• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.134-147
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• 2002

Background : As an empirical study, current research about the quality of social services carried out in general and teaching hospitals across the country. In the flux of health care reforms and market transformation, the quality of social services in the hospital becomes increasingly significant. Methods : A sample of total 80 hospitals, including general hospitals with one social worker at least and single-department hospital with two social workers or more, were identified nationwide through the registry of Korean Association of Medical Social Workers and Korean Association of Hospitals. The subjects of this survey were 80 leaders of social service units. The survey data from each subjects were measured to evaluate level of quality that service provider perceived of sample hospitals. Under the method of one-way ANOVA and multiple regression, the level of quality in social work service was analyzed. Results : The major findings were as following ; First, the level of quality perceived showed less score, especially the lowest was the score of quality of outcome. Second, the key variables of each hospital which turned out significantly different in quality of social work service were the departmental form of social work unit, unit leader's age, educational level, field experience, and job rank. Third, the level of quality of social work service correlated positively with the field experience of unit leader, the size of social work unit, the job rank of the unit leader. Conclusion : The most influential variables to the quality of social work service proved departmental form of social work unit, leader of social work unit. Therefore, to assure the proper level of quality, social work unit in hospital must be structured single, independent department in which entitled social worker is supposed to supervise and manage. And a leadership-development program for leaders in social work unit are strongly recommended.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.482-490
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• 2006

Purpose: The purposes were to survey the level of work stress, social support, burnout of insurance review nurses and to measure the main & buffering effect of perceived social support on burnout. Method: The samples were 285 insurance review nurses who were registered in Review Nurses Association of Korea at the period of 25 July and 12 August in 2005. Data were analyzed by using of t-test, Pearson's correlation, stepwise multiple regression, two-way ANOVA. Results: There were significant differences of burnout according to the work experience, position, and work satisfaction of insurance review nurses. Among the variables explaining the level of burnout of review nurses, the most significant variable was work stress, followed by current work satisfaction, social support, position and total variance explained was 40.8%. For the analysis of the buffering effects of perceived social support on work stress and burnout, the interaction between work stress and social support was not significant. Conclusions: It is necessary to construct the social support system and to reduce the work stress in order to reduce the level of the burnout of insurance review nurses.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.19-28
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• 2017

Background: Conservation of resources theory assumes loss of resources as a cause of job strain. In hospital work, conflicts with supervisors are tested to predict lower resources, that is, supervisory social support, participation possibilities, and appreciation. All three resources are expected to predict, in turn, experienced stress (job strain) and lower job satisfaction, lower affective commitment, and a higher resigned attitude towards the job (job attitudes). Methods: The sample included 1,073 employees from 14 Swiss hospitals (n = 604 nurses, n = 81 physicians, n = 135 medical therapists, and n = 253 technical and administrative staff). Of the total sample, 83.1% were female and 38.9% worked full-time. The median tenure was between 7 years and 10 years. Constructs were assessed by online questionnaires. Structural equation modeling was used to test mediation. Results: Structural equation modeling confirmed the negative association of conflict with supervisors and job resources. Tests of indirect paths to resources as a link between conflicts with supervisors and job attitudes were significant. For nurses, social support, participation and appreciation showed a significant indirect path, while among medical technicians the indirect paths included social support and appreciation, and among physicians only appreciation showed a significant indirect path. In medical therapists no indirect path was significant. Job resources did not mediate the link between conflict with supervisors and stress in any occupational group. Conclusion: Conflicts with supervisors are likely to reduce job resources and in turn to lower job attitudes. Work design in hospitals should, therefore, address interpersonal working conditions and conflict management in leadership development.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.5-32
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• 2010

Although social work practice skills are one of the important components of social work practice, research on social work practice skills has been very scarce. It seems that the reason might be a lack of standardized instruments used to measure social work practice skills. The purpose of this study is to validate a Korean version of the Practice Skills Inventory(PSI) developed by O'Hare and colleagues. The PSI is the only instrument developed in the field of social work to measure the frequency of social work practice skills that social workers use. A total of 310 social workers working in medical or mental health field were participated in this study. A result of confirmatory factor analysis showed that the Korean version of the PSI is composed of 4 factors like its english version. The Korean version of the PSI was also reliable and valid. Implications for social work research, practice and education are provided.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.140-147
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• 2015

Medical education can provide students with an opportunity to encounter marginalized communities and motivate them to become involved with the needs of disadvantaged people. The College of Medicine of The Catholic University of Korea includes a social service program in the medical humanities and social sciences curriculum. The course has lectures on social welfare, human rights, and social service, as well as four days of social service in 'Flower Village,' which is a Catholic social welfare institution. This study analyzes the satisfaction, feedback, and reflection papers of students who completed the social service program and provides an educational model for the medical humanities and social sciences. Students' satisfaction with the program was scored at 4.23 out of 5. A qualitative study of students' reflection papers derived 7 key phrases, among which 'nature and practice of social service,' 'holistic understanding of humans,' 'empathy and communication,' and 'social responsibility' are identified as goals of this program and 'happiness,' 'respect for human life,' and 'compassion' are good indicators of students' compassionate participation. Encounters with marginalized communities within the medical curriculum allows students to serve people with social difficulties and work for the improvement of their living conditions. Students learn to approach social needs with concern and empathy and seek ways to contribute to those communities.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.65-73
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• 2013

The objective of this paper is to suggest future goals and strategies for social work in hospice and palliative care in Korea by understanding its historical background. Both literature review and participant observation were performed to examine historical data relating to social work in hospice and palliative care in Korea. Also reviewed were the current trends with a focus on the roles of social workers in the said arena, qualifications, education, research and medical insurance policy. First of all, the roles of social workers do not appear to be clearly defined in the field of hospice and palliative care, which seems to lead to the lack of recognition as professional workers. The qualification standard for social workers in hospice and palliative care remains inadequate. Second, there seems to be insufficient professional social worker training resources, in terms of both the number of educators and training programs. Third, social workers in Korea produce significantly less publications than those in other professions. There is also a dearth of qualified evidence-based research that is needed to prove benefits of intervention and ultimately for policy implications. Last, the current medical insurance policy needs to be revised to secure fees for social work services and dedicated full-time social workers in hospice and palliative care. Korea needs to approach social work in hospice and palliative care with specific goals to develop future strategies. Related infrastructure and an executive structure should be established via networking and partnership with academic societies, associations and schools.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.272-278
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• 2023

Background: Some working conditions may pose a higher physical or psychological demand to pregnant women leading to increased risks of pregnancy complications. Objectives: We assessed the association of woman's employment status and the industrial classification with obstetric complications. Methods: We conducted a national population study using the National Health Information Service database of Republic of Korea. Our analysis encompassed 1,316,310 women who experienced first-order live births in 2010-2019. We collected data on the employment status and the industrial classification of women, as well as their diagnoses of preeclampsia (PE) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) classified as A1 (well controlled by diet) or A2 (requiring medication). We calculated odds ratios (aORs) of complications per employment, and each industrial classification was adjusted for individual risk factors. Results: Most (64.7%) were in employment during pregnancy. Manufacturing (16.4%) and the health and social (16.2%) work represented the most prevalent industries. The health and social work exhibited a higher risk of PE (aOR = 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-1.21), while the manufacturing industry demonstrated a higher risk of class A2 GDM (1.20, 95% CI: 1.03-1.41) than financial intermediation. When analyzing both classes of GDM, women who worked in public administration and defense/social security showed higher risk of class A1 GDM (1.04, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.07). When comparing high-risk industries with nonemployment, the health and social work showed a comparable risk of PE (1.02, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.07). Conclusion: Employment was associated with overall lower risks of obstetric complications. Health and social service work can counteract the healthy worker effect in relation to PE. This highlights the importance of further elucidating specific occupational risk factors within the high-risk industries.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.68 no.4
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• pp.97-118
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• 2016

The primary goal of this study was to investigate factors affecting job satisfaction of injured workers who returned to work. There are two types of injured workers' returning to work returning to pre-injury job and getting a new job. After separating the two types of workers we conducted the multiple regression analysis on the data from the Workers'Compensation Insurance Panel of the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service Corporation(2014). The sample consisted of 1,333 occupationally injured workers who were finished with medical treatment(693 workers returned to previous work place, and 640 workers found new work places). Main results are as follows. First, injured workers who got new jobs were vulnerable to sustainability to job, work status, average monthly wage as well as job satisfaction compared with injured workers who returned to pre-injury job. Second, gender, educational level, skill fitness, average monthly wage, welfare benefits, family income/leisure life/residential environment/social relation satisfaction, and maintenance of relation with business owner during medical care were related to job satisfaction of injured workers who returned to pre-injury job. Third, gender, work status, skill fitness, continuous work possibility, average monthly wage, family income/leisure life/social relation satisfaction, substitute worker for assigned task during medical care and maintenance of relation with business owner during medical care affected on job satisfaction of injured workers who got new jobs. Based on these findings implications for policy and interventions were discussed in regards to job satisfaction of injured workers.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.58-66
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• 2007

This study is evaluation of shift-workers' sleep and social life related to hospital workers' performance and health. We researched shiftworkers' sleep, sleeping quality and social relations using a questionnaire method to shiftworkplace scattered Daejeon and Chungnam province. The results of shiftworkers' sleep are differ from habitual sleep. Social participations of shiftworkerse are interfered partially because of shiftwork. In preference, shiftworker preferred health to others because of physical load of shiftworks. Through result of this study about sleep and social life style, we hope to derive reduction methods of shift work fatigue and education for improvement of employers, for example an physiological and psychological accordance method, an health problem solving method and an social accordance method, etc.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 2024

Background: As social distancing persists and interest in work-life balance grows, more companies are adopting flexible work policies. While there have been studies on sleep disorders associated with different types of work, such as shift work, research exploring the relationship between flexible work schedules and sleep disorders is still limited, particularly among Korean workers. Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey, focusing on 31,243 paid workers out of a total of 50,538 participants. We defined flexible workers as those who set their own working hours. Sleep disorders were divided into three categories: 'difficulty falling asleep,' 'frequent waking during sleep,' and 'waking up feeling exhausted and fatigued.' Using scores derived from three specific symptoms, the Minimal Insomnia Symptoms Scale (MISS) was calculated to assess the prevalence of insomnia. We used chi-square tests to analyze demographic and job-related differences. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to identify any relationship between flexible work schedules and sleep disorders. Results: Significant differences were found between flexible and non-flexible workers regarding age, income level, education level, and job type. Flexible workers reported sleep-related symptoms significantly more often. The odds ratio for insomnia was 1.40 (95% CI 1.21-1.61). For males, the odds ratio was 1.68 (1.36-2.08). Conclusion: This study establishes a correlation between flexible work schedules and sleep disorders among Korean salaried workers. Potential causes could include changes in circadian rhythm, increased work demands, and extended working hours. To precisely determine causality and associated diseases, further research is required.