Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Kwang Wook Koh

3 Articles

A Study on the Risk Factors of Low Back Pain in Computer Terminal Operators: Cheol Ho Yi, Jung Rae Park, Ae Ri Cha, Kwang Wook Koh, Young Wook Kim, Su Ill Lee; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1999;11(2):264-275. Published online June 30, 1999; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1999.11.2.264

Low back pain in computer terminal operators is a very common but important symptom. While the occupational risk factors of low back pain were approved obscurely, there have been few studies on analysis or understanding of occupational risk factors. Therefore, we studied occupational risk factors of low back pain, especially for ergonomic factors as well as general characteristics of workers. We selected 98 subjects for this study, computer terminal operators ordinary using computers in Pusan. We calculated the subjective severity of low back pain of each operator by the Low Back Pain Scoring System. The relation of low back pain score to general characteristics of worker was also analyzed. We analyzed the relationship between low back pain score and individual efforts to prevent low back pain. We measured the ergonomic factors of each computer terminal operator - Trunk Jnclination(TI), Arm Flexion(AF), Elbow Angle(EA), Head Tilting(HT), Knee Angle(KA), using of foot plate and gap between the popliteum and chair. The correlations between these ergonomic factors and low back pain score were then analyzed. And the results are as follows: 1. The prevalence rate of low back pain in computer terminal operators was 39.8% in this study, when low back pain score was converted by the low back pain scoring system. 2. According to general characteristics of workers related to low back pain, the scores were higher in the older age group, the married and the longer work carriers. (p < 0.05) 3. In the analysis of the relationship between low back pain score and individual effort to prevent low back pain, regular exercise, history of schooling for prevention of low back pain, and declaration of intention to participate in low back pain education or exercise were stastistically significant(p < 0.05). And the more severe the low back pain, the higher the intention to participate in low back pain education they had in this study. 4. In the analyses of relationships or correlations between low back pain score and each of the 7 categories of ergonomic factors, only head tilting had a weak reverse correlation with low back pain(r=-0.2999, p < 0.01). From now on, cohort studies for the risk factors of low back pain of workers, who have been forced to work in non-ergonomical positioning at the work site, will be necessary. On the background of these ergonomic studies, the occupational health profession should be required to manage ergonomic working conditions.

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Tae-Hyeong Kim, Hyun-Jun Jee, Chan-Woo Bae, Sil-Ah Choi
The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy.2021; 33(2): 84. CrossRef
Effects of a Horse Riding Simulator, Gym-ball and McKenzie Exercises on Back Pain and Balance in Patients with Chronic Back Pain in Their 20s
Jong-Won Choi, Min-Young Kim, Sung-Hwa Kim, Bo-Hyun Son, Su-Min Lee, Yu-Jeong Lee, Da-Vin Jang, Hyo-Min Je, Ki-Hyun Kim
Journal of The Korean Society of Physical Medicine.2019; 14(3): 117. CrossRef
Risk Factor, Job Stress and Quality of Life in Workers With Lower Extremity Pain Who Use Video Display Terminals
Sehoon Choi, Seong Ho Jang, Kyu Hoon Lee, Mi Jung Kim, Si-Bog Park, Seung Hoon Han
Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine.2018; 42(1): 101. CrossRef

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A Study on Immunity of Welders: Su Ill Lee, Bong Soo Cho, Young Wook Kim, Kwang Wook Koh, Won Keun Cho, Young SIl Kim, Soo Yong Kang, In Kyung Hwang, Byung Man Cho, Don Kyoun Kim; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1997;9(1):75-84. Published online February 28, 1997; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1997.9.1.75

Abstract PDF: The authors examined human immunity indicators such as CD4, CD8, Natural Killer (NK) cell, IgG, IgA, and IgM, and heavy metals such as Pb, Cr, Cd to evaluate the health hazard of welders. We selected total 126 male subjects, 60 welders who had more than 5 year working history as an exposure group, and 66 office workers and medical college students as a control group. This immunity evaluation approach is the first newly designed study that has never been tried in past studios on welder's heath evaluation. And the results were as follows. 1. Total lymphocyte count of peripheral blood was significantly higher in welder group, 2,615+/-650 ea/microliter compared with 2,368+/-681 ea/microliter in control group (p<0.05). 2. The proportion of CD4, CD8, NK cell in welder group was 37 5+/-9.4%, 24.0+/-8.8%, and 21.0+/-9.5%, respectively, and 35.5+/-6.5%, 25.0+/-6.9%, and 19.6+/-8.8% in control group. CD4 and NK cell were slightly higher, and CD8 was slightly lower in welder group. But there was no statistical significance between two groups (p> or =0.05). 3. IgG, IgA, and IgM in welder group were 15.9 mg/dl, 2.7 mg/dl, and 1.5 mg/dl, respectively, and 15.6 mg/dl, 2.9 mg/dl and 1.7 mg/dl in control group. There was no statistical significance between two groups(p> or =0.05). 4. Blood lead, cadmium and chromium concentrations were 4.2+/-1.8 microgram/dl, 0.4+/-0.38 microgram/dl, 1.2+/-0.6 microgram/dl in welder group and 3.2+/-1.7 microgram/dl, 0.44+/-0.29 microgram/dl, 1.1+/-0.6 microgram/dl in control group, respectively, and these value were within normal ranges.

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A Study on Possibility of Special Health Examination to the Hospital Employees: Su Ill Lee, Byung Mann Cho, Bong Soo Cho, Young Wook Kirn, Kwang Wook Koh, Nam Chool Moon, Joo Won Kirn; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1996;8(2):191-200. Published online September 30, 1996; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1996.8.2.191

Abstract PDF: This study was performed to decide the possibility of special health examination to the hospital employees. We carried out questionnaire survey for 830 subjects at 2 general hospitals located in Pusan city. The summary of this study are as follows. 1. Above 10% of total hospital employees were replied that they exposed to 16 hazard items, such as dust, noise, stress and etc. Among them, over 50% of hospital employees exposed to dust(69.8%), noise(52.3%), stress(60.1%). And hospital employees exposed to alcoholic disinfectant(41.3%), radiation(34.6%), drug(33.3%), VDT(25.2%), and aldehyde(18.7%) also. 2. 63% of the hospital employees replied that there were hazardous factors in hospital environments, and 80% insisted the necessity for hospital environment measuring. 35.7% of respondents replied that they had never taken the education about hazardous factors. 35.7% of the total respondents answered that they didn't use protective equipment when exposed to hazardous factors. And 48.6% answered they took periodic health examination. Only 7.2% replied that ventilation condition of office room was proper. As shown in above results, hospital employees are exposed to various hazards, and turn out neglecting to health problems caused these hazardous factors. So at first, it is necessary to measuring hospital working environment, and then will be decided the possibility of special health examination to the hospital employees.

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