• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.101-109
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• 2015

SMRs (standardized mortality rates) for major diseases, accidents, cancer are considered in small areas of administrative units such as Eup/Myeon/Dong from years 2005 to 2008. Due to small sample issue in small areas, the precision of directly estimated crude SMR for each area can be low. In this study, we consider the HGLM (hierarchical generalized linear model) with MRF (Markov random field) to account for the spatial correlations among the small areas. The effects of covariates for cause of mortality by Dongs in Seoul and disease maps based on the estimated SMR are presented. The results suggest how we analyze and interpret the difference in mortalities by small areas such as Dongs by revealing the spatial patterns.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.255-260
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• 2022

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has demonstrated the importance of implementing strategic management that prioritizes the safety of frontline nurse professionals. In this sense, this research was aimed at identifying factors associated with the illness of nursing professionals caused by COVID-19 according to socio-demographic, clinical, and labor variables. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three Brazilian university hospitals with 859 nursing professionals, which include nurses, technicians, and nursing assistants, between November 2020 and February 2021. We present data using absolute and relative frequency. We used Chi-square test for hypothesis testing and multiple logistic regression for predictive analysis and chances of occurrence. Results: The rate of nursing professionals affected by COVID-19 was 41.8%, and the factors associated with contamination were the number of people in the same household with COVID-19 and obesity. Being a nurse was a protective factor when the entire nursing team was considered. The model is significant, and its variables represent 56.61% of the occurrence of COVID-19 in nursing professionals. Conclusion: Obesity and living in the same household as other people affected by COVID-19 increases the risk of contamination by this new coronavirus.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.141-152
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• 2023

Objective: We performed a meta-analysis of epidemiological results for the association between occupational exposure as a firefighter and cancer as part of the broader evidence synthesis work of the IARC Monographs program. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted to identify cohort studies of firefighters followed for cancer incidence and mortality. Studies were evaluated for the influence of key biases on results. Random-effects meta-analysis models were used to estimate the association between ever-employment and duration of employment as a firefighter and risk of 12 selected cancers. The impact of bias was explored in sensitivity analyses. Results: Among the 16 included cancer incidence studies, the estimated meta-rate ratio, 95% confidence interval (CI), and heterogeneity statistic (I²) for ever-employment as a career firefighter compared mostly to general populations were 1.58 (1.14-2.20, 8%) for mesothelioma, 1.16 (1.08-1.26, 0%) for bladder cancer, 1.21 (1.12-1.32, 81%) for prostate cancer, 1.37 (1.03-1.82, 56%) for testicular cancer, 1.19 (1.07-1.32, 37%) for colon cancer, 1.36 (1.15-1.62, 83%) for melanoma, 1.12 (1.01-1.25, 0%) for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, 1.28 (1.02-1.61, 40%) for thyroid cancer, and 1.09 (0.92-1.29, 55%) for kidney cancer. Ever-employment as a firefighter was not positively associated with lung, nervous system, or stomach cancer. Results for mesothelioma and bladder cancer exhibited low heterogeneity and were largely robust across sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: There is epidemiological evidence to support a causal relationship between occupational exposure as a firefighter and certain cancers. Challenges persist in the body of evidence related to the quality of exposure assessment, confounding, and medical surveillance bias.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.218-226
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• 2011

Objectives: Paraquat (PQ) is a widely used ionic pesticide that is fatal when ingested accidentally or for suicidal purposes. It is thought that chronic exposure of PQ is related with the development of Parkinson's disease, but epidemiological studies have not yet confirmed that theory. This study attempted to estimate the possibility of environmental PQ exposure through soil and water. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the amount of decomposed PQ solution in wet soil after exposure to ultraviolet light. An artificial rainfall condition was simulated over soil sprayed with PQ to measure the amount of eluted PQ. In addition, PQ was diluted in water from three differently rated rivers and the changes in PQ concentration were measured after ultraviolet exposure over one month. High performance liquid chromatography/ultra violet detection was used to analyze the concentrations of PQ. Results: In the method we used, the recovery rate of PQ showed a precision rate less than 5%, an accuracy greater than 88%, and the calibration equation was y=5538.8x-440.01($R^2$=0.9985). There were no significant differences in the concentrations of PQ obtained from the three specimens over a 1-week period. From the PQ-sprayed soil, the artificial rainfall conditions showed no PQ elution over a 1-month period, and there was no significant differences in PQ concentrations according to ultraviolet exposure among the three samples. Conclusions: PQ remains well adsorbed naturally in soil. However, it may still exist in an integrated state for a long time in the hydrosphere, so the possibility of PQ exposure through drinking water cannot be disqualified.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• 제29권3호
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• pp.184-191
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aims to compare the general characteristics, life-style, health examination results, and sick leave days by airmen medical examination decision and to investigate factors affecting sick leave days. Methods: We obtained data from 2,361 Korean pilots who worked for a commercial airline. Comparison of the results by airmen medical examination decision (Fit or waver) was conducted using the 𝝌² test or Fisher's exact test. Factors affecting sick leave days were analyzed using logistic regression. Results: Age, smoking history, blood pressure, obesity, and fasting blood sugar level were significantly different between the Fit and Waver groups. Rate of using sick leave long-term was higher in the Waver than in the Fit. Sick leave days were significantly associated with age, habits of drinking, and smoking in the Fit group. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the health risk factors that affect the number of sick leave days. By providing basic data for the health care of workers, it is expected to be applicable to the provision of health promotion and disease prevention programs for workers.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.61-68
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was conducted to analyze the annual trends and characteristics of work-related mental disorders including suicide among Korean workers. Methods: Employing the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) data collected by the Korea Worker's Compensation & Welfare Service, we analyzed total work-related mental disorders and suicide cases (n=455) claimed to IACI from 2008 to 2012. We paid a special attention to workers' socioeconomic status and occupational characteristics. Results: The number of injured workers and industrial accident rate decreased during the study period, whereas the case of work-related mental disorders showed significant increase. Mental disorders cases were more prevalent in workers who were male, aged the 40s, and engaged in finance, as well as with 1-5 years of working duration than their respective counterparts. Increasing trend of suicide cases was statistically significant by the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test (p=.002). Conclusion: This study suggests that work-related mental disorder management strategy and system should be established.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.431-437
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• 2023

Background: Depressive symptoms (DS) can erode physical and mental health; social support (SS) is considered a buffer for DS and a promoter for improving coping and recovery abilities. However, there is almost no research on the mediating role of negative coping (NC) in SS and DS, especially among firefighters. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among firefighters in Chongqing, China, and the valid data of 407 firefighters were collected through questionnaires distributed on the WeChat platform in 2020. Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) 26.0 is used for descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. Structural equation modeling was adopted to analyze the association among SS, NC, and DS. The mediation effect is also evaluated. Results: Firefighters' detection rate of DS is 23.3%, and when they receive more SS were less likely to develop DS. NC was positively correlated with DS (β = 0.54, p < 0.001) after controlling for SS. Besides, the results of structural equation modeling showed that NC partially mediates the relationship between SS and DS (standard error = 0.039, indirect effects = 0.109, 95% confidence interval: 0.047-0.200 p < 0.001). Conclusion: NC has a partial indirect effect between SS and DS among firefighters. SS could not only affect DS directly but also indirect work on it by affecting NC. This discovery will be a novel and meaningful part of the research on the firefighter population.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.161-181
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• 2011

In spite of the development of scientific and medical technology, the rate of prevalence and death of the chronic disease gets higher. Therefore people come to know prevention is more important than treatment in disease. In Western, it is nearly after 1970's when it is revealed that the major factor of chronic disease comes from habitual behaviors in everyday life. But that is common idea in Oriental Medicine since thousand years. In Oriental Medicine, the main cause of disease is composed of natural factor including climate condition, living-life factor, psycho-social factor, constitutional factor, inbody-pathologic-substance factor, and other factors including habits of using drug and medical service, injury, environmental pollutions, and occupational etiologic factors. Among these, the major factors of disease in modern society are lifestyle factors like the tendency of choosing and intaking food, the level of physical activity and labor, smoking and drinking alcohol, psychological tendency, the habits of using drug and medical service and so on. This is a practical aspect of oriental medicine where the most important etiologic factor comes from human behaviors, not from external factors like germ or virus. So that etiology in Oriental Medicine where improvement in the way of life is needed to prevent disease would play an important role in modern society.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.29-41
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• 2009

Objectives : This study was performed to compare consciousness of doctors on cooperative practices of western medicine and traditional Korean medicine, and to provide policy implication for development of cooperative practices. Methods : The structured questionnaires were mailed to 132 doctors working in non-cooperative practicing university hospital and 77 doctors working in cooperative practicing hospitals in Busan metropolitan city. The response rate was 40.2% and 40.3% respectively. This survey was performed from 10 Oct. 2008 to 31 Oct. 2008. Results : The doctors working in general hospital had comparatively negative consciousness on basic concept, value and necessity for cooperative practices and traditional Korean medicine. In regards with disease treatment's effectiveness of cooperative practices, both groups evaluated musculoskeletal and immune disease were more effective than others. There were positive relationships between perception for cost-effectiveness and consciousness on intention to participate cooperative practices(p<0.05). Also doctors who experienced traditional medicine treatment had positive consciousness on cooperative practices(p=0.05). Conclusions : To activate cooperative practices of western medicine and traditional Korean medicine, some efforts should be carried out. These include promoting cooperative education programs in medical schools and traditional Korean medical schools, doing research on cost-effectiveness of cooperative practices, and trying to minimize legal and systemic restrictions for cooperative practices.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.14-29
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• 2006

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to survey the extent of pain and discomfort in the musculoskeletal system among visiting housekeepers, above all concerning neck, shoulder, back, wrist, knee, and arm pain and to find possible relations between symptoms and various working conditions. Method: A questionnaire was answered by 174 woman visiting housekeepers living in Kyeonggi-do and Seoul from December 1, 2003 to February 30, 2004. The symptoms of musculoskeletal system were coded by the pain index which illustrates the extent of the symptoms, and analyzed in view of NIOSH guideline and Kim, et. al.'s notion. Result: 1. As to the complaint rate of subjective musculoskeletal symptoms by body region, the figure was the highest for shoulder with 78.2%, followed by back with 66.7%, knee 53.6%, neck 56.3%, wrist 40.2%, and arm 29.2%, respectively. The logistic analysis showed shoulder pain and arm pain have no relation with working and health conditions, and back pain was significantly related to current health condition. In same way, knee pain and wrist pain were found to be mainly related to marital status. 2. Following the NIOSH guideline, the positive rate of subjective musculoskeletal symptoms was found out in following order: shoulder 69.5%, back 59.2%, knee 54%, neck 46%, wrist 32.8%, and arm 25.3%. To investigate the main cause of each disease, the symptoms were classified by pain index, where the value of more than 3 comes to the NIOSH case, and analyzed in term of complaint rate using discrete logistical method : shoulder pain was highly related to the housekeeping time after work, back pain was to current health condition and the heavy weight carrying and neck, wrist, arm pain were commonly related to the ordinary health condition. For knee pain, working speed was a main cause. 3. In view of Kim et. al.'s standard, where the pain index is over 7, the positive rate was showed in order slightly different from previous analyses : shoulder 33.3%. knee 29.9%, back 28.2%, neck 17.2%, wrist 17.2%, and 16.7%. From the logistical analysis, insufficient rest was shown as the main cause of shoulder, back, arm and wrist pain. For neck pain, ordinary health condition was mainly related. In case of knee pain, any apparent relation is not found. Conclusion: According to the logistic regression analysis of musculoskeletal system, there was strong suggestion that the less insufficient physical rest, the more significant disorder complaint. This means that the most musculoskeletal symptom among the visiting housekeepers can be prevented and cured by sufficient physical resting.