• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.301-312
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• 2011

Firefighters and police officers have the third highest prevalence of obesity among 41 male occupational groups in the United States (US). However, few studies have examined the relationship of firefighter working conditions and health behaviors with obesity. This paper presents a theoretical framework describing the relationship between working conditions, health behaviors, and obesity in firefighters. In addition, the paper describes a detailed study plan for exploring the role of occupational and behavioral risk factors in the development of obesity in firefighters enrolled in the Orange County Fire Authority Wellness Fitness Program. The study plan will be described with emphasis on its methodological merits: adopting a participatory action research approach, developing a firefighter-specific work and health questionnaire, conducting both a cross-sectional epidemiological study using the questionnaire and a sub-study to assess the validity of the questionnaire with dietary intake and physical activity measures, and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the body mass index as an obesity measure in comparison to skinfold-based percent body fat. The study plan based on a theoretical framework can be an essential first step for establishing effective intervention programs for obesity among professional and voluntary firefighters.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.125-136
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• 2022

Purpose: The aim of this systematic literature review was to synthesize and investigate the effects of shift workers' sleep in Korea. Methods: A search was conducted through three electronic databases using keywords such as "shift work" or "rotation work" and "sleep", with sleep as the independent variable, and 17 papers were reviewed. Results: The design of those 17 studies was analyzed in a cross-sectional analysis. The most commonly measured characteristic was quality of sleep, whereas the others were sleep disturbance, sleep efficiency, and sleepiness. The study outcome variables were job-related factors, mental health, wellness, stress, fatigue, and metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: The results inform sleep and health-promoting behaviors and improvement in shift workers' working condition.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.113-122
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a mobile application on quality of life, wellness, and preventive behaviors against dementia among older adults who use senior citizen centers. Methods: Seventy-two older adults who used senior citizen centers were allocated to an intervention group (n = 36) and a control group (n = 36). The experimental treatment involved a cognitive enhancement program for preventing dementia using a mobile application for 12 sessions over 6 weeks. Data were analyzed using the t-test, chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, paired t-test, and independent t-test. Results: The cognitive enhancement program based on a mobile application was effective for wellness (t = -3.87, p < .001) and preventive behaviors against dementia (t = -3.98, p < .001) for older adults who used a senior center. Conclusion: The mobile application-based cognitive enhancement program developed in this study is recommended as an effective intervention for dementia prevention in older adults.

• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.13-23
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• 2012

Objective : The purpose of this study was to provide evidence for effectiveness of community-based rehabilitation methods and results after traumatic brain injury through systematic review. Methods : The materials of the research were collected by retrieving research items in the areas of "community-based rehabilitation" and "traumatic brain injury" from the data base of Ovid and PubMed. Among the collected materials, 7 research results are suggested concerning the effectiveness of rehabilitation in community-based after traumatic brain injury in terms of subjects, measurement tools, cure methods and results. Results : Characteristics of subjects were diverse in numbers of subject, age, level of impairment and duration of disease. Research designs were all experimental studies and the most outcome parameters of community-based rehabilitation was occupational performance(27.7%). Cure methods were used occupational therapy programs concerning rehabilitation programs, cognitive therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and home based occupational therapy. Conclusion : The results implied that community-based rehabilitation is effective on occupational performance, participation, prevention, and occupational justice, partially effective on adaptation, health and wellness, and non effective on the role competence. It is suggested the future research need to be done to develop intervention programs and studies in every types.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.149-157
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• 2010

Objectives: To quantify disability level in salespeople with concurrent low back pain (LBP) and to determine the relative associations between demographic, occupational, psychosocial and clinical factors and back disability. LBP is the most common cause of work-related disability in people under 45 years of age and the most expensive cause of work-related disability, in terms of workers' compensation and medical expenses. Evidence suggests high prevalence of LBP in salespeople. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in which 184 saleswomen with a current episode of self-reported LBP working in a large up-scale department store filled out a battery of 6 self-administered questionnaires and received a standardised physical examination. Results: Saleswomen with concurrent LBP had low disability levels. Factors significantly associated with disability were pain intensity, measured by a visual analogue scale, in the past week (p < 0.001), physical and mental health status (p < 0.001, p = 0.003, respectively), fear avoidance scores for both work and physical activities (p = 0.031, p = 0.014, respectively), past history of LBP (p = 0.019), and self-reported frequency of pushing or pulling objects placed in high positions during work (p = 0.047). A significant level (45%) of the variance in disability status was explained by these variables. Conclusion: In clinical management of LBP workers who required prolonged standing, such as salespeople, clinicians should look for modifiable risk factors associated with disability. Specific measures need to be taken to prevent disability due to LBP among salespeople.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Sensory Integration
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.13-23
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• 2008

Objective : The purpose of this study is to investigate awareness of rehabilitation practitioners working at community wellness centers regarding the sensory integration (SI) therapy. Methods : 121 rehabilitation practitioners working at community wellness centers, located in Seoul Gyeonggi, Daegu Gyeongbuk and Busan Ulsan, participated in a questionnaire survey to examine their awareness of SI therapy. The questionnaire constructed based on four elements of the information about SI therapy; SI therapy's purpose, target population and technical process, and the qualification of SI therapist. Correlations between general characteristics and the four awareness elements of SI information were explored. The level of recognition on SI therapy were examined in various perspective such as 'have heard', 'means of the recognition', 'easiness of getting information', 'recognition of necessity of SI therapy', 'willing to participate in professional education course' and 'opinions for improving recognition'. Result : There is significant difference in awareness of the all four elements of SI informations depends on several general characteristics; practitioner's clinical field, location of the center, whether SI service has been provided or not at the center, whether the practitioner carry out SI therapy, and the practitioner's clinical experience in SI therapy. Specially, the recognition of occupational therapists is relatively high compared other rehabilitation practitioners. In terms of level of recognition, most rehabilitation practitioners(96.7%) are well-aware of necessity of sensory integration therapy. 79.4% of the practitioners manifest somewhat of difficulty in getting information related SI therapy. 93.4% of the practitioners are willing to participate in professional education course for SI therapy. Opinion for improving recognition with the most number of people(21) chosen is 'educational revitalization'. Conclusion : Many rehabilitation practitioners working at community wellness centers recognize the necessity of understand SI therapy, but there is uneasiness to get relative and valid information. There are difference awareness of the SI therapy Revitalization of education for SI therapy may provide an opportunity to improve level recognition of rehabilitation practitioners. It is suggested that organ related rehabilitation, there is a need for public relations.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.484-492
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• 2017

This study assessed female occupational therapist job stress and musculoskeletal pain, and examines the problems caused by sexual harassment, family, and marriage policy. The results provide information to improve work environments, reduce job stress, yield data needed for sexual harassment prevention education, examine women occupational therapists' economic activities, and broadly improve the quality of life through participation. The study subjects were currently employed female occupational therapists. Initially 200 subjects were recruited, of whom 185 returned the study questionnaire. Questions addressing job stress included, 'There are times when one feels that the salary is worth less than the job effort', 'Feel tired due to work.', 'That it is time to pay attention to other therapy.', answered positively in that order. Musculoskeletal pain in the wrist and hand (90%), shoulder (86%), neck (69.7%) and waist (68.6%) were the order of the wrist and hand (63%), shoulder (62.2%) and waist (51.9%) pain resulted in interference with daily life. Verbal harassment was reported by 71.4% and 48.6% reported physical and visual harassment. The most common topics in workplace relations were 'Must choose whether to focus on the individual or work (61.1%).', 'Need for understanding and someone who can share their feelings (54.6%).', and 'Colleagues are willing to listen to my story (73%)'.

• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.11-21
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• 2018

Objective : Migration can be a stressful process to people because they have to adjust a lot of things including habits, routine and cultural behavior. Also, Migrant can negatively impact on participation in daily meaningful occupations. Thus, the purpose of this research is to investigate whether participation in meaningful occupations after immigration and environmental factors impact the QOL in migrant women. Method : Migrant females who live in Australia were invited to participate in the study (n= 9). In this study, participation, environmental factors and QOL were measured using the questionnaire, which was developed by researchers. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants who were then asked to fill out a survey. Both quantitative data and qualitative data were collected. The SPSS program was used to process the quantitative data that was transcribed and coded. Result : Spearman's rank correlation coefficient shows that the total scale of QOL and the total scale of occupational engagement were significantly correlated at the 0.05 level. Conclusion : There was a significant relationship between quality of life and occupational engagements. Migrant women tend to have a lack of participation in meaning occupations thus, it seems to impact on their quality of life.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.85-97
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• 2022

Purpose : This study aimed to investigate the effects of a digital pegboard training program with visual and auditory feedback on hand function and visual perception in stroke patients. Methods : Twenty two participants were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. The experimental group received training using a digital pegboard training program with visual and auditory feedback (n=11), while traditional occupational therapy was administered to the control group (n=11). Hand function was assessed before and after the intervention using the Nine-Hole Peg Test and manual function test (MFT), while visual perception was assessed using the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test-3rd edition (MVPT-3). Results : Following the intervention, both the experimental and control groups showed significant improvements in performance in the Nine-Hole Peg Test and MVPT-3 (p<.05). The improvement on both tests was significantly greater in the experimental group than in the control group (p<.05). Conclusion : The results suggest that digital pegboard training with visual and auditory feedback may improve hand function and visual perception in stroke patients. Therefore, this intervention can be effective in occupational therapy to aid the recovery of stroke patients.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Sensory Integration
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.36-49
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• 2018

Objective : The purpose of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the Korean version of Life Balance Inventory (K-LBI) and to present the relationship between life balance and sensory processing. Methods : K-LBI was constructed through forward and backward translation. Convergent validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were tested for college students. To verify convergent validity, correlation analyses between K-LBI and Korean version of Perceived Stress Scale, Korean version of Satisfaction With Life Scale, and Adult Self Report-Achenbach system of empirically based assessment were performed. Split-half reliability and test-retest reliability were also obtained for reliability verification. We performed the correlation analysis between K-LBI and Korean version of Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile. Results : A significant correlation was found between K-LBI and the scales for convergent validity. A favorable split-half reliability and test-retest reliability were calculated. The positive correlations were found between relationship life balance and sensory sensitivity/sensation avoiding quadrants. The negative correlation was found between challenges life balance and low registration. Conclusion : This study shows that K-LBI is a valid and reliable tool in Korea. It also provides an in-depth understanding of the relationship between life balance and sensory processing.