Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Daehee Kang

2 Articles

Comparison of Diagnostic Criteria of Noise Induced Hearing Loss using Special Periodic Health Examination Data in Korea: Joohon Sung, Soo Hun Cho, Daehee Kang, Yeong Su Ju, Mi Na Ha, Ho Jang Kwon, Dork Ro Yun, Sangwhan Han; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1996;8(3):509-518. Published online December 31, 1996; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1996.8.3.509

Although noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is the most prevalent occupational disease in Korea, only 10% of the diagnosed cases are compensated. Old (1989-94) and current diagnostic criteria, criteria for workers' compensation of NIHL in Korea, compensation formulas of American Medical Association/American association of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology (AMA/AAOO), the Committee on Hearing, Bio-Acoustics, Biomechanics (CHABA), American Academy of Otolaryngology (AAO) recommendation were compared. Each criterion was applied on the audiomety data of 4044 workers (8023 ears), who had received the second line screening test of Special Periodic Health Examination Program for noise-exposed workers during 1991-2. First, the resulting proportions of NIHL cases by employing each criterion were compared and strength of agreement was measured using kappa value. Temporary Threshold Shift (TTS) was corrected by noise free interval, and the reduction ratio of NIHL cases was calculated. Theoretical progression model of NIHL was reconstructed from previous studies on the natural course of NIHL to evaluate the change of diagnosis result of each criterion in the model. The kappa value between old and current criteria was 0.19, 0.55 for current criteria and workers' corn. criteria, ranging from 0.08 to 0.78, highest coincidence was observed between current criteria and CHABA formula. The current criteria produce most similar results with CHABA formula. If TTS is corrected for NFI, there is about 14 % reduction of NIHL cases. The results of applying on NIHL progression model divided the formulas roughly into 3 groups, of which compensation criteria was the most, old criteria and AAO the least conservative. In conclusion. The result of 4 KHZ audiometry should be excluded in evaluation of hearing level and a new hearing conservation program should be set out. Current diagnostic criteria has an ambiguity in that managerial concept for prevention arid! purpose of compensation is mixed up. The current diagnostic criteria and compensation criteria could be incorporated'into 'a new formula which is based on the state of the art test for estimating everyday hearing disability.

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Noise-induced hearing loss in Asia
Adrian Fuente, Louise Hickson
International Journal of Audiology.2011; 50(sup1): S3. CrossRef

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Sick Building Syndrome in Office Workers: Daehee Kang; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1996;8(3):519-525. Published online December 31, 1996; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1996.8.3.519

Abstract PDF: A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between sick building syndrome (SBS) and the factors affecting SBS among 90 office workers. The study consisted of 1) a review of previous environmental investigations, 2) measurements of COy temperature, and relative humidity (RH), 3) a questionnaire survey of symptom prevalence and perception of environmental conditions using the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Indoor Air Quality (NIOSH IAQ) questionnaire, and 4) confidential interview and a review of medical records of employees having respiratory symptoms. COy temperature, and RH measured on the day of questionnaire survey were within the recommended range by American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Sixty-six percent of respondents were women and 60% considered their job description either "managerial (28%) "or "professional (32%)". Respondents had worked in the building for an average of 5.8 years. Forty-four percent reported having SBS defined as "having one or more symptoms that had occurred at work one or more days a week and tended to get better when away from work". Sex(p=0.001), duration of computer use(p=0.02), use of laser printer (p=0.02), use of cleanser or other office chemicals (p=0.004), feeling too little air movement (p=0.001), feeling air too dry(p=0.001), and unsatisfied with the current job(p=0.02) were related to an increased prevalence of SBS. Use of cleanser or other office chemicals (pO. 01), feeling too little air movement (p=0.01), and feeling air too dry (p=0.02) remained significant predictors of SBS when adjusting other variables by logistic regression analysis. The results of medical record review revealed a discrepancy in the number of diagnosed asthma cases by personal physician and an independent physician. Although this study contains several .limitations (e. g., cross-sectional study, small numbers of study, subjects, etc.), these results indicated that SBS is related to personal, environmental, and psychosocial factors and the precision of diagnosis is critical when evaluating environment-relatedness during disease cluster investigation.

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