BACKGROUND: The aims of the study are to investigate the present state of occupational health management (OHM) in small enterprises, to explore the related factors, and to provide the information for effective policy of OHM in those enterprises. METHODS: The study subjects were 155 small enterprises that had referred the measurement of workplace hazards to a hospital at the East Seoul, Korea. Self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted by Fax. The contents of the survey were present state of OHM and related factors. RESULTS: 1. The characteristics of OHM in charge were as follows; among the health manager (1) 81.9% had the high authority, (2) 63.2% could explain workplace hazard, (3) 52.9% had outside professional education, (4) 49.7% recognized the need for occupational health, and (5) 67.7% had pragmatic perspective on workers' health protection. 2. The occupational health activities that showed higher performance rate were as follows; periodic health examination (86.5%), measurement of workplace hazard (92.9%). The occupational health activities that showed lower performance rate were as follows; appointment of emergency hospital (26.5%), replacement health examination (18.1%), health education (30.0%), health promotion (23.3%), preparation of health statistics (14.8%), planning health management (9.7%) 3. As results of multiple logistic regression analysis, the factors associated with the higher activity of occupational health were longer duration(more than 5 years) of health manager in charge(OR=2.41), pragmatic perspective on workers' health protection (OR=3.79), experience of outside professional education (OR=2.40), repair of automobiles(OR=3.31), workplace that employed more than 10 workers (OR=4.02), history of workers' compensation (OR=8.05), employers' high concern (OR=4.61). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that interest of employers and appointment of suitable health manager in charge were important, and minimum regulations and the development of occupational health program integrated with promoting productivity are required to activate occupational health in small enterprise
Education, Professional ; Efficiency ; Emergencies ; Health Education ; Health Promotion ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Occupational Health ; Seoul ; Social Control, Formal ; Workers' Compensation ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: The aims of the study are to evaluate the effectiveness of a workplace smoking cessation program, and to investigate the role of the occupational characteristics for planning better smoking cessation program (SCP). METHOD: 258 workers' smoking statuses were surveyed. A follow up survey was conducted after 6 Month SCP including campaign, health education, provision of nicotine patches, and smoking cessation incentives. Theup rate was 89.2%. RESULTS: 1. Thesmoking rate was reduced from 67.4% (before SCP) to 45.3 %. The rates after SCP were different by the type of job and the status of employment. The participation rate of the office workers was 32.8%, and that of the technician was 55.6% (p<0.01). The rate of the regular workers was 59.4%, and that of the irregular workers was 36.8% (p<0.05). 2. Among of 174 smokers, 55.9% participated in SCP. According to the type of job and the job position, the participation rate was different. The rate of office workers was 69.9%, and that of the technician was 47.5% (p<0.01). Among the managerial personnel 86.4% participated in SCP, and amongthe plain workers, 52.5% (p<0.01). 3. In multivariate analysis, the smoking cessation rate was higher in office workers (OR=3.21), the group of lower job demand (OR=3.12), that of absence of family stress (OR=2.91), and that of lower perceived stress (OR=3.51). CONCLUSION: The SCP based on social-cognitive theory reduced smoking rate, but increased the difference of the smoking rates by the type of the job. These results suggest that the SCP using social-context model is important to establish the better strategy to stop the smokin
Education ; Employment ; Follow-Up Studies ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Motivation ; Multivariate Analysis ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation* ; Smoking* ; Tobacco Use Cessation Products

Homeroom teachers are not usually nutrition professionals, but they spend a lot of time with students in elementary school classrooms. This study was conducted to determine the association of homeroom teachers’ nutrition education with the dietary habits of their classroom children. The subjects were 131 homeroom teachers and their 1,102 children from 17 elementary schools in Gyeonggi, Korea. Self-administered questionnaires to collect information on dietary habits were conducted in December 2016. The dietary habits were determined with the adherences to the Dietary Guidelines for Adults and Children, respectively, by coding the better diet life with a higher score. The significances between groups according to teachers’ implementation of nutrition education (106 implemented, 25 not implemented) were analyzed by using SPSS at P＜0.05. Implementing nutrition education was not associated with the dietary habits of teachers themselves, but their students. Therefore, the students of teachers who implemented nutrition education had significantly higher adherence to 8 items out of 19 items (P＜0.05, P＜0.01). More of the students considered themselves as non-picky eaters (P＜0.05), tried to eat all the foods served at school lunch even when it contained unwanted ingredients (P＜0.01), and agreed on the need of nutrition education (P＜0.01), as compared to their counterparts. Conclusively, this study suggests that nutrition education delivered by homeroom teachers may be associated with more desirable dietary habits of students, even though homeroom teachers are not nutrition professionals. Therefore, efforts should be undertaken to develop and provide proper contents for homeroom teachers to use in nutrition education for elementary students.

Purpose: In this study, the researchers closely investigated the psychosocial problems faced by terminal cancer patients and their family members in hospice palliative care units. Methods: The investigators conducted four sessions of art therapy intervention programs for the terminal cancer patients and their family members, carried out in-depth interviews about the influence of the cancer experience on their family function and quality of life, and analyzed their experiences using grounded theory methodology. Results: After providing autonomous written informed consent, six pairs of terminally ill cancer patients and their family members, accounting for a total of 17 participants with the inclusion of additional family members who took part sporadically, took part in the art therapy intervention and interviews. The raw data, in the form of verbatim records, were analyzed according to the procedures of grounded theory (open, axial, and selective coding). Through these processes, a total of 154 concepts, 56 subcategories, and 13 categories were identified. Families were classified into four types according to their family function, quality of life, and attitude toward death. Though the art therapy intervention, patients and their family members experienced three stages over time. Conclusion This research focused on essential aspects of the family relationships and the art therapy experiences of terminal cancer patients and their family members through an art therapy intervention in the context of hospice palliative care. Based on these observations, the researchers constructed a theoretical rationale for art therapy interventions delivered to patients and their family members in the process of hospice palliative care.

Purpose: In this study, the researchers closely investigated the psychosocial problems faced by terminal cancer patients and their family members in hospice palliative care units. Methods: The investigators conducted four sessions of art therapy intervention programs for the terminal cancer patients and their family members, carried out in-depth interviews about the influence of the cancer experience on their family function and quality of life, and analyzed their experiences using grounded theory methodology. Results: After providing autonomous written informed consent, six pairs of terminally ill cancer patients and their family members, accounting for a total of 17 participants with the inclusion of additional family members who took part sporadically, took part in the art therapy intervention and interviews. The raw data, in the form of verbatim records, were analyzed according to the procedures of grounded theory (open, axial, and selective coding). Through these processes, a total of 154 concepts, 56 subcategories, and 13 categories were identified. Families were classified into four types according to their family function, quality of life, and attitude toward death. Though the art therapy intervention, patients and their family members experienced three stages over time. Conclusion This research focused on essential aspects of the family relationships and the art therapy experiences of terminal cancer patients and their family members through an art therapy intervention in the context of hospice palliative care. Based on these observations, the researchers constructed a theoretical rationale for art therapy interventions delivered to patients and their family members in the process of hospice palliative care.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study was carried out to investigate a suspected high prevalence of WRUEMSD (Work related upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders) in the visual display terminal (VDT) operators of a major telecommunication company in Seoul, Korea. METHOD: The severity of the disorders was assessed by both medical screening examination and questionnaires. All the operators involved in the study were using VDT. A self-administered questionnaire, designed to obtain demographic information, individual factors, and musculoskeletal symptoms of the various body parts was distributed to participating operators. RESULTS: A total of 888 female directory assistance operators (average age 39.7+/-4.6 years old) working at three companies participated in the study. The task was machinepaced, as customer calls were routed to available operators by computer. The number of the workers requiring treatment when symptoms aggravated was 384 (43.2%), and that of the workers needing treatment was 173 (19.5%). WRUEMSD of neck was associated with working during rest time (Odds ratio=1.59), partial finger users (OR=1.87), and that of hand/wrist was associated with adjustability of the height of the chair. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of WRUEMSD in the VDU operators of the a major telecommunication company was high. Current issues and suggestions for future ergonomic studies are addressed.
Female ; Fingers ; Human Body ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mass Screening ; Neck ; Prevalence ; Seoul* ; Telecommunications* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: The number of migrant workers, especially undocumented, has been increasing in Korea since late 1997. This study was conducted to evaluate the health status of those in Korea. METHODS: In June to November 2000, general health examinations and medical check-up were provided freely to undocumented migrant workers in Gyeonggi province. Total 580 migrant workers participated in this examination. RESULTS: 1. The number of examinee with abnormal results was 176 (30.3%), and hypertension (29.2%), abnormal liver function (13.4%) and abnormal chest X-ray finding (4.3%). 2. The prevalence rate of symptom is 77.2% and the most common symptom was back pain, followed by epigastric pain and joint pain. 3. The frequency of clinical diagnosis classified by physician was most common in hypertension (29.2%), followed by low back sprain/strain (7.4%), gastritis or peptic ulcer (7.4%), myofascial pain syndrome (6.4%). 4. The frequency of abnormal results in undocumented migrant workers was, compared with documented migrant industrial trainees significantly higher in HIV-Ab (+), hypertension and anemia, and compared with domestic workers, higher in hypertension, anemia and pulmonary disease. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that when compared with domestic workers, the number of undocumented migrant workers with abnormal results was not significantly higher, except for hypertension, anemia and pulmonary disease. But measures for infectious disease (including AIDS) transmission and development of work-related or chronic diseases by poor working condition and increased length of stay must be considered, including health management system such as periodical health examination.
Anemia ; Arthralgia ; Back Pain ; Chronic Disease ; Communicable Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Gastritis ; Gyeonggi-do* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Length of Stay ; Liver ; Lung Diseases ; Myofascial Pain Syndromes ; Peptic Ulcer ; Prevalence ; Thorax ; Transients and Migrants*

Deep neck infection is a surgical emergency that can result in life threatening complications such as airway obstruction, aspiration, thrombosis of major vessels and mediastinitis by spread of infection along fascial planes. Although appropriate surgical intervention and prompt antibiotics are given, revision surgeries are often required. We report a patient with mediastinal abscess caused by a deep neck infection that was initially intractable with usual surgical drainage but was eventually successfully treated with the modified application of a vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) device (InfoV.A.C. Therapy Unit; Kinetic Concept Inc., USA). We inserted silastic drain tubes into paratracheal area. It was difficult to pack the VAC foams, so they were prone to fail, with complete debridement. With modified VAC therapy assisted by silastic drain tube, the deeply located mediastinal abscess that had been unresponsive to conventional surgical drainage was successfully treated.
Abscess* ; Airway Obstruction ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Debridement ; Drainage ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Mediastinitis ; Neck* ; Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy* ; Retropharyngeal Abscess ; Thrombosis

With the increase in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, the incidence of syphilis also increased worldwide presenting with diverse clinical manifestations. We experienced a case of symptomatic early neurosyphilis manifesting as optic neuritis and trochlear nerve palsy with typical skin lesions of secondary syphilis in an HIV-Infected patient. Intravenous penicillin and oral steroid were administered for 2 weeks. Skin lesions improved after a week, and ocular lesions resolved completely after eight weeks of treatment.
HIV ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Neurosyphilis ; Optic Neuritis ; Penicillins ; Skin ; Syphilis ; Trochlear Nerve ; Trochlear Nerve Diseases

Background: There is a correlation between the severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) viral load and disease severity; however, measurement of viral load is difficult in general laboratory and it takes time to obtain a viral load value. Here, the laboratory parameters for predicting the dynamic changes in SFTS viral load were identified.In addition, we tried to evaluate a specific time point for the early determination of clinical deterioration using dynamic change of laboratory parameters. Materials and Methods: This observational study included SFTS patients in Korea (2013 - 2020). Cross-correlation analysis at lagged values was used to determine the temporal correlation between the SFTS viral loads and time-series variables. Fifty-eight SFTS patients were included in the non-severe group (NSG) and 11 in the severe group (SG). Results: In the cross-sectional analyses, 10 parameters -white blood cell, absolute neutrophil cell, lymphocyte, platelet, activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), C-reactive protein, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and creatine phosphokinase (CPK)- were assessed within 30 days from the onset of symptoms; they exhibited three different correlation patterns: (1) positive, (2) positive with a time lag, and (3) negative. A prediction score system was developed for predicting SFTS fatality based on age and six laboratory variables -platelet, aPTT, AST, ALT, LDH, and CPKin 5 days after the onset of symptoms; this scoring system had 87.5% sensitivity and 86.0% specificity (95% confidence interval: 0.831 - 1.00, P <0.001). Conclusion Three types of correlation patterns between the dynamic changes in SFTS viral load and laboratory parameters were identified. The dynamic changes in the viral load could be predicted using the dynamic changes in these variables, which can be particularly helpful in clinical settings where viral load tests cannot be performed. Also, the proposed scoring system could provide timely treatment to critical patients by rapidly assessing their clinical course.