that were significantly associated with MSD symptoms while using a mobile phone, such as age, gender, web browsing activity, work, or college activities. These activities include doing assignments and holding the phone with two hands with two thumbs actively operating. The factors that were significantly associated with MSD symptoms when using tablets were gender, academic position, social media activity, and placing the tablet on a table with two actively working index fingers. Conclusion: Therefore, from the results of this study it is necessary to have WFH and e-learning policies to reduce MSD symptoms and enhance productivity at work.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.287-294
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• 2023

Background: Fruit and vegetable market is an abundant source of bioaerosols. Exposure to organic and inorganic waste and long-term inhalation of bioaerosols during working hours leads to chronic respiratory symptoms. Hence, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms and related factors among fruit and vegetable workers compared with the control group in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods and materials: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from 2020 to 2021. Data were entered in EpiData 3.1 and exported to Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Logistic regressions were computed to depict the data and related factors. The culture method was done to count and compare bacterial and fungal concentrations between fruit and vegetable workers and office workers. Results: In this study, the prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms (PR = 2.87, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.772-4.66) was significantly higher among fruit and vegetable workers (46.7%) than controls (23.4%). Sex (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.12-3.98), educational status (AOR = 1.34, 95% CI = 0.78-2.32), working hours per day (AOR = 3.91, 95% CI = 1.586-9.65), and working department (AOR = 3.20, 95% CI = 0.90-11.40) were associated with chronic respiratory symptoms. Bacterial and fungal concentrations were significantly higher in the air of the vegetable market (276 colony-forming unit) than the air in the workplace of controls (7 colony-forming unit). Conclusion: The fruit and vegetable market workers (greengrocers) had a higher prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms relative to office workers. Respiratory protective devices should be given to deliver preventive measures.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.25.1-25.12
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• 2023

Background: In Korea, little research has focused on the relationship between discrimination in the workplace and sleep health. Thus, this study aims to investigate the association between such discriminatory experiences and insomnia, a common sleep disorder, using Korean employees' data. Methods: This study used data from the 6th Korea Working Conditions Survey. Discrimination experiences due to age, ethnic background, nationality, race, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, educational level, hometown, and employment status were investigated. The Minimal Insomnia Symptom Scale estimated insomnia symptoms. The association between discrimination experience and insomnia symptoms were analyzed using survey-weighted logistic regression analysis. Results: Based on experiences of discrimination over the past 12 months, insomnia symptoms were associated with discrimination experience due to religion (odds ratio [OR]: 3.70; 95% confidential interval [CI]: 1.58-8.69), sex (OR: 2.51; 95% CI: 1.87-3.37), age (OR: 2.30; 95% CI: 1.88-2.81), hometown (OR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.44-2.97), employment status (OR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.37-2.10), and educational level (OR: 1.67; 95% CI: 1.31-2.14). Furthermore, the prevalence of insomnia symptoms increased with the number of discrimination experiences. Conclusions: In this study, discrimination experiences due to religion, sex, age, hometown, employment status, and educational level were significantly associated with insomnia symptoms. Furthermore, as the number of discrimination experiences increased, so did the prevalence of insomnia. Preventing workplace discrimination may improve workers' sleep health.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.270-277
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• 2024

Objectives: This study identified the effects of Korean medicine treatment on a patient with alcohol-associated cirrhosis. Methods: A 50-year-old male with alcohol-associated cirrhosis was treated with Cheongganhaeju-tang from 10 November 2023 to 18 January 2024 to reduce fatigue, dyspepsia, anorexia, and weight loss and to improve laboratory findings, such as liver enzymes. We observed changes in the patient's symptoms and laboratory findings during a treatment period of approximately 2 months. Results: With Cheongganhaeju-tang treatment, serum levels of liver enzymes remained stable, clinical symptoms improved, and alcohol cravings decreased. Conclusion: This case points to Cheongganhaeju-tang as a therapeutic option to manage alcohol-associated cirrhosis.