• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.102-107
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• 2022

South Korea will soon be a super-aged society, as more than 20.6% of its population will be 65 years and older by 2025. As of 2022, 17.5% of the total population in South Korea is 65 years and older, which exceeds the set threshold for an aged society, where more than 14% of the population is 65 years and older. The proportion of older subway construction workers has increased. Aging workers and their work stress negatively impact their workability. A previous study demonstrated that the stress index measured using the uBioMacpa measurement device (Macpa stress index) had a significant correlation with work stress in South Korea. The device tests vascular health and measures stress levels via Macpa signal analysis. In this study, the pulse waves of subway construction workers were measured using uBioMacpa to identify their stress levels. The stress levels were analyzed by age, years of service, job position, employment type, and work type. Herein, these statistics could not be easily represented by a normal distribution; therefore, the Kruskal-Wallis test, a nonparametric statistical method, was used for the analysis of data. The results showed that age, job position, employment type, and working type affected the Macpa stress index and the stress levels of workers increased with age. In terms of job position, technical engineers were more stressed than other workers because of their poor working environment. In terms of employment type, daily-wage workers were more stressed than other workers. In terms of working type, tunneling, waterproofing, and construction scored the highest Macpa stress indexes without any significant difference, whereas earthworks scored the lowest. Based on the analysis of Macpa stress index, safety and health management plans were proposed to reduce the stress levels of workers. Moreover, a manual for efficient stress management must be developed for subway construction workers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.58-62
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• 2022

Metro subway construction is a field that requires a great deal of professional manpower. The aging of professionals has a negative impact on both productivity and health, owing to poor working environments, heavy lifting, underground work, and other factors. To address this issue, the government is progressively revising and enforcing health management law and regulation in the construction industry. Thus, the job stress and work ability of many professional subway construction workers, who are rapidly aging, are being analyzed to ensure their safety and improve their health. In this study, the Macpa stress index of Busan Metro Subway construction workers from Sasang to Hadan line was measured by using a Macpa measurement machine, and a work ability survey was conducted by using the questionnaire that was developed by the FIOH. The independent variables were age, years of service, job position, employment type, and occupation. While, the dependent variables were the Macpa stress index and work ability. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used because it was difficult to assume that the statistics of this study represented a normal distribution. The results showed that age, job position, and employment type affected Macpa stress index and revealed that as the age of the workers increased, their stress levels increased as well. Additionally, job position and employment type affected the work ability of the metro subway construction workers. In terms of job position, the technical engineers were under a lot of stress, and whereas the managers had the best work ability. The technical engineers were more stressed than the other workers because of a poor working environment. In terms of employment type, daily workers were under more stress and lower work ability than others.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.64-69
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• 2022

The study measured a subway construction worker's Macpa stress by Heart Rate Variability measuring instrument and conducted a survey of Korean job stress from subway construction workers. Also, the study analyzed the relationship between Macpa stress index and Korean job stress result and suggested managing stress method for each item. According to National Statistical Office data, the first line subway in Seoul was started to open in 1974. The extended total length is 996 kilometers until 2019. Many aged workers are currently working at subway construction sites due to the avoidance of young workers since the past until now. It means that the elderly has a substantial portion among subway construction workers. The productivity has been adversely affected by health problems due to the aging of workers, job stress due to heavy work, and personal health problems. So, the regulation and policies on job stress health management are being strengthened. The data were measured Macpa stress by machine measuring heart rate variability and conducted Korean job stress survey(shortened) from Sa-sang to Ha-dan line Busan subway construction workers for analyzing the relationship. Independent variable were age, job duration, job position, employment type, working type in this study. Macpa's dependent variable was stress index and Korean job stress survey(shortened)'s dependent variables were job requirements, job autonomy, relationship conflict, job instability, organizational structure, inappropriate compensation, working place culture, and total score. SPSS 12.0 K Statistics Program was used for statistical analysis. Kruskal-wallis test, a nonparametric statistical analysis, was used because the data are difficult to be assumed as normal distribution. As a result, the paper indicated the significant correlation between Macpa stress index and Korean job stress(short version). The elderly workers presented higher Macpa index and higher job stress due to aging and heavy-duty work. The majority workers were daily workers who had unstable working condition and uncertainty about the future. The study suggested a manual that could reduce job stress for subway construction workers and future study deriving management tool through analyzing job stress factor is necessary.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2020

This study conducted a horticultural therapy program for trainees entrusted to the Juvenile Classification Review Center in order to fill the educational gap while providing emotional stability during the one-month period of commissioned education. The effects of horticultural therapy were examined by the pretest and posttest changes of the emotional items such as anxiety, self-esteem, self-efficacy and stress index. As the research method, this study used the one-group pretest-posttest experimental design on 16 female trainees of commissioned education staying at the Juvenile Classification Review Center in the juvenile reformatory located in A city. The horticultural therapy program was carried out in four sessions: two on flower arrangement and two on planting. The scores before and after the horticultural therapy program were measured using the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS) to examine the effects of horticultural therapy on the reduction of anxiety for the adolescents staying in the Juvenile Classification Review Center. The results show that there was significant decrease in the mean of anxiety from 62.5 (SD = 6.8) to 57.6 (SD = 8.1) points after the program (p = .002). There was no significant change in self-esteem, which was 76.9 (SD = 11.2) before the horticultural therapy and 78.3 (SD = 8.7) after the therapy (p = .420). In self-efficacy, there was no significant change from 72.9 (SD = 10.9) before and 75.1 (SD = 11.0) after horticultural therapy (p = .178). In order to examine the physiological changes in such emotional functions, this study measured the stress index using the uBioMacpa as the tool. The result of the measurement showed that there was a significant change in the mean from 33.8 (SD = 2.3) before to 31.1 (SD = 2.2) after the horticultural therapy (p < .001).

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.188-198
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• 2016

Purpose: The present study was conducted to examine the effects of a health counseling program by occupational health nurses on the unemployed visiting the Employment Welfare Plus Center. Methods: The one-group pretest-posttest design was used. The study presented a secondary analysis of the data collected in a health counseling program run by occupational health nurses for the unemployed visiting the Employment Welfare Plus Center. Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Shapiro-Wilk test, ${\chi}^2$ test and Wilcoxon signed rank test were used to analyze 158 data collected between October 5, 2015 and January 5, 2016. Results: After the intervention, the participants showed a significant decrease in the level of stress index (uBioMacpa), stress (discomfort), musculoskeletal pain and depression. In addition, the participants showed a significant increase in self-rated general health, exercise and regular eating behavior. Conclusion: The health counseling program offered by occupational health nurses is an effective intervention to improve the physical and mental health of the unemployed individuals visiting the Employment Welfare Plus Center.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2022.09a
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• pp.3-3
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• 2022

배경: 독일 크나이프 요법을 국내에서 적용하기 위해 검증 연구가 필요하다. 목적: 국내 산림 환경에서 적용한 크나이프 요법이 자율 신경계 및 회복탄력성에 미치는 영향을 규명하기 위함이다. 방법: 크나이프 요법 중 4가지 요소('움직임', '삶의 질서', '음식 섭취', '치유 식물')를 고려한 중재 프로그램을 구성하여, 성인 40명을 대상으로 적용했다. 중재 전과 후에 맥파측정기(uBioMacpa)를 이용하여 HRV(TP, VLF, LF, HF, LF/HF, CSI: Cumulative Stress Index)와 회복탄력성 지수를 측정하고 비교 분석했다. 결과: HRV를 분석한 결과, 프로그램 중재 후 연구 대상자의 TP(8.64%, p<.001), VLF(6.96%, p<.05), LF(15.86%, p<.001), HF(8.46%, p<.01), LF/HF(5.77%, p<.05)는 유의하게 증가하였고, CSI는 유의하게 감소하였다(16.06% p<.001). KRQ-53 평균 점수는 191.56점에서 206.22점으로 14.66점 증가한 것으로 나타났다. 결론: 국내 산림 환경에서 적용한 크나이프 요법은 자율신경계를 전체적으로 활성화하고, 교감과 부교감신경의 활성도를 높여 심장 활동을 촉진시키며, 누적 스트레스를 감소시켜 주었다. 그리고 회복탄력성을 개선하는 것으로 나타났으며(p<.05), 특히 자기 조절 능력 요인에서 그 효과가 큰 것으로 확인되었다. 본 연구의 결과는 크나이프 요법이 국내 산림 환경에서 치유 프로그램으로 활용되어 스트레스 해소를 포함한 자율 신경계의 긍정적인 효과를 제시한 초기적인 최초의 증거라 할 수 있다.

• Journal of Naturopathy
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2022

Background: A validation study is needed to make domestic applications of German Kneipp therapy. Purpose: The study aims to test the effect of a Kneipp therapeutic program in a domestic forest environment on the autonomic nervous system. Methods: The program was made considering the 4 key elements ('exercise', 'regulative therapy', 'nutrition', and 'phytotherapy') of the Kneipp therapy. Total 3 sessions (once a week for 5 hours in each session) were performed to 40 domestic adults divided into four groups (10 in each group). HRV was measured on the subjects before and after the intervention, and its 6 characteristic parameters (TP, VLF, LF, HF, LF/HF, CSI: Cumulative Stress Index) were compared for statistical analysis. Results: For 33 subjects excluding 7 who were disturbed by interrupt factors during measurements, significant improvements after the intervention, were observed in TP(8.64%, p < ..001), VLF(6.96%, p < .05), LF(15.86%, p < .001), HF(8.46%, p < .01), LF/HF(5.77%, p < .05) and CSI(-16.06%, p < ..001). Conclusions: The Kneipp therapy performed in the forest environment was shown to activate the autonomic nervous system and in particular the sympathetic and parasympatheric nervous to promote heart activity, and was also shown to most significantly reduce cumulative stress. The present observations would be the first preliminary evidence that the Kneipp therapeutic interventation in a domestic forest environment results in positive responses of the autonomic nervous system including stress relief.