This review examines the challenges associated with occupational disease surveillance in Korea, particularly emphasizing the limitations of current data sources such as the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) statistics and special health examinations. The IACI system undercounts cases due to its emphasis on severe diseases and restrictions on approvals. Special health examinations, although they cover a broad workforce, are constrained by their annual scheduling, which leads to missed acute illnesses and subclinical conditions. The paper also explores the history of occupational disease surveillance in Korea, highlighting the fragmented and disease-specific approach of earlier systems. The authors introduce the newly established Korea Occupational Disease Surveillance Center (KODSC), a comprehensive nationwide system designed to gather, analyze, and interpret data on occupational diseases through a network of regional centers. By incorporating hospital-based surveillance and focusing on acute poisonings and other sentinel events, the KODSC aims to overcome the limitations of previous systems and promote collaboration with various agencies. Although it is still in the early stages of implementation, the KODSC demonstrates potential for improving data accuracy and contributing valuable insights for public health policy.

This review examines the challenges associated with occupational disease surveillance in Korea, particularly emphasizing the limitations of current data sources such as the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) statistics and special health examinations. The IACI system undercounts cases due to its emphasis on severe diseases and restrictions on approvals. Special health examinations, although they cover a broad workforce, are constrained by their annual scheduling, which leads to missed acute illnesses and subclinical conditions. The paper also explores the history of occupational disease surveillance in Korea, highlighting the fragmented and disease-specific approach of earlier systems. The authors introduce the newly established Korea Occupational Disease Surveillance Center (KODSC), a comprehensive nationwide system designed to gather, analyze, and interpret data on occupational diseases through a network of regional centers. By incorporating hospital-based surveillance and focusing on acute poisonings and other sentinel events, the KODSC aims to overcome the limitations of previous systems and promote collaboration with various agencies. Although it is still in the early stages of implementation, the KODSC demonstrates potential for improving data accuracy and contributing valuable insights for public health policy.

This review examines the challenges associated with occupational disease surveillance in Korea, particularly emphasizing the limitations of current data sources such as the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) statistics and special health examinations. The IACI system undercounts cases due to its emphasis on severe diseases and restrictions on approvals. Special health examinations, although they cover a broad workforce, are constrained by their annual scheduling, which leads to missed acute illnesses and subclinical conditions. The paper also explores the history of occupational disease surveillance in Korea, highlighting the fragmented and disease-specific approach of earlier systems. The authors introduce the newly established Korea Occupational Disease Surveillance Center (KODSC), a comprehensive nationwide system designed to gather, analyze, and interpret data on occupational diseases through a network of regional centers. By incorporating hospital-based surveillance and focusing on acute poisonings and other sentinel events, the KODSC aims to overcome the limitations of previous systems and promote collaboration with various agencies. Although it is still in the early stages of implementation, the KODSC demonstrates potential for improving data accuracy and contributing valuable insights for public health policy.

This review examines the challenges associated with occupational disease surveillance in Korea, particularly emphasizing the limitations of current data sources such as the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) statistics and special health examinations. The IACI system undercounts cases due to its emphasis on severe diseases and restrictions on approvals. Special health examinations, although they cover a broad workforce, are constrained by their annual scheduling, which leads to missed acute illnesses and subclinical conditions. The paper also explores the history of occupational disease surveillance in Korea, highlighting the fragmented and disease-specific approach of earlier systems. The authors introduce the newly established Korea Occupational Disease Surveillance Center (KODSC), a comprehensive nationwide system designed to gather, analyze, and interpret data on occupational diseases through a network of regional centers. By incorporating hospital-based surveillance and focusing on acute poisonings and other sentinel events, the KODSC aims to overcome the limitations of previous systems and promote collaboration with various agencies. Although it is still in the early stages of implementation, the KODSC demonstrates potential for improving data accuracy and contributing valuable insights for public health policy.

This review examines the challenges associated with occupational disease surveillance in Korea, particularly emphasizing the limitations of current data sources such as the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) statistics and special health examinations. The IACI system undercounts cases due to its emphasis on severe diseases and restrictions on approvals. Special health examinations, although they cover a broad workforce, are constrained by their annual scheduling, which leads to missed acute illnesses and subclinical conditions. The paper also explores the history of occupational disease surveillance in Korea, highlighting the fragmented and disease-specific approach of earlier systems. The authors introduce the newly established Korea Occupational Disease Surveillance Center (KODSC), a comprehensive nationwide system designed to gather, analyze, and interpret data on occupational diseases through a network of regional centers. By incorporating hospital-based surveillance and focusing on acute poisonings and other sentinel events, the KODSC aims to overcome the limitations of previous systems and promote collaboration with various agencies. Although it is still in the early stages of implementation, the KODSC demonstrates potential for improving data accuracy and contributing valuable insights for public health policy.

Occupational neck disability is a prevalent issue, especially among line workers, who are often exposed to elevated levels of cervical ergonomic stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of neck posture and insulating stick use on neck disability in a specific occupational group in Korea.

Occupational neck disability is a prevalent issue, especially among line workers, who are often exposed to elevated levels of cervical ergonomic stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of neck posture and insulating stick use on neck disability in a specific occupational group in Korea.

Occupational neck disability is a prevalent issue, especially among line workers, who are often exposed to elevated levels of cervical ergonomic stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of neck posture and insulating stick use on neck disability in a specific occupational group in Korea.

BACKGROUND: Resilient individuals have a comprehensive ability to adapt to various life circumstances. Psychological resilience predicts an individual’s physiological response to stress. The 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) is a widely used measure to quantify the level of self-perceived resilience. This study examined the psychometric properties of a Korean version of the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (10-item K-CD-RISC) on workers in Gumi, South Korea, exposed to hydrofluoric acid (HF). METHODS: The questionnaires included the 10-item K-CD-RISC and Beck Anxiety Inventor (BAI), the Impact of Event Scale-Revised-Korean version (IES-R-K), the Rosen-berg Self Esteem Scale (RSES), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). These were randomly distributed at 237 workplaces near the HF-spill site, in the Gumi 4 complex. The responses of 991 (67.3%) workers were analyzed. RESULTS: The exploratory factor analysis shown that a single-factor model was consistent with the original design of the 10-item CD-RISC. The scale also demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.95). Scores on the scale reflected different levels of resilience with respect to personal factors (age, gender, marital status, and education and income levels) that are thought to be differentiated. Differences of resilience were also reflected by psychiatric symptoms (anxiety and depression). Moreover, the total score of scale positively correlated with RSES, whereas the IES-R-K, BAI, CES-D, and the PSS negatively correlated with the 10-item K-CD-RISC. CONCLUSIONS: The 10-item K-CD-RISC has good psychometric properties and is applicable for victims exposed to noxious chemical such as HF.
Anxiety ; Education ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Hydrofluoric Acid ; Inventors ; Korea ; Marital Status ; Psychometrics ; Resilience, Psychological ; Self Concept ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the provision of safety and health information (PSHI) and occupational injuries. METHODS: This study was based on data from the 4th Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS) (2014). The sample consisted of data from 24,527 wage workers and was divided into high-risk and low-risk groups, depending on the probability of occupational injury. The high-risk group included subjects who could cause harm to themselves or others due to errors during work. We applied chi-squared tests and logistic regression analyses to examine the relationship between PSHI and occupational injuries. RESULTS: In the high-risk group, workers with no PSHI showed an adjusted odds ratio of 1.81 for occupational injury (95% CI 1.33–2.47). In contrast, there was no statistically significant relationship between PSHI and the incidence of occupational injury in the low-risk group. CONCLUSIONS: To prevent occupational injuries, multi-faceted approaches that take different levels of injury risk into account are needed. Among workers with a high risk of occupational injury, more a stringent safety education program is required.
Education ; Incidence ; Logistic Models ; Occupational Injuries ; Odds Ratio ; Salaries and Fringe Benefits