• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.236-244
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• 2020

Objectives: Although the World Health Organization (WHO) initiative "My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene" has been lauded as effective in preventing hospital-associated infections, little is known about healthcare workers (HCWs)' hand hygiene behavior. In this study, we sought to assess knowledge and attitudes towards the concepts in this initiative, as well as associated factors, among Vietnamese HCWs at a general hospital. Methods: A structured questionnaire was administered to HCWs at a central Vietnamese general hospital in 2015. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with HCWs' knowledge and attitudes towards hand hygiene. Results: Of 120 respondents, 65.8% and 67.5% demonstrated appropriate knowledge and a positive attitude, respectively, regarding all 5 hand hygiene moments. Logistic regression indicated better knowledge of hand hygiene in workers who were over 30 years old, who were direct HCWs (rather than managers), who had frequent access to clinical information, and who received their clinical information from training. Those who worked in infectious and tropical disease wards, who had frequent access to clinical information, and who received information from training were more likely to have a positive attitude towards hand hygiene than their counterparts. Conclusions: Although many Vietnamese HCWs displayed moderate knowledge and positive attitudes towards the WHO hand hygiene guidelines, a key gap remained. Regular education and training programs are needed to increase knowledge and to improve attitudes and practices towards hand hygiene. Furthermore, a combination of multimodal strategies and locally-adapted interventions is needed for sustainable hand hygiene adherence.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.240-248
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• 2015

Background: Recovery from fatigue is important in maintaining night workers' health. This study compared the course of self-reported recovery after 2-week 12-hour schedules consisting of either night shifts or swing shifts (i.e., 7 night shifts followed by 7 day shifts) to such schedules consisting of only day work. Methods: Sixty-one male offshore employees-20 night workers, 16 swing shift workers, and 25 day workers-rated six questions on fatigue (sleep quality, feeling rested, physical and mental fatigue, and energy levels; scale 1-11) for 14 days after an offshore tour. After the two night-work schedules, differences on the $1^{st}$ day (main effects) and differences during the follow-up (interaction effects) were compared to day work with generalized estimating equations analysis. Results: After adjustment for confounders, significant main effects were found for sleep quality for night workers (1.41, 95% confidence interval 1.05-1.89) and swing shift workers (1.42, 95% confidence interval 1.03-1.94) when compared to day workers; their interaction terms were not statistically significant. For the remaining fatigue outcomes, no statistically significant main or interaction effects were found. Conclusion: After 2-week 12-hour night and swing shifts, only the course for sleep quality differed from that of day work. Sleep quality was poorer for night and swing shift workers on the $1^{st}$ day off and remained poorer for the 14-day follow-up. This showed that while working at night had no effect on feeling rested, tiredness, and energy levels, it had a relatively long-lasting effect on sleep quality.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.22 no.3 s.27
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• pp.355-367
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• 1989

This study examined the physical and mental health factors affecting the industrial accidents of 142 injured and 1,212 uninjured workers in the shipbuilding industry from 1986 to 1988. The results acquired from the Todai Health Index (THI) and from analysis of the health examination were as follows: 1. Among the personal characteristics of the workers, the educational level of injured workers was significantly lower than that of the uninjured workers. 2. Among the physical characteristics, vision and $R\ddot{o}hrer$ Index of the injured workers were lower than those of the uninjured workers, and the difference was statistically significant. On the other hand, the differences in height, weight, hearing function, hematocrit, blood pressure, urine test, and X-ray findings were not statistically significant between the injured and uninjured workers. 3. The score of the THI questionnaire on the physical and mental health of the injured workers was higher than that of the uninjured workers, and the difference was statistically significant. 4. Form the THI score, the industrial workers had complained more about mental health than physical health and there was a statistically singinficant relation with the industrial accidents. 5. The relative risk expressed in terms of the odds ratio was 2.9 for poorer vision, 2.7 for a lower educational level, 2.2 for a higher THI score and 1.6 for overdrinking. 6 Educational level, vision, and the THI score were selected as significant factors influencing industrial accidents based on a log-linear model. According to the results of this model by logistic analysis, the odds ratio of industrial accidents was 1.8 for a lower educational level, 1.7 for poorer vision, and 1.6 for a higher THI score. 7 By event history analysis with the dependent variable as the duration of work at the time of the industrial accident, educational level, age, $R\ddot{o}hrer$ Index and THI score were the statistically significant variables selected, and the hazard rate of industrial accident occurrence was 0.24 for a lower educational level, 0.92 for age, 0.99 for a lower $R\ddot{o}hrer$ Index and 2.72 for a higher THI score. As we have seen, educational level and THI score were the most significant factors affecting the hazard rate of industrial accidents. Vision, $R\ddot{o}hrer$ Index, age, and drinking behavior were also statistically significant variables influencing industrial accidents. Therefore, in order to prevent industrial accidents, it is necessary to establish a health management plan for industry which can objectively evaluate not only the physical but also the mental health of the workers. If we use this type of study as a prospective study design, we can determine the relative risk of physical and mental health factors on industrial accidents. Furthermore, it is expected that this type of study will provide workers at high risk with more precise basic data for a health managment plan for industrial accident prevention.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.249-251
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• 2016

Objectives: Nail salon owners in New York City (NYC) are required to provide their workers with gloves and it is their responsibility to maintain healthy, safe working spaces for their employees. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency with which nail salon workers wear protective gloves. Methods: A Freedom of Information Law request was submitted to New York Department of State's Division of Licensing Services for a full list of nail salons in Manhattan, NYC. A sample population of 800 nail salons was identified and a simple random sample (without replacement) of 30% (n=240) was selected using a random number generator. Researchers visited each nail salon from October to December of 2015, posing as a potential customer to determine if nail salon workers were wearing gloves. Results: Among the 169 salons in which one or more workers was observed providng services, a total of 562 workers were observed. For 149 salons, in which one or more worker was observed providing services, none of the workers were wearing gloves. In contrast, in six of the salons observed, in which one or more workers was providing services, all of the workers (1 in 2 sites, 2 in 1 site, 3 in 2 sites, and 4 in 1 site) were wearing gloves. Almost three-quarters of the total number of workers observed (n=415, 73.8%) were not wearing gloves. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that, despite recent media attention and legislation, the majority of nail salon workers we observed were not wearing protective gloves when providing services.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.146-157
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• 1993

The purpose of the study is to provide basic data on the public health management in the industrial work places, and some implications on the public health education related to workers self care capacity of their own health. To achieve this purpose a questionnaire was provided to 332 workers during February 11-28, 1993. This was do in Changwon-shi Geojeoi-kun, Chungmoo-shi, Jinjoo-shi, of Kyeongnam province. Through the analysis of the survey results, a relationship was deduced between worker's general characteristics and basic elements of health management in the work place. The main results of this study can be summarized as follows : 1. In the knowledge area special health screening received the highest score 3.18. While the educational program scored the lowest .85. In the Attitude area the highest score was achieved in the affirmative attitude to the time consumed by health checks (3.28). The lowest by the management of health checks(1.53). In the Practice area, participation in health checking is the most active (3.44) , and public health education is the least active (0.95). 2. The differences of knowledge by workers' general characteristics is statistically significant in the work sector (P<.05), age (P<.05), sex (p<.001), marital status (P<.001), and prior career(P<.01). But in Attitude general characteristics are not significant factors. In the Practice area, did have a statistical significance, work sector (p<.001), age (p<.001), sex (P<.05), marital status (p<.001) and work career (P<.001). 3. The total difference by workers' general characteristics has a statistical significance only in the case of marital status (P>05). The note of married workers is higher than that of single workers. 4. The correlation between any two of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice do have a statistical significance (p<.001).

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.287-294
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• 2023

Background: Fruit and vegetable market is an abundant source of bioaerosols. Exposure to organic and inorganic waste and long-term inhalation of bioaerosols during working hours leads to chronic respiratory symptoms. Hence, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms and related factors among fruit and vegetable workers compared with the control group in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods and materials: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from 2020 to 2021. Data were entered in EpiData 3.1 and exported to Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Logistic regressions were computed to depict the data and related factors. The culture method was done to count and compare bacterial and fungal concentrations between fruit and vegetable workers and office workers. Results: In this study, the prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms (PR = 2.87, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.772-4.66) was significantly higher among fruit and vegetable workers (46.7%) than controls (23.4%). Sex (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.12-3.98), educational status (AOR = 1.34, 95% CI = 0.78-2.32), working hours per day (AOR = 3.91, 95% CI = 1.586-9.65), and working department (AOR = 3.20, 95% CI = 0.90-11.40) were associated with chronic respiratory symptoms. Bacterial and fungal concentrations were significantly higher in the air of the vegetable market (276 colony-forming unit) than the air in the workplace of controls (7 colony-forming unit). Conclusion: The fruit and vegetable market workers (greengrocers) had a higher prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms relative to office workers. Respiratory protective devices should be given to deliver preventive measures.

• 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.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.232-235
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• 2018

Background: This study was conducted to investigate the heat stress and semen quality among male workers in a steel industry in Iran and investigate the relationship between heat stress indices and semen parameters. Methods: The study was conducted on workers exposed (n = 30) and unexposed (n = 14) to heat in a steel industry. After obtaining a brief biography of the selected employees, scrotal temperature, oral temperature, and environmental parameters were measured, and their semen samples were analyzed according to the procedure recommended by the World Health Organization. The heat stress indices, including wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) and predicted heat strain (PHS), in their workplace were calculated according to environmental parameters (ISO 7243:1989 and 7933:2004, respectively). Results: Time-weighted averages of WBGT and PHS ($35.76^{\circ}C$ and 491.56 $w/m^2{\frac{w}{m^2}}$, respectively) for the exposed group were higher than threshold limit values. The mean difference of environmental, physiological, and semen parameters (exception: pH of semen), and also WBGT and PHS indices were statistically significant (p < 0.05) between the two groups. Mean semen parameters were in the normozoospermic range. WBGT and PHS indices showed significantly "negative" correlation with physiological parameters (scrotal and oral temperature) and most semen parameters (semen volume, sperm morphology, sperm motility, sperm count; p < 0.05); moreover, the correlation of WBGT with these parameters was stronger than PHS. Conclusion: Semen parameters of the studied workers exposed to heat were in the borderline level of normozoospermic range, and their semen parameters were significantly lower than controls. For better assessment of occupational environment concerning physiological and semen parameters in steel industries, WBGT can be a more useful index.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.5-21
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine perceived needs for exercise programs among adults in the workforce based on sociodemographic characteristics and health-related behaviors. Methods: The sample consisted of 182 office workers, sales workers, and service workers recruited at a worksite in Seoul (97 males and 85 females, Mean age=34.6, SD=7.71). Study participants completed a structured questionnaire on health-related behaviors and areas of needs for exercise programs. Analysis of data was performed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Results: Workers with greater interest in exercise reported to engage in exercise. Significant differences were observed in goals of exercise, preferred exercise, preferred methods for delivery of exercise, preferred exercise monitoring, and social support for exercise maintenance according to age, sex, marital status, education, commuting time, occupation, alcohol use, smoking, and current participation in exercise. There were no differences in areas of exercise program needs by consumption of high calorie foods. Conclusion: Public health nurses can use these findings for development and implementation of tailored exercise programs to promote health for workers whose physical activity is insufficient.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.159-169
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• 2016

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the generating characteristics of VOCs and the exposure effect to chemicals among laundry workers and to identify the current status of occupational safety and health through health check-ups. Methods: During the six-month period from April to September 2015, this study quantitatively measured seven VOCs in ten laundries and carried out health examinations on 35 workers. Results: Comparing the monitoring results for the ten laundries, they were classified into three groups by ventilation system, dry-cleaning and size of shop. The average concentration of toluene, chlorobenzene, xylene, ethylbenzene, benzene, styrene and TCE were 23.9, 15.6, 5.5, 2.8, 0.9, 0.3 and $1.3{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. During dry-cleaning, VOC concentrations were 1.3-8.9 times higher than usual. On the other hand, at night the concentrations of toluene, chlorobenzene, xylene, ethylbenzene, benzene, styrene and TCE were 64.3, 41.5, 12.2, 6.3, 1.1, 1.2 and $6.6{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. The health checkup results for the 35 workers showed that 13 workers were diagnosed as normal, while 22 workers were diagnosed as requiring continuous monitoring or re-checkup of liver and hematogenous functions. Conclusions: Although the results of exposure evaluation to VOCs did not exceed reference value and items had a low correlation with health checkup items, it is necessary to improve indoor air quality due to VOC volatilization from clothes.