• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.169-179
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to investigate occupational and individual risk factors and working conditions in relation to musculoskeletal symptoms in street cleaners. Investigation was conducted through a survey of 395 male street cleaners employed by the government office in Seoul, Gyeonggi and Chung-Nam from July to August of 2009. The control group was comprised of 143 male drivers and security guards. Risk factors for musculoskeletal symptoms in street cleaners were investigated by multiple logistic regression analysis and also evaluated ergonomic risk factors by assessing working conditions of 4 street cleaners. As a result of symptom questionnaires, all of the prevalent rates of musculoskeletal symptoms in street cleaners had significantly higher results than those of the control group(p<0.05). On binary logistic regression analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms, street cleaners showed significant higher odds ratio as 18.84(95%CI: 6.56-54.12) in the arm/elbow, 10.49(95%CI: 4.29-25.65) in the hand/wrist compared to the control group. Both absence of rest breaks and exposure to ergonomic risk factors showed to be important internal risk factors of musculoskeletal symptoms among street cleaners. The exposure levels of QEC(Quick exposures checklist) in street cleaners were revealed to be higher on the shoulder/arm, wrist/hand, and neck than back, or from stress. The findings appear to show that street cleaners were high-risk group of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Therefore street cleaners require a holistic interventional strategy, including adequate arrangement of rest breaks, improvement of working tools and control of individual risk factors such as obesity and smoking.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.19-32
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• 2004

This study was conducted to evaluated musculoskeletal subjective symptoms and the degree of stress of industrial workers to present fundamental materials of preventive oriental medicine for improving their health and quality of life. During the medical examination with oriental medicine method, presence of subjective symptoms of musculoskeletal pain, Psychosocial Well-being Index(PWI) and life style were checked by using questionnaire method in 474 industrial workers. The collected data were analyzed with crosstabs, ANOVA and T-test. The results were as follows; 1. In general differences according to musculoskeletal subjective symptoms, education level of high school graduation had significantly higher distribution than that of below middle school or above university graduation in the pain present group. 2. In the musculoskeletal subjective symptoms and the degree of stress, all of Factor1, Factor2. Factor3, Factor4. and PWI had higher score in pain present group than in pain free group and the difference was statistically significant. 3. According to degree of stress and general character of subjects, single and education level of high school graduation had high score in Factor2, Factor3 and PWI. Factor1 and Factor3 was high in income group of low 1.49 million won. Factor2, Factor4, and PWI was high significantly in income group of 1.50 - 2.99 million won. In job type, manufacturing worker group had significantly high score in Factor3. 4. In degree of stress and life style difference, there was significant difference in PWI score in the field of alcohol chinking, smoking, exercise, obesity except sleeping hours. In the present study. as a result, it is found out that musculoskeletal subjective symptoms present group had higher score in psychosocial stress across the fields than symptom-free group and it is recommended that continuous studies on the relationship of job-related musculoskeletal disorders and psychosocial stress should be performed for improvement and prevention of mental and physical health of industrial worke

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.445-445
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• 2001

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1999.10a
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• pp.232-233
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• 1999

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1993.10a
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• pp.87-88
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• 1993

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.159-166
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare subjective symptoms of VDT between computer-addicted and non-addicted adolescents. Method: A descriptive survey design was used and 646 students in one middle and two high schools were selected as participants. Result: The VDT subjective symptoms and degree of severity differed according to whether the students were computer-addicted or not, and in all symptoms, general, musculoskeletal, eye and mental, the mean score for subjective symptoms was higher in the addicted group than in the non-addicted group. The score for VDT subjective symptoms was highest in the addicted group for girls and students who were not healthy. The most frequent physical symptom reported by students who visited the school health room for a health problem after using the computer was headache. The most frequent type of treatment at the school health room was treatment of the symptom. Conclusions: This study suggests that students must acquire correct habits in computer use and be careful not to be addicted to the computer in order to avoid VDT syndrome. For this, educational authorities should develop computer-related health education programs and start the programs from the lower grades of elementary school.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.93-107
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• 2000

The excessive exposure to powered hand tools can cause damage to nerves, impair blood circulation, and musculoskeletal damage. The symptoms associated with hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) include numbness, tingling, pain and subsequent reduced dexterity of the hands. This study was performed to report the prevalence of the HAVS and evaluate its related factors among the workers using powered hand tools. Total 282 workers in 11 plants of Kyungki and Inchon areas were examined. A standard symptom questionnaire was developed and administered to collect information on personal characteristics, work history, operating conditions, tool characteristics, and subjective symptoms of HAVS. Mean values (standard deviations) of the age, the duration of powered hand tools used, and the daily hours using powered hand tools were 38.3(8.9) years, 79.3(62.2) months and 6.0(2.6) hours, respectively. 132 workers(46.8%) showed vibration-induced white finger symptoms according to the Taylor-Pelmear classification, and 30 workers(10.6%) were interfered with the work. The results of a multiple logistic regression analysis controlling for age and daily working hours showed that smoking, work duration, weight of tools, and continuous work over 2 hours were significantly associated with the symptom of HAVS.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.137-143
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• 2015

Background: Insomnia is becoming increasingly recognized as a clinically important symptom in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). In this retrospective study, we have determined risk factors associated with clinical insomnia in CLBP patients in a university hospital in Korea. Methods: Data from four-hundred and eighty one CLBP patients was analyzed in this study. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) was used to determine the presence of clinical insomnia (ISI score ${\geq}15$). Patients' demographics and pain-related factors were evaluated by logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors of clinical insomnia in CLBP. Results: It was found that 43% of patients reported mild to severe insomnia after the development of back pain. In addition, 20% of patients met the criteria for clinically significant insomnia (ISI score ${\geq}15$). In a stepwise multivariate analysis, high pain intensity, the presence of comorbid musculoskeletal pain and neuropathic pain components, and high level of depression were strongly associated with clinical insomnia in CLBP. Among these factors, the presence of comorbid musculoskeletal pain other than back pain was the strongest determinant, with the highest odds ratio of 8.074 (95% CI 4.250 to 15.339) for predicting clinical insomnia. Conclusions: Insomnia should be addressed as an integral part of pain management in CLBP patients with these risk factors, especially in patients suffering from CLBP with comorbid musculoskeletal pain.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.55-60
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• 2018

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the effects of computer game exposure on pathological musculoskeletal symptoms in adolescents. Method: This study included 10 male junior high school students who used computers less than 3 times a week for 1 hr per day. The subjects were asked to play computer games for 4 hr. Magnetic resonance imaging of the hand and wrist, from the distal radius and ulnar head to the distal phalanges, and radiography of the cervical vertebrae were performed before and after playing computer games. For each dependent variable, a paired t-test was performed to identify significant changes before and after a 4-hr active computer game (p<.05). Results: The horizontal diameters of the flexor tendons in the index and middle fingers were significantly reduced after playing computer games. The horizontal diameters of the flexor tendons of other fingers did not show any significant differences, but there was a tendency toward a decrease after playing computer games. There was no significant change in the cervical lordosis angle before and after playing computer games. However, the cervical lordosis angle was relatively decreased. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that computer game exposure had direct and indirect effects on morphological changes of flexor tendons. In addition, playing computer games for long periods of time can have a negative effect on normal functioning of the musculoskeletal system, with the possible development of abnormalities. However, computer game exposure in adolescents cannot be decisively identified as a factor causing pathological symptoms, based on the results of this study alone. Thus, longterm longitudinal studies on the overall musculoskeletal system are necessary.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.559-569
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• 2020

This study was conducted to examine relationships among job environment, psychological work demand, fatigue, musculoskeletal symptoms, then to investigate the factors influencing musculoskeletal symptoms of care workers in long-term care hospitals. A total of 128 care workers recruited from three long-term care hospitals in S city. Self-reported questionnaire survey was conducted from April to May, 2020. The results were as follows: The musculoskeletal symptoms of the care workers were the sum of the frequency of symptom occurrence, duration of symptoms, and intensity of pain in the three parts of the shoulder, hand/wrist/finger, and waist. The average score was 11.41±9.50 points out of 42. According to the hierarchical regression analysis, their musculoskeletal symptoms were significantly influenced by working department(β=.18, p=.034), psychological work demand(β=.21, p=.013) and fatigue(β=.25, p=.003), explained 21.6% of the total variance(F=6.87, p<.001). Based on our results, in order to reduce musculoskeletal symptoms of care workers in nursing hospitals, it is necessary to develop and apply an intervention program that can reduce psychological work demand and fatigue in consideration of the severity of the patient in charge.