• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.91-100
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• 2007

The purposes of this research are to survey work-related risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs) in various departments and tasks at general hospitals in non-manufacturing sectors, and to use basic data derived from the survey results in preventing work-related MSDs in hospital workers. Investigation started in March of 2006 and continued for 6 months in 220 general hospitals at Seoul, Incheon, Kyeongi, and Kangwon area. Investigators visited and interviewed workers in hospitals to identify the presence of tasks of musculoskeletal burden, the investigation results of ergonomic risk factors required by the Occupational Safety and Health Law, statistical analysis from questionnaire for musculoskeletal symptoms, and major departments and tasks that have such risk factors. Twenty-seven percents of hospitals finished the investigation of ergonomic risk factors, and 69% did not do the investigation while remained 4% did not have such factors in their hospitals. The rank order of major departments that had such musculoskeletal burdens was kitchen rooms of 143, managing departments/computer rooms/dispensaries of 137, physical treatment rooms of 109, nursing departments of 96, radiological and clinical laboratories of 63. Eighteen hospitals that did not hold legal duties by the section 148 of labor minister decree practiced prevention programs of MSDs according to the labor-management cooperation. Nursing departments ranked in the first place for the numbers of musculoskeletal symptoms of 438. Managing departments/computer rooms/dispensaries, kitchen rooms, and medical treatment departments held 127, 52 and 45 symptoms, respectively. The magnitude order of physical symptom areas followed shoulder of 185, backs and waist of 166, hand wrists of 120, necks of 110, and legs/feet of 106. The departments and jobs that had major work-related ergonomic risks were patient transporting, central supplying, patient nursing (moving patients into wheel-chairs, changing of patient posture and sheet alteration), manual transporting, operation, and managing/computer departments.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.28-40
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of the study >was to examine the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs) and to identify the relationship between work-related psychosocial and acculturative factors and WMSDs among Korean-Chinese workers living in Korea. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 195 Korean-Chinese workers who have worked full-time for the past 6 months. A structured questionnaire, including measures for musculoskeletal symptoms, physical demand, work-related psychosocial(job demand, job control, interpersonal conflict), acculturative (acculturation strategy and acculturative stress), and personal factors, was used. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were conducted using the SPSS WIN 17.0. Results: The prevalence of WMSDs was 64.1%. In comparison to Korean workers, job demand of this group was lower while both interpersonal conflict and lack of job control were higher among them. Integration was the most commonly used acculturation strategy and mean scores of acculturative stress were below the median. Acculturative stress was positively correlated with integration and assimilation while negatively correlated with separation and marginalization. Interpersonal conflict and integration appeared to be related to WMSDs among male and female Korean-Chinese workers, respectively. Conclusion: The WMSD interventions need to be planned in consideration of different influences of work-related psychosocial and acculturative factors on WMSDs by gender.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.1928-1936
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• 2015

This study is to identify the related factors of musculoskeletal symptoms in university hospital workers. The subjects were 313 workers who were working at a university hospital. The data was analyzed by descriptive statistics, logistic regretion using the SPSS/PC 21.0 program. The results showed that 201 respondents(64.2%) had musculoskelectal pain. According to a survey of musculoskeletal pain in body parts, the shoulder was the most common region; 37% of the health-workers(116 respondents). Musculoskeletal pain are more common in health-workers under 35 years old or work more than 6 years, or have more physical burden. In conclusion, health-workers need more active health care such as planning a preventive activity and stretching during work in order to prevent the deterioration of musculoskeletal symptoms into diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.69-85
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms (MSSs) and their correlation with subjective health condition (SHC) among emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was disseminated to EMTs (N=257) at emergency medical institutions and fire stations. Results: The prevalence of MSSs was very high in the studied EMTs: 88.3% reported having MSSs. The most commonly affected site was the lower back (73.9%) followed by the neck (56.8%) and the shoulder (55.6%). MSSs were more common in women than in men, and its frequency increased with age. MSSs in the neck and shoulder were more increased in EMTs with < 1 year of service. MSSs in the hand / wrist / finger or leg / foot were significantly increased in EMTs of emergency medical institutions than those of fire stations. Job satisfaction was significantly lower in those with MSSs of the lower back. The subjective heath condition was decreased with age, marriage, or smoking. There was significant corelation between MSSs and SHC. Conclusion: This study suggests that MSSs are a reasonably common problem for EMTs, and that solutions need to be imposed such as some actual tasks or items related to work postures, work control, and work organization.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.571-579
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• 2011

Objective: The purpose of this research is to provide exercise programs for the prevention of work related chronic back pain. Background: In order to prevent musculoskeletal disease, including proper medical care health promotion programs are needed. Method: This is a research of musculoskeletal disease looking at 618 workers working at a car engine manufacturing factory from April to July of 2008. Through questionnaire specific areas of musculoskeletal diseases experienced by the workers were identified and preventative exercise program for chronic low back pain was recommended. Result: Research showed that of the musculoskeletal disease experienced by the workers, 197 presented with low back pain, 171 presented with shoulder pain, 64 presented with neck pain and 44 presented with knee pain. The symptoms of low back pain included stiffness(143), twinge and burning sensation(24) and absence of sensation(19). Using this result 4 types of exercise programs were recommended for prevention of chronic low back pain. Conclusion: Preventative exercise programs recommended for the workers in this research is easily accessible for the workers. Use of the suggested exercise programs will inevitably decrease work related low back pain. Also 2 other recommendations were made: 1) Internal structural change may be necessary using ergonomics. 2) More exercise programs to be used to increase adaptation and tolerance of joints and muscles that are constantly used for repetitive work. Application: This study can be used to provide for the prevention of work-related Chronic Low Back pain.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.685-693
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• 2012

Objectives : This research was conducted to find the subjective symptoms of musculoskeletal system for main jobs and job posture. Methods : A survey was conducted from September 15, 2011 to October 7, 2011 and 357 dental hygienists were responded. The survey was consisted of the working environment and medical equipments, psycho-social characteristics, health habits and education, job posture, subjective symptoms of musculoskeletal system pain, and so on. Results : In the survey on the frequency of job posture of dental hygienists by jobs, said they cast down or tilt their head by 15 degrees or more or twist or bend their back. The result of the analysis on the subjective symptoms of musculoskeletal system by main job showed that they experienced a pain in neck, shoulder, and back, although the order differed. The order of subjective symptoms of musculoskeletal system for casting down or turning head by 15 degrees or more, twisting or bending back, having shoulders not parallel to the ground, sitting at the end of a chair, and supporting the whole body with one leg or pressing on a pedal for treatment was from the shoulders to the neck to the back. The order of subjective symptoms of musculoskeletal system for having arms too far from the body or hunching for treatment and bending wrists inward or outward for treatment was from the shoulders to the back to the neck. Conclusions : Due to the characteristics of the job which requires one to have a proper view of a patient's oral cavity, most of the postures included casting down of head or bending of back. Therefore a development of new postures is needed to replace the existing job postures which pressure the musculoskeletal system. And shift rotation can be used as a preventive measure.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.6627-6640
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• 2015

This study was performed to determine the complaint rates of musculoskeletal symptoms and its association with related factors among manufacturing workers. The self-administered questionnaires were given to 856 male with 50 or less employees in manufacturing industries. As a results, complaint rates of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms of the body sites was 61.2% for shoulders, 55.4% for low back, 55.3% for neck, 38.6%, for legs/feet, 32.2% for hands/wrists/fingers and 26.9% for arms/elbows. In logistic regression analysis of significant factors related with musculoskeletal symptoms of body sites, neck was related with marital status, subjective health status, smoking, drinking coffee and occupational stress, shoulders was related with job tenure, shift work, visiting out-patient department and occupational stress, arms/elbows was related with sleeping time, experience of sick absence and occupational stress, hands/wrists/fingers was related with age, smoking, drinking coffee, working hour, job position, job tenure, visiting out-patient department and occupational stress, low back was related with educational level, BMI, sleeping time, job position, job tenure, visiting out-patient department and occupational stress and legs/feet was related with marital status, job position, job tenure, history of hospitalization and occupational stress.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.205-212
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• 2010

Objectives: The prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms (WMS) among Korean dairy farmers has not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of WMS and to evaluate the relationship between WMS and risk factors. Methods: Self-developed questionnaires including the questionnaire developed by the Korean Occupational Safety and Health agency (KOSHA) were used to investigate WMS among dairy farmers in Gyeonggi Province, Korea. We informed selected dairy farmers about the study and sent the questionnaires by registered mail. They visited a public health center nearby or a branch of public health center on the appointed date and skillful researchers identified or conducted the questionnaires by interview. We analyzed 598 (32.8%) of the 1824 dairy farmers. Multiple logistic regression was implemented to estimate the odds ratios of risk factors. Results: The mean age of the respondents was $50.4{\pm}8.7$ years and the proportion of males was 63.0%. The prevalence of WMS at any site was 33.3%. The prevalence of neck WMS was 2.2%, shoulders 10.0%, arms/elbows 5.0%, hands/wrists/fingers 4.2%, low back 11.5%, and legs/feet 11.7%. The adjusted odds ratio of low back WMS for milking 4 or more hours per day was 4.231 (95% Cl = 1.124 - 15.932) and statistically significant. Low back WMS (2.827, 95% Cl = 1.545 - 5.174) was significantly decreased by education. Conclusions: Low back WMS increased with milking hours and milking 4 or more hours per day was significantly associated with low back WMS. Low back WMS was significantly reduced with education. We hope that there will be increased attention about WMS in dairy farmers and the subject of future investigations.

• Journal of the Korean Society for information Management
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.411-429
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• 2024

This study aims to identify the symptoms and related factors of musculoskeletal disorders among teacher librarians, with the goal of raising awareness about their health and safety, and providing foundational data for the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders. An online survey was conducted with teacher librarians working in elementary, middle, and high school libraries, and data were analyzed based on responses from 204 participants. The survey provided by KOSHA was utilized to identify the musculoskeletal disorder symptoms and the collected data were analyzed using the SPSS 29.0 program. Of the 204 librarian teachers, 92.6% have experienced symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders such as pain, soreness, and tingling in relation to their work over the past year. Additionally, 20.6% were classified as normal, 44.1% as requiring management, and 35.3% as reporting pain. By body part, the highest incidence was reported in the hands·wrists·fingers, followed by the lower back, shoulders, neck, arms·elbows, and legs·feet.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.169-178
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• 2015

This study implemented a health support network project to improve the quality of life of women with musculoskeletal disorders. These activities were intended to analyze the effects of the impact on the quality of life of women with musculoskeletal diseases, continuing to base their future needs for materials and practice so as to provide a method for this purpose. On August 19, 2013 through December, a survey of 320 people living in Seoul included 31 women with symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders. Another, 16 weeks led to a total of 127 people with housewives screened as a subjects for social support networks projects. After the research, the health support network project was implemented, and most musculoskeletal pain was reduced, depression levels were reduced, and a quality improvement was noted in health-related life activities. In particular, mental- health-related quality of life was found to increased. As incidental factors that may cause musculoskeletal disorders, marital status, living with family, low income, and a high depression index were related to low health-related quality of life. Future studies can support continued health at the local business community level rather than with smaller samples. This work can also be supported by follow-up studies to evaluate the effectiveness of program.