• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.63 no.5
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• pp.623-630
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• 2020

Objective : A primary degenerative sagittal imbalance has been considered because of unique lifestyles such as the prolonged crouched posture during agricultural work and performing activities of daily living on the floor. Previous papers have reported that sagittal imbalance disease is often seen distinctly in the farming districts of "oriental" countries such as Korea and Japan. However, this finding was only evaluated with the use of X-ray, and other factors such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), muscle volume, compression fracture, and laboratory results were not considered. Thus, using these, we evaluate the agricultural work-associated factors for Korean elderly spinal sagittal imbalance. Methods : We recruited 103 Korean participants who had a sagittal vertical axis (SVA) of >5 cm in this Korean Elderly Sagittal Imbalance Cohort Study. The following were evaluated : radiological parameters, MRI, compression fracture, vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, C-terminal telopeptide, osteocalcin, bone mineral density and muscle fatty change, muscle volume, and health-related quality of life from patients' survey. Moreover, in this survey, the farmers' annual working hours were investigated. Subsequently, we analyzed the associated factors for spinal sagittal imbalance depending on occupation. Results : A total of 46 participants were farmers, and the others were housewives, sellers, and office workers. The farmer group had more SVA (141 vs. 99 mm, p=0.001) and pelvic tilt (31° vs. 24°, p=0.004) and lesser lumbar lordosis (20° vs. 30°, p=0.009) and thoracic kyphosis (24° vs. 33°, p=0.03) than non-farmer group. A significantly positive correlation was noted between the working hour and SVA in the farmer group (p=0.014). The visual analogue scale score for back pain (8.26 vs. 6.96, p=0.008) and Oswestry Disability Index (23.5 vs. 19.1, p=0.003) in the farmer group were higher than that in the non-farmer group, but the Short Form-36 score was not significantly different between the two groups. The Mini-Mental State Exam score was significantly lower in the farmer group than in the non-farmer group (24.85 vs. 26.98, p=0.002). Conclusion : The farmer group had more sagittal imbalance and back pain in proportion to the working hours even though the muscle and bone factors and general laboratory condition were not significantly different between the two groups. These results supported that the long hours spent in the crouched posture while performing agricultural work were a risk factor for severe sagittal imbalance.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.436-444
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to investigate the research trends related to work rehabilitation in the field of occupational therapy based on studies published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy (AJOT). Thirty five articles in the AJOT from January, 2000, to June, 2016, were reviewed. Descriptive statistics were used to classify the articles according to their study methodology, evidence level, study subjects, and so on. When they were categorized according to the study methodology, eight studies (22.9%) were published as review or meta-analyses and 7 studies (20%) as qualitative and naturalistic inquiries. Group comparison/correlational and experimental outcome methods were used in 4 studies (11.4%). 3 studies (8.6%) were conducted using a case study/single-subject design or survey. 14 studies (40.0%) were evidence level V ones and 7 studies (33.3%) dealt with mental illness. When they were classified according to the study subjects, 25 studies (71.4%) were related to the work-rehabilitation process and 10 studies (28.6%) were related to the meaning and value of work. Through this study, we were able to determine the main research trends, study methodology, study participants, and evidence level related to vocational rehabilitation in the field of occupational therapy. Additionally, it is necessary to examine studies in the field of vocational rehabilitation, which have a high level of evidence and include various kinds of participants, as well as the process of vocational rehabilitation.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2015

Purpose: The aim of this study was to estimate the seropositive prevalence of blood-borne infection in neurotrauma patients who underwent emergent surgical intervention, especially patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), syphilis and human immunodefIciency virus (HIV). Methods: A retrospective review identified 559 patients with traumatic brain injury and spinal trauma who underwent emergent surgery between 2007 and 2014. We reviewed the medical records and extracted data, including age, sex, location of lesion, result of serologic tests, time interval of admission and surgery after presenting to emergency room. Serologic tests for HBV, HCV, syphilis and HIV were performed and analyzed to determine whether the seropositive results were confirmed by the surgeon before surgery. Results: The majority of the patients were male (74.6%), and the mean age was $55.4{\pm}20.2years$. Most patients underwent surgery due to traumatic brain injury (90.0%). Fifty-three patients (10.0%) showed a positive result on at least one serologic test. Seropositive rates according to pathogens were 0.5% for syphilis, 5.2% for HBV and 3.9% for HCV. No positive results were noted on the serologic tests for HIV. HBV in patients with spinal cord injury and age from 40 to 49 years were associated with high serologic positive rate, and that result was statistically significant. However, no statistically significant differences were found in the other variables. Serologic results could not confirmed before surgery in the majority of the cases (62.1%), and 10.4% of these patients showed seropositive results. Conclusion: The results of this study emphasize the importance of taking precautions and conducting rapid serologic testing in preventing the occupational transmission of blood-borne viruses to health-care workers.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.140-151
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• 2015

This study apply concept mapping to realize of client participation and self-determination in social welfare program for the mental disorders. They are relatively easily marginalized in decision-making process of their program. But realization of client participation and self-determination is directly connected with effect of service. For this reason, we confirmed the applicability of concept mapping in program planning that support client participation. Case of this study is social welfare program of B community psychiatric rehabilitation center located in the A city. This program is community interchange service for the mental disorders. Interchange type is to have a food with the mental disorder and the solitary elderly. We took advantage of the concept mapping to derive the outcomes that are expecting the mental disorders and mental health social workers. Concept mapping was proceeding in six steps; preparation stage ${\rightarrow}$ idea collection stage ${\rightarrow}$ structuralization stage ${\rightarrow}$ analysis stage ${\rightarrow}$ interpretation stage ${\rightarrow}$ application stage. Participants were a total of 25 people including the mental disorders and community psychiatric rehabilitation center employees. The participants produced 42 statements. Sorting results, the mental disorders produced 6 clusters; community psychiatric rehabilitation center employees produced 3 clusters. The mental disorders classified better detail than community psychiatric rehabilitation center employees. Two group were found gap of expected outcomes each other, went narrowed it. They agreed 3 expected outcomes finally. We identified empirically the usefulness of concept mapping to realize self-determination and program participation.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.337-348
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to analyze major factors of turnover intention among job stress, job satisfaction and organizational commitment in hospitals. The data were collected from 2 university hospitals and 2 general hospitals workers in Busan and Gyeongnam area from July. 3 to July. 19, 2013. The main results were summarized as follows. Job stress was a direct impact on job satisfaction, organizational commitment and an indirect impact via job satisfaction. It was a direct impact on employees turnover intention and an indirect impact via job satisfaction, organizational commitment. Job satisfaction was a direct impact on organizational commitment and an indirect impact on employees turnover intention via organizational commitment. Organizational commitment was a direct impact on employees turnover intention. Finally, in order to decrease turnover intention, controling job stress is important. Hospital staffs should develope programs for hospital employees to reduce job stress and enhance their ability.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.505-516
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• 2016

With the development of nanotechnology, nanomaterials are used in various fields. Therefore, the interest regarding the safety of nanomaterial use is increasing and much effort is diverted toward establishment of exposure assessment and management methods. Occupational exposure limits (OELs) are effectively used to protect the health of workers in various industrial workplaces. This study aimed to propose an OEL for domestic multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) based on animal inhalation toxicity test. Basic procedure for development of OELs was examined. For OEL estimation, epidemiological study and quantitative risk assessment are generally performed based on toxicity data. In addition, inhalation toxicity data-based no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) and benchmark dose (BMD) are estimated to obtain the OEL. Three different estimation processes (NEDO in Japan, NIOSH in USA, and Baytubes in Germany) of OELs for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were intensively reviewed. From the rat inhalation toxicity test for MWCNTs manufactured in Korea, a NOAEL of $0.98mg/m^3$ was derived. Using the simple equation for estimation of OEL suggested by NEDO, the OEL of $142{\mu}g/m^3$ was estimated for the MWCNT manufacturing workplace. Here, we used test rat and Korean human data and adopted 36 as an uncertainty factor. The OEL for MWCNT estimated in this work is higher than those ($2-80{\mu}g/m^3$) suggested by previous investigators. It may be greatly caused by different physicochemical properties of MWCNT and their dispersion method and test rat data. For setting of regulatory OELs in CNT workplaces, further epidemiological studies in addition to animal studies are needed. More advanced technical methods such as CNT dispersion in air and liquid should be also developed.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.1-24
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to find the factors affecting the bum out syndrome and its degree in terms of personal, organizational and clients characteristics, and then to find the ways to reduce or eliminate those factors. The 228 doctors and the nurses who worked at the emergency departments in 6 general hospitals with more than 700 beds in Seoul were surveyed from April 15, 2002 for 15 days. A structured self-recording questionnaire was used; the t-test and ANOVA was used to analyse the median difference between the occupation, and multiple regression was employed to find the factors affecting the bum-out syndrome. The summary of this research analysis is as follows : First, of several variables, the highest frequency of the burn-out was the emotional burn-out followed by lack in personal touch toward the patients, decrease in sense of personal achievement. These results indicate that the doctors and nurses in emergency departments experience higher degree of burn-out than the social workers and the nurses who work at other departments in heath care environment as other studies revealed. Second, the analysis of the total burn-out factors showed the lower self respect, younger age, heavier work load, higher dissatisfaction rate toward remuneration and not-so-smooth relationship with the patients and their relatives the higher burn out rate. These variables explained 54% of the total variables. Third, the nurses experienced more burn-out syndrome than the doctors. The degree of self-respect, work pattern, relationship with the clients, age and remuneration were the causes of the burn-out. The doctors recorded lack in personal touch toward the patients more, while the nurses more to emotional exhaustion. The limitations of this research are the subjective answers of the respondents to certain questions and differences in sample numbers of each hospital in which some reservation can be exercised in explaining statistical significance of the data, and generalizing the conclusion. Despite of its limitation, this research has its own merit as an unpreceded research in this field, and provision of the basic materials to prevent and find causes of the burn-out syndrome among the doctors and nurses in the emergency departments.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.265-274
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• 2016

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate relationship between worker's ophthalmoxerosis symptom and IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) variation after planting indoor plants at newly-built office building. Methods: We selected a new office building located in Sejong-si and occupants who work in the Office for study. The indoor air pollutant was investigated according to applying indoor plants. The indoor air quality of the new building was evaluated by measuring volatile organic compounds (VOCs), aldehydes, temperature and humidity. The level of dry eye symptoms was classified into normal, mild, moderate and severe by using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI). Results: There was VOCs' reduction effect according to placing indoor plants because the concentration of VOCs in newly-built government office (Sejong-si) was highly decreased when the indoor plants was placed at the office. The occupants' SBS (Sick Building Syndrome) symptoms score was gradually decreased in accordance with applying indoor plants. However, SBS symptoms score was increased when the office was not applied indoor plants. There was not statistical significance in workers' dry eye questionnaire results. Conclusions: There was reduction effect of indoor air pollutant in applied indoor plants office. Also, in case of questionnaire results of ophthalmoxerosis and SBS (Sick Building Syndrome) symptoms score were showed positive effect. This study is needed longer-term study because of complements of difference of individual sensitivity and there are some limitations due to field survey research.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.7-15
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• 2007

Objectives : This study investigated the relationship of occupational class and educational background with proportional mortality ratios in Korea. Methods : Mortality was investigated using the entire registered death data from 1993 to 2004, obtained from the Korean National Statistics Office. Proportional mortality ratios (PMRs) for specific diseases were calculated according to the occupational class and educational background of men aged 20-64. Results : Manual workers were found to have higher PMRs for liver disease and traffic accidents, as did the lower educated group. Especially, this study showed trends of an increasing of the wide gap between lower and higher socioeconomic stati for liver disease, traffic accidents, diabetes mellitus and cerebral vascular disease. The mortality for cerebrovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, traffic accident and liver disease showed increasing trends according to the calendar year for the lower than the higher social class. Conclusions : The specific conditions that had higher PMRs in the Korean lower social class were liver disease and traffic accidents. Especially, there was an increasing trend for a widening of the gap between manual and non-manual groups in relation to mortality from liver disease, diabetes mellitus and traffic accidents.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.127-134
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• 2020

When a pregnant woman experiences cardiac arrest, resuscitation is of the utmost importance. Cardiac arrest in pregnant women differs from cardiac arrest in the general population since both mother and fetus need to be taken into consideration. In the event of cardiac arrest, determining whether to deliver the baby is significant. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is not always successful, and the survival rate depends on the speed and precision of the procedure. In this study, we focus on the case of a 30-year-old pregnant woman who experienced cardiac arrest and whose family was quick to perceive her condition and call the hospital. A witness performed initial cardiopulmonary resuscitation, while rescue workers performed the advanced procedure. In this case, the patient and baby received proper treatment and left the hospital after six days. It is extremely rare for a pregnant patient to achieve return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) or receive advanced cardiac life support before reaching the hospital. However, the woman in question in this study achieved ROSC and received both cardiopulmonary resuscitation before reaching the hospital and advanced cardiac life support at the hospital. The specifics of the case are reported in the context of a literature review.