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Park M, Nari F, Jeong W, Park EC, Jang SI. Association between occupational noise and vibration and anxiety in the South Korean working population: a cross-sectional study. J Occup Med Toxicol 2022; 17:1. [PMID: 34980168 PMCID: PMC8722121 DOI: 10.1186/s12995-021-00344-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although occupational exposure to noise and vibration is common, its effect on psychological wellbeing is poorly understood. This study investigated the relationship between occupational exposure to noise and vibration and anxiety among Korean workers. METHODS Data from the 5th Korean Working Conditions Survey, conducted in 2017, were used. Participants were classified into four groups according to their level of exposure, and anxiety was assessed using a self-report questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the significance of the association between exposure and anxiety. RESULTS Overall, 45,241 participants were enrolled in this study. The likelihood of anxiety increased, in both males and females, when exposed to both occupational noise and vibration (males: odds ratio (OR) = 2.25, confidence interval [CI] = 1.77-2.87; females: OR = 2.17, CI = 1.79-2.61). The association between the varying degrees of noise, vibration, and combined exposure showed a dose-response relationship among males. CONCLUSIONS This study revealed that occupational noise and vibration exposure is associated with anxiety. These results suggest that more detailed regulations regarding occupational noise and vibration should be developed and implemented to ensure a safer environment for workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minah Park
- Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Fatima Nari
- Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Wonjeong Jeong
- Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Cheol Park
- Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-In Jang
- Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
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Lee Y, Lee J, Kim U, Han E, Ham S, Choi W, Kang S, Lee W. Analysis of self-reported mental health problems among the self-employed compared with paid workers in the Republic of Korea. Ann Occup Environ Med 2022; 34:e8. [PMID: 35620063 PMCID: PMC9125336 DOI: 10.35371/aoem.2022.34.e8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Methods Results Conclusions
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Lee C, Park S. Changing Factors of Employee Satisfaction with Working Conditions: An Analysis of the Korean Working Conditions Survey. Saf Health Work 2021; 12:324-338. [PMID: 34527393 PMCID: PMC8431283 DOI: 10.1016/j.shaw.2021.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background We hypothesized that the growing demand of Korean workers for work–life balance would change the factors influencing job satisfaction. We sought to verify our hypothesis by conducting a conjoint analysis based on the Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS). Methods We analyzed the raw data of the KWCS, conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute from 2006 to 2017. To complete the analysis, we counted on a conjoint model of analysis, typically used in the analysis of customer satisfaction. The dependent variable was the satisfaction of workers with their working conditions, and the independent variables were the job quality indicators identified by Eurofound. Results The factors that have the greatest impact on working conditions satisfaction are summarized as follows: “physical environment” for the first wave, “adverse social behavior” for the second wave, “occupational status” for the third and fourth waves, and “management quality” for the fifth wave. “Earnings” were not a major factor in determining employee job satisfaction, and the relative importance index is decreasing. Conclusion According to the results of the analysis of the tendencies of Korean workers, the factors that affect the satisfaction with the working conditions have changed over time. It is crucial to identify factors that affect working conditions to assure the health and productivity of workers. The results of this study demonstrate that policymakers and employers are required to attentively consider human relations and social environment at work to improve working conditions in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changhun Lee
- Policy Research Department, Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunyoung Park
- Policy Research Department, Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
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Hanson GC, Rameshbabu A, Bodner TE, Hammer LB, Rohlman DS, Olson R, Wipfli B, Kuehl K, Perrin NA, Alley L, Schue A, Thompson SV, Parish M. A Comparison of Safety, Health, and Well-Being Risk Factors Across Five Occupational Samples. Front Public Health 2021; 9:614725. [PMID: 33614583 PMCID: PMC7892612 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.614725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to present safety, health and well-being profiles of workers within five occupations: call center work (N = 139), corrections (N = 85), construction (N = 348), homecare (N = 149), and parks and recreation (N = 178). Methods: Baseline data from the Data Repository of Oregon's Healthy Workforce Center were used. Measures were compared with clinical healthcare guidelines and national norms. Results: The prevalence of health and safety risks for adults was as follows: overweight (83.2%), high blood pressure (16.4%), injury causing lost work (9.9%), and reported pain (47.0%). Young workers were least likely to report adequate sleep (46.6%). Construction workers reported the highest rate of smoking (20.7%). All of the adult workers reported significantly lower general health than the general population. Conclusion: The number of workers experiencing poor safety, health and well-being outcomes suggest the need for improved working conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ginger C. Hanson
- School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Anjali Rameshbabu
- Oregon Healthy Workforce Center, Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Todd E. Bodner
- OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, Portland State University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Leslie B. Hammer
- Oregon Healthy Workforce Center, Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Diane S. Rohlman
- Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Ryan Olson
- Oregon Healthy Workforce Center, Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Brad Wipfli
- OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, Portland State University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Kerry Kuehl
- School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Nancy A. Perrin
- School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Lindsey Alley
- Oregon Healthy Workforce Center, Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Allison Schue
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Lebanon, OR, United States
| | - Sharon V. Thompson
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study examined the relationship between long working hours, rest breaks, and work-related injuries. METHODS A total of 25,439 employees were examined from the 4th Korean Working Conditions Survey. Rest breaks were divided into two groups and working hours were divided into four groups. Multiple logistic regression was conducted to estimate the relationship between long working hours, rest breaks, and work-related injuries. RESULTS Work-related injuries were significantly associated with long working hours. Stratified by rest breaks, the risk of work-related injuries increased with increasing working hours in a dose-response pattern among those with insufficient rest breaks, while the risk was not significant among those with sufficient rest breaks. CONCLUSION It is important to provide sufficient rest breaks to prevent work-related injuries among workers with long working hours.
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Kim H, Min J, Min K. Physical and mental health problems of self-employed small business owners in South Korea. Am J Ind Med 2019; 62:783-790. [PMID: 31328810 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.23023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Self-employed business owners in Korea make up one-quarter of the working population, and half of those who are self-employed are in micro and small businesses. Compared to the significant research interest in business management and economics, to date, there has been little interest in the health of small business owners. We investigated the health status of self-employed small business owners compared to standard workers. METHODS The third Korean Working Conditions Survey, which included a total of 32 630 adults aged 20 to 59 years, was analyzed. A small business was defined as an enterprise with between 0 and 4 workers. Standard employment included full-time employment with a permanent or 1-year contract. Health outcomes included eight types of physical health and mental health problems assessed using the WHO-5 Wellbeing Index. RESULTS Small business groups were found to have an increased prevalence of depression after controlling for all potential covariates (odds ratio [OR] = 1.37; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.29-1.47). In addition, the prevalence of work-related physical health problems was significantly higher among self-employed small business owners in a full adjusted model: backache (OR = 1.16; 95% CI, 1.06-1.26), muscular pains in upper limbs (OR = 1.19; 95% CI, 1.12-1.27), and muscular pains in lower limbs (OR = 1.14; 95% CI, 1.07-1.22). CONCLUSION We found a positive association between small business entrepreneurs and increased prevalence of mental and physical illness in adults in the Republic of Korea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye‐Jin Kim
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of MedicineSeoul National University Seoul Republic of Korea
| | - Jin‐Young Min
- Institute of Health and EnvironmentSeoul National University Seoul Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung‐Bok Min
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of MedicineSeoul National University Seoul Republic of Korea
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Lee W, Lee S, Kim J, Kim J, Kim YK, Kim K, Won JU, Roh J, Yoon JH. Relationship Between Exposure to Second-Hand Smoke in the Workplace and Occupational Injury in the Republic of Korea. Ann Work Expo Health 2017; 62:41-52. [PMID: 29267948 DOI: 10.1093/annweh/wxx089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Most studies in the field of smoking exposure in the workplace linked to occupational safety have only focused on active smoking. Few studies have reported that exposure to second-hand smoke in the workplace is a possible factor increasing the risk of occupational injury without considering occupational characteristics. The aim of this study was to determine the association between occupational injury and level of exposure to second-hand smoke at the workplace among Korean workers, after taking into account occupational characteristics. Method Using data from the third Korean Working Conditions Survey, levels of exposure to second-hand smoke were categorized as none, moderate, and high. We investigated the influence of exposure to second-hand smoke on occupational injury using logistic regression analysis with stratification by sex, smoking status, smoke-free policy in the workplace, and occupational characteristics. Occupational characteristics (occupational classification, working schedule, length of working day, and co-exposure to occupational hazards in the workplace) were stratified and analyzed using logistic regression models to estimate the risk of occupational injury linked to exposure to second-hand smoke. Results Among all participants, there was a significant dose-dependent association between risk of occupational injury and level of exposure level to second-hand smoke. After stratification by sex and smoking status, there was a significant association between risk of occupational injury and exposure level to second-hand smoke. Moreover, there was a significant relationship between exposure to second-hand smoke in the workplace and occupational injury, depending on the smoking-free policy at workplace (odds ratio [OR] in completely non-smoking workplace, 4.23; OR in non-smoking workplace with separate smoking area, 2.98; OR in smoking workplace 2.84). Additionally, there was a significant relationship between risk of occupational injury and exposure to second-hand smoke after stratification by occupational classification, working schedule, long working hours, and co-exposure to hazards in the workplace. Discussion There was a dose-response relationship between occupational injury and exposure to second-hand smoke, even after stratification to reduce the impact of various potential confounders and after taking into account occupational characteristics. These findings provide greater insight into the effects of exposure to second-hand smoke on the working population and may direct further research and policy-making in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanhyung Lee
- The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Incheon Worker's Health Center, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seunghyun Lee
- The First Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Jeonghoon Kim
- Department of Environmental Health Research, Seoul Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Environmental Health, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihyun Kim
- The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Incheon Worker's Health Center, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeong-Kwang Kim
- The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Incheon Worker's Health Center, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoosang Kim
- Department of Environmental Health Research, Seoul Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Occupational Environmental Medicine, Seoul Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Uk Won
- The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Incheon Worker's Health Center, Incheon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaehoon Roh
- The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Incheon Worker's Health Center, Incheon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Ha Yoon
- The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Incheon Worker's Health Center, Incheon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Lee N, Sung H, Kim JH, Punnett L, Kim SS. Perceived discrimination and low back pain among 28,532 workers in South Korea: Effect modification by labor union status. Soc Sci Med 2017; 177:198-204. [DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.01.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2016] [Revised: 12/27/2016] [Accepted: 01/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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