OBJECTIVETo take intervention measures for health promotion after investigation of occupational health needs among employees, to analyze the economic input and output of the intervention measures, and to analyze the feasibility of health promotion through cost-effectiveness analysis and cost-benefit analysis.

METHODSA survey was conducted in an enterprise using a self-designed questionnaire to investigate the general information on enterprise, occupational history of each employee, awareness of occupational health knowledge, awareness of general health knowledge, awareness of hypertension, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, etc., lifestyle, and needs for health knowledge. Intervention measures were taken in the enterprise according to the investigation results, and then investigation and economic analysis of investment in health promotion, economic benefit, and absence of employees were performed using the questionnaire.

RESULTSAfter intervention, the awareness rate of the Code of Occupational Disease Prevention increased from 4.5% to 15.3%, the awareness rate of the definition of occupational diseases increased from 4.5% to 73.5%, and the awareness rate of the prevention and control measures for occupational diseases increased from 38.4% to 85.8%. Before intervention, 25.4%of all employees thought salt intake needed to be reduced, and this proportion increased to 92.5% after intervention. After the control strategy for health promotion, the benefit of health promotion that results from avoiding absence of employees and preventing occupational diseases was more than ten times the investment in health promotion, suggesting a significant benefit of health promotion conducted in the enterprise.

CONCLUSIONThe return on health promotion's investment for enterprise is worth. Health promotion really not just contribute to improve hygienic knowledge but increase the economic benefit.

Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Health Promotion ; economics ; Occupational Health Services ; economics ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Workplace

Worksite smoking cessation programs offer accessibility of the target population, availability of occupational health support, and the potential for peer pressure and peer support. The purpose of this study was to identify the efficacy of the financial incentives given to various teams in the workplace. St. Paul's Hospital's employees were enrolled. Each team of employees consisted of smoking participants and non-smoking fellow workers from the same department. The financial incentive of 50000 won (about $45) was rewarded to the team for each successful participant-not to individual members-after the first week and then after one month. If the smokers in the team remained abstinent for a longer time period, the team was given an incentive of 100000 won for each successful participant after 3 and 6 months. A total 28 smoking participants and 6 teams were enrolled. Self-reported abstinence rates validated by urinary cotinine test at 3, 6, and 12 months after the initial cessation were 61%, 54%, and 50%, respectively. Smokers with high nicotine dependence scores or those who began participation 1 month after enrollment initiation had a lower abstinence rate at 3 months, but not at 6 and 12 months. Participants who succeeded at smoking cessation at 12 months were more likely to be older and have a longer smoking duration history. The financial incentives given to teams could be promising and effective to improve long-term rates of smoking cessation. This approach could use peer pressure and peer support in the workplace over a longer period.
Adult ; Demography ; Female ; Health Promotion/*economics ; Humans ; Male ; *Motivation ; Program Evaluation/*methods ; Smoking Cessation/*economics ; Treatment Outcome ; *Workplace

Korea has industrialized since the 1970s. Pneumoconiosis in coal miners was the most common occupational disease in the 1970s to 1980s. With the industrialization, the use of many chemicals have increased since the 1970s. As a consequence, there were outbreaks of occupational diseases caused by poisonous chemicals, such as heavy metal poisoning, solvent poisoning and occupational asthma in the late 1980s and early 1990s with civil movement for democracy. Many actions have been taken for prevention by the government, employers and employees or unions. In the 1990s most chemical related diseases and pneumoconiosis have rapidly decreased due to improving work environment. In the late 1990s, cerebro-cardiovascular diseases related to job stress or work overloads have abruptly increased especially after the economic crisis in 1998. After the year 2000, musculoskeletal disorders became a major problem especially in assembly lines in the manufacturing industry and they were expanded to the service industry. Mental diseases related to job stress have increased. Infectious diseases increased in health care workers and afforestation workers. Occupational cancers are increasing because of their long latency, although the use of carcinogenic substances are reduced, limited, and even banned.
Coal Mining ; Employment ; Humans ; Industry ; *Occupational Diseases/economics/epidemiology/psychology ; Occupational Health ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Stress, Psychological/economics/epidemiology/psychology ; Workplace/economics/psychology

PURPOSE: To analyze the structure of Korean nurse labor market and examine its effect on hospital nurse staffing. METHODS: Secondary data were obtained from Statistics Korea, Education Statistics, and Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service and Patient Survey. Intensity of monopsony in the nurse labor market was measured by Herfindahl Hirshman Index (HHI). Hospital nurse staffing level was divided into high and low. While controlling for confounding factors such as inpatient days and severity mix of patients, effects of characteristics of nurse labor markets on nurse staffing levels were examined using multi-level logistic regressions. RESULTS: For characteristics of nurse labor markets, metropolitan areas had high intensity of monopsony, while the capital area had competitive labor market and the unemployed nurse rate was higher than other areas. Among hospital characteristics, bed occupancy rate was significantly associated with nurse staffing levels. Among characteristics of nurse labor markets, the effect of HHI was indeterminable. CONCLUSION: The Korean nurse labor market has different structure between the capital and other metropolitan areas. But the effect of the structure of nurse labor market on nurse staffing levels is indeterminable. Characteristics such as occupancy rate and number of beds are significantly associated with nurse staffing levels. Further study in support of the effect of nurse labor market is needed.
Hospitals ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Nursing Staff, Hospital/economics/*supply & distribution ; Workplace

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine health problems and to estimate economic impact based on health problems of workers. METHODS: The subjects of this study consisted of 301 workers who received a group occupational health service. Data was collected from February 1 to March 30, 2006. The questionnaire contained questions based on general characteristics and the Stanford Presenteeism Scale. Data was analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test using SPSS program. RESULTS: The primary health conditions as reported by workers were ranked in order as stomach or bowel disorders, back or neck disorders, or liver function disorders. The reason of absenteeism per worker was ranked in order as asthma, or a breathing disorder. The reason of presenteeism was ranked in order as asthma, insomnia or a sleep disorder. The cost of the total economic impact on the workplace in this study was 8,851,838 won. The cost of absenteeism per worker was 8,390 won. The cost of presenteeism per worker was 941,732 won. CONCLUSION: Presenteeism had a strong correlation to health conditions of the workers. Therefore, improving the work conditions of the workers is very important. If employers improve the health condition of workers, they will benefit from improved productivity in their business.
*Absenteeism ; Adult ; Cost of Illness ; Employee Performance Appraisal ; Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Industry/economics ; Male ; *Occupational Health/statistics & numerical data ; Questionnaires ; Task Performance and Analysis ; Workplace/*economics

OBJECTIVES: The regulatory changes in Korea during the national economic crisis 10 years ago and in the current global recession were analyzed to understand the characteristics of deregulation in labor policies. METHODS: Data for this study were derived from the Korean government's official database for administrative regulations and a government document reporting deregulation. RESULTS: A great deal of business-friendly deregulation took place during both economic crises. Occupational health and safety were the main targets of deregulation in both periods, and the regulation of employment promotion and vocational training was preserved relatively intact. The sector having to do with working conditions and the on-site welfare of workers was also deregulated greatly during the former economic crisis, but not in the current global recession. CONCLUSIONS: Among the three main areas of labor policy, occupational health and safety was most vulnerable to the deregulation in economic crisis of Korea. A probable reason for this is that the impact of deregulation on the health and safety of workers would not be immediately disclosed after the policy change.
Cost Control/legislation & jurisprudence/methods ; *Economic Recession ; Employment/*economics/legislation & jurisprudence/statistics & numerical data ; Government Regulation ; Humans ; Occupational Health/*legislation & jurisprudence/statistics & numerical data ; Public Policy ; Republic of Korea ; Workplace/economics/legislation & jurisprudence/standards