PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate variables affecting health-related quality of life of manufacturing industry workers. METHODS: We used data from 200 survey questionnaires collected from a vehicle manufacture factory located in Ulsan metropolitan area. The participants were manufacturing workers. The data were analyzed using t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and Scheffé's test to identify differences among variables. Pearson's correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression were used to identify variables that affected health-related quality of life. RESULTS: The findings revealed that occupational stress and quality of sleep were statistically significant variables of the physical component score with an explanatory power of 42.2%. Occupational stress, depression, and religion were statistically significant variables of the mental component score with an explanatory power of 43.3%. CONCLUSION: Continuous monitoring and appropriate intervention for occupational stress, quality of sleep, and depression are needed to improve manufacturing workers' health-related quality of life.
Depression ; Quality of Life ; Ulsan

BACKGROUND: This descriptive study aimed to examine the relationship between the 4C core competencies and work ability among dental hygienists.METHODS: From November 2018 to January 2019, data were collected-from 190 dental hygienists workong in dental clinics in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongsangnam province using structured questionnaires. For the general characteristics of the dental hygienists, frequency and percentage were calculated, and the level of the 4C core competencies and work ability of dental hygienists was calculated using means and standard deviations. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to analyze the effects of the 4C core competencies on work ability.RESULTS: The mean scores for the 4C core competency levels of the dental hygienists were as follows: communication ability 3.34, critical thinking ability 3.41, creative problem-solving 3.40, and collaborative self-efficacy 3.27. Meanwhile the mean score for work ability level was 3.65. The predictive factors influencing work ability were communication ability and cooperative self-efficacy (p<0.001), and the sub-factors of critical thinking ability that affect work ability were sound conferences (p<0.01), intellectual fairness (p<0.05), intellectual enthusiasm (p<0.05), and self-confidence (p<0.001). Finally, the sub-factors of creative problem-solving ability that affect work ability were planning and execution (p<0.01) and performance evaluation (p<0.05).CONCLUSION: The current study showed that education programs covering the core competencies of dental hygienists, rather than the existing theoretical education program, should be developed and implemented to enhance 4C core competencies that affect work ability.
Busan ; Communication ; Congresses as Topic ; Dental Clinics ; Dental Hygienists ; Education ; Humans ; Problem Solving ; Thinking ; Ulsan

BACKGROUND: Insufficient physical activity is well known to increase benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). However, only few studies have been conducted on the relationship between occupational physical activity and BPH. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between occupational physical activities and BPH in South Korea.METHODS: The study subjects included 4,102 workers who visited the health promotion center at Ulsan University Hospital and underwent transrectal ultrasonography between January 2016 and December 2017. The subjects were divided into two groups according to occupational physical activity (manual or non-manual workers). BPH was defined as a prostate volume of >25 mL. We performed a multivariate regression analysis to investigate the associations between the occupational groups and BPH. In addition, we divided the subgroups according to age and body mass index and analyzed the relationship between occupational physical activities and BPH in each subgroup.RESULTS: The risk of BPH was significantly higher in the non-manual workers than in the manual workers. This result was consistent after adjusting for other risk factors of BPH (odds ratio, 1.26; 95% confidence interval, 1.05–1.51). Likewise, in the subgroup analysis according to age and body mass index, the non-manual workers had higher BPH risk than the manual workers.CONCLUSION: The risk of BPH was significantly higher in the non-manual workers than in the manual workers. To prevent BPH, more attention should be paid to the physical activities and education of non-manual workers.
Body Mass Index ; Education ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Hyperplasia ; Korea ; Motor Activity ; Occupational Groups ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Risk Factors ; Ulsan ; Ultrasonography

PURPOSE: Several published policy statements have warned against the risks associated with trampoline use and recommended safety guidelines. However, few studies have focused on trampoline-related injuries in Korea. This study aimed to assess the incidence and characteristics of pediatric trampoline-related injuries presented to Ulsan University Hospital. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of children aged <16 years with trampoline-related injuries who visited our Emergency Department between 2008 and 2017. RESULTS: Over the 10-year period, 178 trampoline-related injuries were reported, which represented a significant increase (P=0.016). Most (87.6%) of the injuries occurred during the last 5 study years, and a rapid increase in injuries was observed in children aged <6 years. Lower extremity injuries (62.4%) were the most common, followed by injuries of the upper extremities, head and face, and trunk, including injuries to the neck and spine. Sixty-seven children (37.6%) had fractures, and proximal tibia fractures were the most common. Fractures were significantly more common in younger children (<6 years old) than in older children (P=0.026). CONCLUSION: In Korea, the mechanism of trampoline injury is similar to that of injuries incurred in indoor trampoline parks but is characterized by smaller spaces and multiple users. Trampoline use and the incidence of trampoline-related injuries in children aged <6 years are increasing rapidly. Prohibiting the use of trampolines for children aged <6 years, restricting simultaneous use by multiple children, and ensuring adult supervision should be strictly emphasized. Public awareness and policy guidelines are needed to reduce the incidence of trampoline-related injuries.
Adult ; Child ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Head ; Humans ; Incidence ; Korea ; Lower Extremity ; Medical Records ; Neck ; Organization and Administration ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine ; Tibia ; Ulsan ; Upper Extremity

BACKGROUND: Recently, several studies have assessed the association between diabetes and hearing impairment. However, the effect of diabetes on hearing impairment is not well known in diabetic patients exposed to noise, a typical cause of hearing impairment. The aim of this study is to longitudinally analyze the effect of diabetes on hearing impairment in workers exposed to similar noise levels from 2013 to 2017 who had experienced little change in their working conditions. METHODS: The study subjects included 2,087 male workers exposed to noise in a single company and who underwent health examinations at the same hospital in Ulsan city in 2013 and 2017. Hearing impairment was defined that a pure-tone average of pure-tone audiometry (PTA) thresholds at 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, and 4,000 Hz was 25 dB and over in both ears. Statistical analyses were conducted using χ2 tests, ANOVA, and Cox proportional hazard models. We analyzed covariates that might affect hearing impairment, including age; working period; levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, and serum creatinine; smoking and alcohol history; and noise level. RESULTS: The average PTA thresholds and their average changes between 2013 and 2017 were significant in the diabetes mellitus (DM) group than those in the normal and impaired fasting glucose group. Among the subjects with the same status of fasting glucose group in 2013 and 2017, the adjusted hazard ratios for incident hearing impairment among those in the DM group compared to normal group were 3.35 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.54–7.29) in the left ear and 5.66 (95% CI, 2.01–15.98) in the right ear. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that the risk of hearing impairment in the DM group was significantly higher than that in the normal group in both ears, even when exposed to similar noise levels.
Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Blood Glucose ; Cholesterol ; Creatinine ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Ear ; Fasting ; Glucose ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing ; Humans ; Longitudinal Studies ; Male ; Noise ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Triglycerides ; Ulsan

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify factors with nursing students's confidence in performing fundamental nursing skills. The focus was on professionalism and self-efficacy METHOD: For the sample 258 fourth graders of nursing students were recruited in two universities located in Gyeongnam or Ulsan. Data were analyzed using t-test, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and hierarchical multiple regression. RESULTS: The mean score for confidence in performing fundamental nursing skills was 3.71±0.58. Nursing professionalism and self-efficacy were positively correlated with confidence in performing fundamental nursing skills. Analysis using multiple regression showed that 27% of factors predicting confidence in performance of fundamentals of nursing practice (F=16.43, p<.001) included nursing professionalism (β=.37, p<.001), self-expression (β=.15, p=.009), and self-efficacy (β=.14, p=.029). CONCLUSION: Findings show that nursing professionalism is one of the major factors influencing confidence in performing fundamental nursing skills. In order to improve the confidence in performing fundamental nursing skills, it is necessary to establish effective educational strategies that firmly enhance nursing professionalism and improve self-efficacy in nursing students.
Clinical Competence ; Humans ; Methods ; Nursing ; Professionalism ; Students, Nursing ; Ulsan

PURPOSE: To determine the benefits of autogenous tooth bone (ATB) graft in combination with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the rates of success and survival of dental implants placed simultaneously with maxillary sinus floor augmentation (MSFA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who visited the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Ulsan University Hospital from 2012 to 2014 and underwent simultaneous placement of implants with MSFA using ATB plus PRP were included in the study. Success and survival rates of the implants were evaluated based on the parameters of age and sex of the patient, site, follow-up period, residual bone height before surgery, diameter, and length of implant, sinus mucosa impairment, and postoperative complications. RESULT: A total of 23 patients and 67 implants were included in this study. The average age of the patients was 53.78±10.00 years. The average follow-up period after installation of the prosthesis was 53±5 months. The success and survival rates of the implants after placement of prosthesis were 95.52% and 97.01%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Combination of ATB and PRP showed high overall success rate, and it can be concluded that this combination is a predictable bone graft procedure for MSFA.
Bone Substitutes ; Dental Implantation ; Dental Implants ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Maxillary Sinus ; Mucous Membrane ; Platelet-Rich Plasma ; Postoperative Complications ; Prostheses and Implants ; Sinus Floor Augmentation ; Surgery, Oral ; Survival Rate ; Tooth ; Transplants ; Ulsan

OBJECTIVES: This study compared the demographic and clinical characteristics of police referrals with referrals from other sources to a psychiatric emergency department. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on the data from the psychiatric emergency department of Ulsan University Hospital from January 2014 to October 2017. The study sample consisted of 79 psychiatric patients who were referred by police, and the characteristics of this group were compared with those of 240 psychiatric patients who were referred by other sources. The collected data were analyzed using a chi-square, Fisher's exact test, and independent sample t-tests. RESULTS: Among the 1768 psychiatric emergency visits, 89 (5.0%) were referred by police, and among the 79 referrals by police chosen as the study group, there were 4(5.1%) cases of emergent psychiatric admission. These patients referred by police were more likely to be male and in a lower socio-economic status. Police referrals were more likely to exhibit violent behavior, be restrained, and more likely to visit after working hours. They were notified more rapidly to the psychiatric department, less notified to other departments, and visited the psychiatric outpatient clinics less after discharge from the emergency department. CONCLUSION: The study results highlight the importance of understanding the characteristics of psychiatric emergency patients referred by police and identifying the problems of the current psychiatric emergency services. Systems need to be developed that clarify the roles of police in psychiatric emergencies and facilitate collaboration between police and mental health institutions.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Cooperative Behavior ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Emergency Services, Psychiatric ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Health ; Police ; Referral and Consultation ; Retrospective Studies ; Ulsan

BACKGROUND: This study examined the long-term preventive effects of a case management service on suicide reattempts, and clarified the factors related to suicide reattempts. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of suicide attempters who visited the emergency department of Ulsan University Hospital from August 28, 2013 to July 31, 2017. A 4-week case management service was provided to consenting participants, either face-to-face or by telephone. Using survival analysis, we analyzed differences in the time to the next emergency department visit for a suicide attempt according to whether participants completed the case management service. We also assessed which characteristics of participants were associated with suicide reattempts. RESULTS: We found no overall difference in time to suicide reattempt between case-managed participants and controls over the entire observation period (median period: 19 months). However, in the first 24 weeks after the initial suicide attempt, the case-managed group showed a longer time to reattempt than did the control group (log-rank test = 4.243; P = 0.039). A higher risk of reattempt was found among participants with the medical benefit type of health insurance compared to those with national health insurance (hazard ratio [HR], 5.134; P < 0.001) and among participants aged 20–39 compared to those aged ≥ 60 (HR, 3.502; P = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Case management had only short-term benefits (within 24 weeks of initial suicide attempt). Risk factors for suicide reattempts were having a medical benefit health insurance and being aged 20–39 years.
Case Management* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Insurance, Health ; Medical Records ; National Health Programs ; Risk Factors ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Suicide* ; Survival Analysis* ; Telephone ; Ulsan

The industrial complexes built during the course of economic development in South Korea played a pivotal role in the country's rapid economic growth. However, this growth was accompanied by health problems due to the pollutants released from the industrial complexes inevitably located near residential areas, given the limited land area available in South Korea. This study was conducted to evaluate the exposure to each pollutant emanating from industrial complexes for residents living in nearby areas, and to determine the substances requiring priority attention in future surveys. Pollutants were comprehensively categorized according to their emission and exposure levels based on data previously collected from the study areas. The emission, ambient concentration, and biomarker concentration levels of major pollutants emitted from eight national industrial complexes (Ulsan, Pohang, Gwangyang, Yeosu, Chungju, Daesan, Sihwa, and Banwol) were determined and tabulated. Each of the values was compared with the national/local average values, reference values, or control area concentrations depending on availability. Substances with completed exposure pathways and with high values for emissions, ambient concentrations, and biomarker concentrations were considered the substances posing exposure risks to the residents living near the corresponding industrial complex. The substances requiring continuous monitoring or supplementary exposure investigation were also categorized and presented. Lead and benzene had higher values for emissions, ambient concentrations, and biomarker concentrations in the Ulsan Industrial Complex area; thus, they were most likely to pose exposure risks to residents living in the area's neighborhoods. In other areas, styrene, xylene, cadmium, nitrogen oxide, trichloroethylene, nickel, manganese, and chromium required continuous monitoring, and arsenic, nickel, manganese, and chromium required biomarker measurements. In conclusion, the substances identified and categorized in this study need to be given appropriate attention in future surveys on exposure risks and health effects related to industrial complexes.
Arsenic ; Benzene ; Cadmium ; Chromium ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Economic Development ; Environmental Pollutants* ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Jeollanam-do ; Korea ; Manganese ; Nickel ; Nitrogen ; Reference Values ; Residence Characteristics ; Styrene ; Trichloroethylene ; Ulsan ; Xylenes