• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.30 no.2 s.57
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• pp.293-307
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• 1997

In Korea, sudden deaths of middle-aged and older male workers who are the responsible persons at home as well as workplace, have aroused social concern. Besides, U. N. has reported recently that mortality of Korea male in 40-50's was one of the highest among newly developed countries in 1992. Not much is, however, known about the nature of the work contributing to the mortality of different groups of workers. Therefore, this study was done to examine mortality of public servants, comprising about 5% of all the employed in Korea, according to their job titles and grades. The datas of 1753 official deaths, comprised 323 (only disease-oriented deaths) applicants of survivors' compensation, were used to examine age-adjusted Standardized Mortality Ratios(SMRs) according to their job titles, grades, tenures and cause of deaths. Controlling age and sex difference was conducted using 26,950,481 general population, 95,340 general deaths and 864,560 working public servants. All the groups were aged 20-64, who were being observed January - December in 1993, at the same time. Results and discussions are as follows. 1. SMRs standardized by general population was significantly low (SMR 44.9 CI 42.8-52.7) for all job titlses. Of public servants, 90.0% was graduated from high school, although 17.5% in general population. The distinction of social status such a education may produce a strong healthy worker effect. Besides, SMRs for different tenure groups showed a steady increase as tenure increases. This suggests that the magnitude of healthy-worker effect may be greater with increasing tenures. 2. SMRs standardized by own public servants was significantly elevated for work-men(SMR 121.0, CI 110.2-132.6) in solitue. When SMRs for different grade, of work-men was examined, 9th(SMR 124.2, CI 104.4-146.7) and 10th(SMR 137.9 CI 120.8-156.8)grade, lower grade in workmen, showed significantly elevated SMRs. Of workmen, 57.0% were graduated from high school and 50.1% in 9th grade, as well. These mean that low economic states made up social class, education may increase mortality rate. 3. Of SMRs according to all causes of death, only policemen on 'cause of death related hypertensive disease'(SMR 282.5, CI 121.6-556.7) was significantly high except for' cause of death related other signs, symptoms and ill-defined conditions'. 4. When SMRs on cause of death related hypertensive disease for different grade of policemen was examined, senior policemen(SMR 241.9), in charge of the front service, showed elevated SMR, in spite of statistical no significance. Especially, the working hour of senior policemen is quite long and also the work schedule is even more irregular for policemen. The results of this study showed that mortality for different jobs differed, and it differed also for different grades in the same job. This difference in mortality may reflect the difference in the nature of job contents, and further studies are warranted to elucidate which job characteristics are responsible.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.268-278
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• 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to establish a control group based on the big data from National Health Insurance Service. We also presented presented the number of incidences for each cancer, and analyzed the cancer incidence rate among Korean workers. Methods: The cohort definition was separated by 'baseline cohort', 'dynamic cohort', and 'fixed- industry cohort' according to the definition. Cancer incidence was calculated based on the Korean Standard Classification of Disease code. Incidence rate was calculated among the group of all workers and public officials. Based on the study subjects and each cohort definition, the number of observations, incidences, and the incidence rate according to sex and age groups was calculated. The incidence rate was estimated based on the incidence per 100,000 person-year, and 95% confidence intervals calculated according to the Poisson distribution. Results: The result shows that the number of cancer cases in the all-worker group decreases after the age of 55, but the incidence rate tends to increase, which is attributed to the retirement of workers over 55 years old. Despite the specific characteristics of the workers, the trend and figures of cancer incidence revealed in this study are similar to those reported in previous studies of the overall South Korean population. When comparing the incidence rates of all workers and the control group of public officials, the incidence rate of public officials is generally observed to be higher in the age group under the age of 55. On the other hand, for workers aged 60 or older, the incidence rates were 1,065.4 per 100,000 person-year for all workers and 1,023.7 per 100,000 person-year for civil servants. Conclusions: This study analyzed through health insurance data including all workers in Korea, and analyzed the incidence of cancer of workers by sex and age. In addition, further in-depth researches are needed to determine the incidence of cancer by industry.

• Journal of Korean Dental Hygiene Science
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.41-51
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• 2019

Introduction: This study intended to identify the current oral health care status and demand of care workers for oral health education. Methods: A survey was distributed to care workers working in 11 nursing homes for older people located in the Chungcheongdo Province. Of those distributed, 217 questionnaires were collected and analyzed. To analyze the collected data, a frequency analysis, t-test, and one-way analysis of variance(ANOVA) were performed using SPSS version 18.0. Results: The demand for an educational course on the 'Management of Oral Health Care for the Aged People' had a score of 4.22 points(full marks were 5.0 points), whereas the score for the necessity for control of oral health was 4.29 points. The control of oral health for the aged people suffering dysphagia scored 4.27 points, whereas the control of oral health for older people who have dementia was 4.27 points. The score for a course on the nutritional control for aged people having difficulties in masticating foods was 4.27. Conclusion: It is clear that the development of educational courses and standardized manuals for care workers on aspects of oral health care is necessary. Therefore, it would be desirable to develop institutional infrastructure for dental hygienists to educate care workers on oral health.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.253-265
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• 2021

Objectives: The aim of the study is to identify the success factors of 6 months of smoking cessation targeting male workers in small and medium-sized businesses. Methods: The subjects of this study were smoking male workers who had got the visiting services at a tobacco control center to stop smoking from January 2018 to December 2020. Total number of the participants was 767. Results: The male workers in small and medium enterprises had a success rate of 20.2% for smoking cessation for 6 months. With multiple logistic regression, the factors causing the differences in the success rate for 6 months of the workers were as follows. - The odds ratios (ORs)(95% confidence interval, CI) of the age group of under 29 and 40-49 years were 0.10 (0.03-0.29) and 0.43 (0.24-0.76), respectively, compared to the 50 years and older group. The ORs (95% CI) of the daily average of smoking group of 11-20 and more than 21 were 0.52(0.34-0.80) and 0.46(0.24-0.90), respectively, when compared to the group of 1-10. The ORs (95% CI) of the supporting persons for quitting smoking group of with spouse and other family were 1.99(1.18-3.34), compared to the group with no one. Conclusions: This study showed that the chance of success for smoking cessation for 6 months is higher when the subjects have spouses and other family Supporting persons for quitting smoking. And it also shows that the less they smoke a day and the older they are, the more likely it is to succeed in quitting smoking.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.119-141
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• 2000

The current industrial health service is shifting to health improvement business with 1st primary prevention-focused service from secondary and tertiary prevention-focused business, and Oriental medicine can provide such primary prevention-focused service due to the characteristics of its science. In particular, the advanced concept of health improvement can match the science of health care of Oriental medicine. Notably, what is most important in health improvement is our lifestyle, This does not underestimate the socio-environmental factors, which have lessened their importance due to modernism. The approach of Oriental medicine weighs more individuals' lifestyle and health care through self-cultivation. This matches the new model of advanced health business. Oriental medicine is less systemized than Western medicine, but it can provide ample contents that enhance health. If we conceive health-improvement program based on the advantages provided by these two medical systems, this will influence workers to the benefit of their health. Also, health Program needs to define factors that determine individual lives, and to provide information and technologies essential to our lives. The Oriental medicine approach puts more stress on a subject's capabilities than it does on the effect his surrounding environment can have. This needs to be supported theoretically by not only defining the relations between an individual's health state and his lifestyle, but also identifying the degree to which an individual in the industrial work place practices health improvement lifestyle . This is the first step toward initiating health-improvement business . In order to do this, this researcher conducted a survey by taking random samplings from workers, and can draw the following conclusions from it. 1 The sampled group is categorized into', by sender, female 6.6%, and male 93.4%, with males dominant; by marriage status , unmarried 43.9% and married 55.6%, with both similar percentage, and, by age, below 30, 48.4%, between 30 and 39, 27.4%, between 40 and 49, 18.2%, and over 50, 6.0%. The group further is categorized into; by education, middle school or under 1.7%, high school 30.5%, and junior college or higher 65.8% with high school and higher dominant: and by income, below 1.7 million won 24.2%, below 2.4 million won 14.8%, and above 2.4 million 6.3% Still, the group by job is categorized into collegians with 23.9%, office worker with 10.3%, and professionals with 65.8% , and this group does not include workers engaged in production that are needed for this research, but mostly office workers . 2. The subjects selected for this survey show their degree of practicing health-improvement lifestyle at an average of 2.63, health management pattern at 2.64, and health-related awareness at 2.62 The sub-divisions of health-improvement lifestyle show social emotion (2.87), food (2.66). favorite food (2.59), and leisure activities (2.52), in this order for higher points. It further shows health awareness (2.47) and safety awareness (2.40), lower points than those in health management pattern . 3. In the area of using leisure time for health-improvement, males, older people, married, and people with higher income earn higher marks. And, in the area of food management, the older and married earn higher marks . In the area of favorite food management, females, lower-income bracket, and lower-educated show higher degree of practice , while in the area of social emotion management, the older. married, and higher-income bracket show higher marks. In addition, in the area of health awareness, the older, married, and people with higher-income show higher degree of practice. 4. To look at correlation by overall and divisional health-improvement practice degree , this researcher has analyzed the data using Person's correlation coefficient. The lifestyle shows significant correlation with its six sub-divisions, and use of leisure time, food, and health awareness all show significant correlation with their sub-divisions. And. the social emotion and safety awareness show significant correlation with all sub-divisions except favorite food management.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.41-49
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• 2013

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to clarify the association between serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and type of work in the shipbuilding industry. Methods: 1,072 final study subjects were admitted to a general hospital from April through July 2010 for the purpose of medical examination. Data on general characteristics such as age, smoking history, alcohol history and exercise habits was gathered through structured self-administered questionnaires. Information on job factors was collected from a medical examination, by interview and through company personnel data. Serum CEA levels were measured after eight hours' fasting and were analyzed by a radioimmunoassay. Results: On univariate analysis, the mean serum CEA level was significantly higher among married (p=0.02), older age (p<0.01), longer work time (p<0.01), smokers (p<0.01), lower education (p<0.01), and indirect and direct exposure groups (p<0.01). On multiple regression analysis, serum CEA level was influenced by smoking (p=0.001), duration of work (p=0.019), and direct exposure group (p<0.001). However, among the direct exposure group, serum CEA level was not significantly different between welding, mounting, electro-device constructive work, grinding and cleaning, and painting. Conclusions: The goal of this research was to determine if there were differences between serum CEA levels according to occupational role among shipyard workers. The direct exposure group of shipyard workers had a relatively higher level of serum CEA than did the indirect exposure group and office workers, most likely due to occupational exposure.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.387-393
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• 2013

Objectives : This study was carried out to investigate stepwise regression analysis on cervical abrasion & general characteristics, subjective oral health perception, habit related to oral health, and oral symptom. Methods : The study subjects were 2,158 workers in 23 industrial work places located in Gumi-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province from June 1 to July 1, 2012. As a result, the following conclusions were obtained. Results : 1. The cervical abrasion rate was high in men and older age group. 2. The cervical abrasion rate was high in a case of having not received scaling for the past one year. 3. The cervical abrasion rate was high in frequent tooth brushing. 4. The cervical abrasion rate was high in group having no bleeding in tooth and the gum. 5. The cervical abrasion rate was high in group having the cold symptom in teeth. 6. Excluding gum pain and bleeding, factors affecting tooth abrasion were gender, age, scaling over the past year, frequency of brushing a day and tooth sensitivity when cold food was ingested. 7. Gender and tooth sensitivity turned out to have negative(-) effect. age, scaling over the past year and frequency of brushing a day turned out to have positive(+) effect. Conclusions : Through this study, the best prevention method of cervical abrason is effective tooth brushing education and regular dental check up.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.495-501
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• 2013

Objective: The purpose of this study was to survey of the subjective health status of the elderly farmer. Background: With increase of aged population, the health of the elderly farmer has become main concerns of the elderly in the rural community. For the effects of the factors related to quality of life, subjective health condition showed the largest influence. Method: The survey was conducted by 326 elderly farmers aged 50 and older in rural areas through structured questionnaires. Survey questionnaire consisted items of general characteristics, health-related life habits, levels of stress(SF-PWI), symptom of musculoskeletal diseases and general level of health(SF-36). For the data analysis, SPSS 19.0K was used, and analysis was conducted by using frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. For the symptom prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and comparison of average level of health, chi-square test and t-test were used. Results: The results of the study are as follows. It was shown that the symptom prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders had a significant difference in gender (p<0.01). Frequency analysis on presence of musculoskeletal symptoms in each part of body showed that leg/knee region was 28.1%, back region was 26.6%, shoulder region was 18.0%, arm/elbow region was 11.9%, hand/wrist region was 8.2% and neck region was 7.2%. According to comparison of average level of health, a social functioning were the highest as score 87.3, followed by mental health(65.6) and role limitation-emotional(65.5). Conclusion: Health promotion program for the elderly and female in the rural are needed. Application: The survey of the subjective health status of the elderly should be used for planning factors to make a health improvement plan in elderly farmer.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.107-118
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• 2012

Objectives: This study examines the occurrence of disease resulting from low back pain and factors of working environment meaningfully influencing the occurrence of lumbago as well as analyzes '2nd Korean Working Condition Survey (KWCS)' conducted in 2010 so as to establish the prevention and improvement measures. Methods: The analysis method is that it is to compare the prevalence rate of low back pain according to working environment via odds ratio and to implement the test about the factors having the difference in working environment between low back pain group and normal group through weighted t-test. Results: As a result, it indicates that there is a meaningful difference for prevalence rate of low back pain according to age, status in employment and education level which are socio-demographical factors. The analysis in working hours shows that the period of work is a factor raising the prevalence rate of low back pain rather than weekly working hours. The analysis in the work risk factor indicates that the increase in prevalence rate of low back pain takes place to either workers with repetitive movement and continuously standing posture or those with heavy stress and emotional labour. Conclusions: Workers with low back pain have suffered from accident, depression, anxiety disorder and sleep. The factors in which the prevalence rate of low back pain decrease are to provide information on health and safety and working speed, and enough rest.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.571-580
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the productivity of elderly employees over 60 years old and to analyze factors that directly or indirectly affect the productivity of elderly employees, based on empirical facts of HR managers. As a result, the factors that have a positive effect on the productivity of elderly employees were attitude and professionalism. The decline in physical capacity due to aging was recognized as a key factor that negatively affected the productivity evaluation of elderly employees. Among the management strategies to improve the work performance, it has been shown that work placement or job redesign according to physical competency contributes to improving the productivity of elderly employees. Also, providing safety education and communication opportunities among workers has a positive effect on productivity improvement. The results of this study suggest that it is important to improve worker productivity by arranging older workers' work experience to be able to demonstrate their accumulated career and expertise and to create a working environment that takes into account physical competence.