• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.1989-1994
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• 2012

Background and Purpose: An analysis of the current nuclear medicine (NM) status and future demand in Turkey in line with the international benchmarks was conducted to establish a comprehensive baseline reference. Methods: Data from all NM centers on major equipment and manpower in Turkey were collected through a survey and cross-checked with the primary research and governmental data. Data regarding manpower currently working were obtained from the relevant academic centers and occupational societies. Results: The current numbers of NM laboratories, NM specialists, gamma cameras, PET/CT scanners, radioiodine treatment units for thyroid cancer are 217, 474, 287, 75 and 39, respectively. There was personnel and equipment need underestimated in the field compared to developed countries. Equipment insufficiency was more significant in the Ministry of Health (MoH) hospitals. These gaps should be eliminated with strategic planning of equipment and NM laboratories. Currently, the number of the PET/CT devices is at the level of the developed countries. The number of specialists in the field should reach the expected goal in 2023. By 2023, Turkey will need around 820 NM specialists, 498 gamma cameras and 99 PET/CT devices. In addition, further studies should be made regarding other related staff, particularly for health physicians, radiopharmacists and NM technicians. Conclusion: There is an insufficiency of personnel and equipment in Turkey's NM field. Comprehensive strategic planning is required to allocate limited resources and the purchase of the equipment and employment policies should be structured as part of "National Special Feature Requiring Health Service Plan".

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5845-5851
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• 2014

Reducing fear of cancer is significant in developing cancer screening interventions, but the levels of fear may vary depending on the degrees of media exposure as well as individuals' socioeconomic positions (SEP). However, few studies have examined how the SEP influences the fear of cancer under the moderating process of general and specific forms of media exposure. We investigated the moderating effect of media exposure on the relationship between SEP and the level of fear of cancer by assuming that cancer knowledge is a covariate between those two. In particular, this study examined how exposure to both general and specific media changes the series of processes from SEP to fear of cancer. We conducted path analyses with three types of media - television, radio and the Internet- using data from a health communication survey of 613 adults in Massachusetts in the United States. We found that SEP influences cancer knowledge directly and fear of cancer indirectly, as moderated by the level of media exposure. Health-specific exposure, however, had a more consistent effect than general media exposure in lowering the fear of cancer by increasing knowledge about cancer. A higher level of health-specific exposure and greater amount of cancer knowledge lessened the fear of cancer. In addition, the more people were exposed to health information on television and the Internet, the lower the level of fear of cancer as a result. These findings indicate a relationship between SEP and fear of cancer, as moderated by the level and type of media exposure. Furthermore, the findings suggest that for early detection or cancer prevention strategies, health communication approaches through mass media need to be considered.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.205-212
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• 2019

Background: Workforce health is one of the primary and most challenging issues, particularly in industrialized countries. This article aims at modeling the major factors affecting accidents in the workplace, including general health, work-family conflict, effort-reward imbalance, and internal and external locus of control. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Esfahan Steel Company in Iran. A total of 450 participants were divided into two groups-control and case-and the questionnaires were distributed among them. Data were collected through a 7-part questionnaire. Finally, the results were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 and Amos software. Results: All the studied variables had a significant relationship with the accident proneness. In the case group, general health with a coefficient of -0.37, worke-family conflict with 0.10, effort-reward imbalance with 0.10, internal locus of control with -0.07, and external locus of control with 0.40 had a direct effect on occupational stress. Occupational stress also had a positive direct effect on accident proneness with a coefficient of 0.47. In addition, fitness indices of control group showed general health (-0.35), worke-family conflict (0.36), effort-reward imbalance (0.13), internal locus of control (-0.15), and external locus of control (0.12) have a direct effect on occupational stress. Besides, occupational stress with a coefficient of 0.09 had a direct effect on accident proneness. Conclusion: It can be concluded that although previous studies and the present study showed the effect of stress on accident and accident proneness, some hidden and external factors such as work-family conflict, effort-reward imbalance, and external locus of control that affect stress should also be considered. It helps industries face less occupational stress and, consequently, less occurrence rates of accidents.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.117-125
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• 2022

Background: External-cause mortality is an important public health issue worldwide. Considering its significance to workers' health and inequalities across industries, we aimed to describe the state of external-cause mortality and investigate its difference by industry in Republic of Korea based on data for 2018. Methods: Data obtained from the Statistics Korea and Korean Employment Information System were used. External causes of death were divided into three categories (suicide, transport accident, and others), and death occurred during employment period or within 90 days after unemployment was regarded as workers' death. We calculated age- and sex-standardized mortalities per 100,000, standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) compared to the general population and total workers, and mortality rate ratios (RRs) across industries using information and communication as a reference. Correlation analyses between income, education, and mortality were conducted. Results: Age- and sex-standardized external-cause mortality per 100,000 in all workers was 29.4 (suicide: 16.2, transport accident: 6.6, others: 6.6). Compared to the general population, all external-cause and suicide SMRs were significantly lower; however, there was no significant difference in transport accidents. When compared to total workers, wholesale, transportation, and business facilities management showed higher SMR for suicide, and agriculture, forestry, and fishing, mining and quarrying, construction, transportation and storage, and public administration and defense showed higher SMR for transport accidents. A moderate to strong negative correlation was observed between education level and mortality (both age- and sex-standardized mortality rates and SMR compared to the general population). Conclusion: Inequalities in external-cause mortalities from suicide, transport accidents, and other causes were found. For reducing the differences, improved policies are needed for industries with higher mortalities.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the impact of workplace bullying experience and resilience on organizational commitment in general hospital nurses. Methods: Participants were 250 nurses of a general hospital in Seoul, Gyeonggi-do and Gangwoen-do. Data were collected using the structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis. Results: As a result of multiple regression analysis, workplace bullying, resilience, clinical career, and work unit turned out to be variables that explained general hospital nurses' organizational commitment (Adj. $R^2=0.17$, p<.001). Conclusion: These findings suggest that bullying and resilience were defined as the influential variables on organizational commitment of nurses. Therefore strategies and programs about workplace bullying and resilience are needed to be developed.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.41-49
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• 2010

Purpose: This study is a descriptive survey research on factors related to fertility intention of nurses who work in general hospitals, by applying the Theory of Planned Behavior(TPB). Method: The research subjects are 674 nurses at the peak fertility age of 20-39 years old, who work in 4 general hospitals located in Seoul and Gyeonggi province. Result: The mean score of subjects' fertility intention is 3.69 in 5-point scale. The fertility intention was significantly influenced by perceived behavioral control and subjective norm. Conclusion: The results of the study showed that the fertility intention of the nurses in general hospitals was influenced by the TPB variables such as the attitude, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norm. Thus, a comprehensive approach strategy is needed considering these factors.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.53-63
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• 2012

Purpose: This study examines and compares the differences between self-esteem and health promotion behavior of health department and non-health department college students. Method: The research instruments were as follows : The first one is RSES developed by Rosenberg and translated into Korean by Jeon. The second one is HPLP developed by Walker et al, and including six subareas by Lee and modified to be suitable to Korean culture by Suh. Data were statistically analyzed with SPSS PC/12.0. Results : 1. Comparison of self-esteem had no significant difference(p=.190) and health promotion behaviors had significant differences(p=.000) between the two groups. 2. According to general characteristics and health-related characteristics, the differences of self-esteem in health department showed significant differences in grade(p=.020), sex(p=.000), age(p=.000), parents' economic conditions(p=.048), and smoking(p=.030) while non-health departments revealed significant differences in grade(p=.003), sex(p=.000), age(p=.000) and smoking(p=.001). 3. According to general characteristics and health-related characteristics, the differences of health promotion behaviors in health department showed significant differences in grade(p=.008), sex(p=.021), age(p=.000) and parents' economic conditions(p=.017) while non-health department revealed significant differences in sex(p=.000) and age(p=.000). 4. There were positive correlations between self-esteem, health promotion behaviors and subareas in health department (r=.422) and non-health department (r=.383). Conclusion: There were significant positive correlations between self-esteem and health promotion behaviors in health and non-health department college students. Therefore, health related programs should be developed to enhance self-esteem and health management by college students can influence themselves on self-esteem and health promotion behaviors.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.107-119
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• 2001

There has been pointed out that a great portion of hospitalized patients stay in hospitals longer than necessary, often even after the completion of necessary care. This causes that hospital resources are not used efficiently. In order to identify underlying forces in postponing inpatients' discharge, this study aimed to investigate reasons for long-term stay of patients admitted in general hospitals. A total of 135 patients, who were staying at 7 general hospitals in Inchon and Kyonggi-Do for more than 60 days, were surveyed with a self-administered questionnaire between April 3 and April 10, 2000. Medical reasons including incompleteness of necessary care, difficulty in receiving outpatient-based care, and being under physical therapy were the most significant factors associated with long-term stay, followed by the lack of familial resources to take care of patients after discharge. Financial problems such as inability to pay for hospital bills were not significant factors influencing long-term stay. Regression analyses were conducted for medical reasons, familial resources, and financial problems, respectively. It was shown that receiving physical therapy and the number of admission in the past were significant predictors for medical reasons. The lack of familial resources as a reason for long-term stay had a positive relationship with the degree of need for aid in daily living. It may be recommended for the hospitals to cope with administrative problems due to the patients' long-term stay, considering the reasons of it, and their characteristics. And also, institutional efforts like vitalizing the home care service systems by hospitals as the continuing care after discharge should be needed.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.261-270
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• 2013

Objectives: This study investigated the socio-demographic characteristics and medical causes of death among meteorological disaster casualties and compared them with deaths from all causes. Methods: Based on the death data provided by the National Statistical Office from 2000 to 2011, the authors analyzed the gender, age, and region of 709 casualties whose external causes were recorded as natural events (X330-X389). Exact matching was applied to compare between deaths from meteorological disasters and all deaths. Results: The total number of deaths for last 12 years was 2 728 505. After exact matching, 642 casualties of meteorological disasters were matched to 6815 all-cause deaths, which were defined as general deaths. The mean age of the meteorological disaster casualties was 51.56, which was lower than that of the general deaths by 17.02 (p<0.001). As for the gender ratio, 62.34% of the meteorological event casualties were male. While 54.09% of the matched all-cause deaths occurred at a medical institution, only 7.6% of casualties from meteorological events did. As for occupation, the rate of those working in agriculture, forestry, and fishery jobs was twice as high in the casualties from meteorological disasters as that in the general deaths (p<0.001). Meteorological disaster-related injuries like drowning were more prevalent in the casualties of meteorological events (57.48%). The rate of amputation and crushing injury in deaths from meteorological disasters was three times as high as in the general deaths Conclusions: The new information gained on the particular characteristics contributing to casualties from meteorological events will be useful for developing prevention policies.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2005

This survey was performed to measure concentrations of airborne microbes, utilizing the six-stage cascade air sampler, according to the sampling site and time in the general hospital and to evaluate the degree of correlations between airborne microbes and environmental factors. Besides the main lobby, airborne microbes and environmental factors were not significantly different between the forenoon(9:00-10:00 AM) and afternoon(2:00-3:00 PM). Concentrations of airborne bacteria and fungi were 404 and $156CFU/m^3$ in the main lobby, 188 and $56CFU/m^3$ in the intensive care unit, 323 and $96CFU/m^3$ in the ward, 239 and $127CFU/m^3$ in the laboratory, and 139 and $33CFU/m^3$ in the newborn baby room, respectively. As a result, the level of airborne microbes was significantly highest in the main lobby and lowest in the newborn baby room(p<0.05). Outdoor airborne microbes concentrations were significantly lower than those of the sampling sites in the general hospital except for the newborn baby room(p>0.05). It was observed that temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide in the general hospital had generally positive correlation with airborne microbes. However, there was no correlation between the odor index level and airborne microbes.