Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Activities of Serum Lactate Dehydrohenase and Lactate Dehydrogenase Isoenzymes Activities by Small Opacity Groups on Chest Radiographs in Coal Worker's Pneumoconiosis Patients: Ho Deun chung, Jeong Pyo Hong; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1990;2(2):206-211. Published online August 31, 1990; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1990.2.2.206

Abstract PDF: Serum lactate degydrogenase (LD) and LD isoenzyme activities were evaluated in sera from 74 patients of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) to investigate biochemical changes of these enzyme activities according to radiographical profusions of CWP. Subjects were participated patients in the detailed examination of pneumoconiosis in December 1989. LD activities were evaluated by lactate to pyruvate methods and isoenzyme activities were determined by agarose gel electrophoresis. And small opacity profusions on chest radiographs of subjects were evaluated by radiologist. The results were as follows: 1. LD activities were not significantly different among categories of radiographical profusions. 2. LD4 activities were shown difference significantly among categories of radiographical profusions (category 1: 8.2+/-2.69 U/l, category 2: 10.1+/-3.90, category 3: 10.6+/-2.63; p<0.05). 3. Activities of LD(1), LD(2), LD(3), and LD(5) were not different significantly among categories of radiographical profusions.
Conclusion
ly, serum LD(4) activity seems to be increased by fibroplasia of CWP, but increasing activities of LD4 should not affect serum LD activities significantly.

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A Study on the Associatio Between Symptoms and Biological Indicies in Workers Exposed to Lead: Sung Bong Kim, Eun Il Lee, Kwang Jong Kim; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1990;2(2):199-205. Published online August 31, 1990; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1990.2.2.199

Abstract PDF: This research was conducted to determine the usefulness of reported symptoms for the diagnosis of lead poisoning for workers exposed to lead. A group of 147 male lead smelting workers were given special physical examinations from June to September of 1989. The examinations included the reporting of ailments(symptoms) by the workers, as well as analyses of their blood lead concentrations and urinary coproporphyrine and delta-aminolevulinic acid concentrations. the associations were analyzed between the bilogical exposure indices and the symptoms described by the workers. The results were as follows: 1. The only symptoms which were described more frequently by the lead workers compared to the control group were paresthesia of the extremities, myalgia, arthralgia, and insomnia. The frequency of other symptoms described were actually lower for the lead-exposed workers. 2. For those workers whose blood lead concentrations were above 60 microgram/dl, only the increase in the frequencies of arthralgia and paresthesia of the xtremities were statistically significant, compared to those workers whose blood lead concentrations were below 60 microgram/dl. Also, arthralgia was the only symptom which increased in frequency in workers whose ruinary coproporphyrine concentrations were above 100 microgram/l; however, this increase was not statistically significant by urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid levels.

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A Study on the knowledge and Attitude of Workers Concerning Occupational Health: Soo Nam Cho, Young Hahn Moon; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1990;2(2):186-198. Published online August 31, 1990; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1990.2.2.186

Abstract PDF: To acquire more useful data for the improvement of industrial health servicies, the knowledge-attitude study was carried out by questionnaire on 264 workers in Incheon area from November, 1989 to March, 1990. The results of this study were as follows; 1. Almost half of workers responded that their health status in poor. 2. The Knowledge of respondents on occupational health showed considerable difference depending upon duration of work in their company. Genverally, the respondents with long duration of work tend to be higher in knowldedge score than those with short duration of work. 3. Most of the workers (82.6%) thought that creating better working environment and improvement of working condition would be most efficient way for protecting the workers' health. 4. Degree of labor union activity, duration of work, participation for labor union were revealed as major determinants of attitude for industrial health. 5. Most of workers (91.1%) responded that they would like to participate in health education program if available, and monthly education would be adequate for them. The contents of program which the workers preferred were early detection and treatment of occupational disease.

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Mercury Concentration in air and in Urine of Workers in Fluorescent Lamp Manufacturing Factories in Korea: Kwang Jong Kim, Chul Whan Cha; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1990;2(2):179-185. Published online August 31, 1990; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1990.2.2.179

Abstract PDF: This research was conducted to investigate the correlations between urinary mercury concentration and each independent variable related with urinary mercury levels. the urinary mercury concentrations of 543 workers exposed to metal mercury vapor in a total of 11 fluorescent lamp manufacturing factories and at the same time mercury concentrations in air were measured from June 1989 to December 1989. And annually mercury consumption per workers, mercury consumption per lamp, numbers of breakage lamps, frequency of mercury infusion, numbers of droppers, and numbers of vacuum exhaustion pumps were also investigated. The results were as follows: 1. The geometric mean of airborne mercury concentration in a total of 11 factories was 47.9 microgram/m3 (5.8~352.2 microgram/m3), six factories(54.5%) of them were exceed the threshold limit value(50.0 microgram/m3). 2. The geometric mean of urinary mercury concentration among 543 workers was 84.3 microgram/l (1.13~533.9 microgram/l), the distribution of workers by urinary mercury concentration showed that 26 workers(4.8%) were above the mercury posioning level(300 microgram/l). 3. The correlation coefficient between urinary mercury concentration and monthly numbers of breakage lamps was the highest(0.74) and next was mercury consumption per lamp (0.67), annually mercury consumption per worker(0.63) in order.

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A Study on the Psychological Symptoms of Hospitalized Pneumoconiosis Patients: Comparison with pneumoconiosis Examinees, Coal Miners, and Other Manual Workers: Kyung Young Rhee, Ho Keun Chung; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1990;2(2):166-178. Published online August 31, 1990; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1990.2.2.166

Abstract PDF: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of hospitalization and diagnosis of disease on the mental health of coal workers' pneumoconiosis patient. The study subjects were composed of four groups for comparison; hospitalized coal workers' pneumoconiosis, healthy coal miners, and railroad workers employed by government. About a hundred of respondents in each group were sampled by random. Mental health data were collected by symptom distress checklist 90 (SCL-90), and other characteristics were collected by interview with questionnaire administered trained interviewers in each respondents. Mental health dimension was classified into 9 dimensions; somatization, obsessive-compulsiveness, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostality, phobic anxiety, paranoid, psychosis. And as total index, global severity index, positive symptoms total, positive symptom distress index were also computed. As a result there is difference of mean score of 9 symptom dimensions among four groups. The mean score of the examinees of depth diagnosis of the impressed coal workers' pneumoconiosis is the highest score in all 9 symptom dimensions. However in the hospitalized coal workers' pneumoconiosis scores of somatization, depression, anxiety, and phobic anxiety were still higher than that of healthy coal miners. And other symptom dimensions were not different from that of healthy coal miners.

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Analysis of Medical Charges in Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance System: Young Hahn Moon, Bong Suk Cha, Jaehoon Roh, Myung Keun Lee, Kyung Jong Lee, Se Jin Chang; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1990;2(2):153-165. Published online August 31, 1990; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1990.2.2.153

Abstract PDF: A recent increase in hospital cost in Industrial Accident Compensation System has caused an issue. Especially the many problems in assessing and paying hospital cost have made necessary improvement measures on this. For this purpose the study analyzed 179,442 medical bills for industrial accident patients during 1986~1988. And various annual statistic data, references and documentations are also reviewed. The results of this study were as follows: 1. The average days for medical treatment per injury decreased depending upon hospital grade in the order of clinic, hospital, and general hospital, and the average hospital charges per injury decreased in the order of general hospital, hospital and clinic. 2. The inpatients' leading injury was traumatic amputation of fingers, and the open wound of fingers came to leading injury among the outpatients. The proportions of 10 leading injuries among inpatients and outpatients were 42.7% and 49.2% respectively. 3. As a consequence of the analysis of average medical charges, fractures of neck of femur in inpatients, and intervertebral disc disorders in outpatients were obtained as the most prevalent injuries. The coal workers' pneumoconiosis and injury to nerve roots and spinal plexus were most prominent injuries with repect to the days for medical treatment. 4. According to annual days for medical treatment, fracture of tibia and fibula was the most prevalent in inpatients, and sprains and strains of back was the most prevalent in outpatient. Traumatic amputation of fingers and other 10 leading injuries has a 42.6% share of total inpatients' hospital charges, and fracture of phalanges of hand and other 10 leading injuries possessed 53.4% of total outpatients' hospital charges. 5. Multiple regression analysis revealed that length of hospital stay, number of revealed that length of hospital stay, number of radiologic examinations, duration of operation, age, and others were the major determinants of total hospital charges. A comparision with medical insurance and car insurance for hospital charges and days for treatment showed 2-4 times higher than medical insurance, but showed 0.4~1.0 times lower than medical insurance and car insurance for daily treatment charges.

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A Survey on the Air Pollution of Expressway Tollgates in Korea: Young Man Roh, Chung Yill Park, Chee Kyung Chung, Kwang Mook Lee, Byung Ki Min, Seung Han Lee; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1990;2(2):142-152. Published online August 31, 1990; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1990.2.2.142

Abstract PDF: This survey was carried out from October 16 through October 27, 1989 to evaluate the working environment of expressway tollgate. We measured and analyzed 9 parameters such as total dust, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and lead in the air together with climatic conditions and traffic volumes at 10 major highway tollgates. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The concentrations of air pollutants at inside and outside of toll booth were 0.7824 and 1.5460 mg/m3 for total dust, 0.034 and 0.094 ppm for sulfur dioxide, 2.2 and 4.3 ppm for carbon monoxide, 0.031 and 0.068 ppm for nitrogen dioxide, 0.0018 and 0.0027 mg/m3 for lead, respectiveively. 2. All air pollutants showed significant association each other except lead and nitrogen dioxide. 3. No relation was observed between air pollutants and traffic volume. 4. Generally speaking, climatic conditions showed no effect on the value of air pollutants both at inside and outside of toll booth. The exceptions were humidity that was related with carbon monoixide outside and air current that was related with lead outside.

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Lead Exposure of Tollgate Workers on Korea Expressway: Chung Yill Park, Jung Wan Koo, Young Man Roh, Seung Han Lee; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1990;2(2):134-141. Published online August 31, 1990; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1990.2.2.134

Abstract PDF

In order to evaluate possible effects of lead exposure, lead absorption and subjective symptoms in the expressway tollgate workers, 147 workers who have benn working at 4 expressway tollgates werer studied. Study variables were blood lead(PbB), urine lead(PbU), delta-aminolevulinic acid in urine (ALAU), coproporphyrin in urine (CPU), zinc protoporphyrin in whole blood (ZPP), hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cell count and symtom index of lead exposure. Subjective symptoms, 16 items, were investigated by a physician's interview. The results were as follows: 1. The most prevailing subjective symptom related to lead exposure were reported fatigue (41.5%), follow by abdominal discomfort (26.5%), loss of appetite (23.8%) and numbness (21.0%). 2. The mean air concentrations of lead at inside and outside of tollbooth were 6.8 (0.2~17.9) and 4.8 (0.2~17.5) microgram/m3, respectively. 3. The mean values of lead absorption indices (blood lead, urine lead, delta-aminolevulinic acid, coproporphyrin in urine and zinc protoporphyrin in blood) of workers were 19.99 (4.2~38.9) microgram/ dl, 29.82(6.3~68.6) microgram/l, 1.04(0.17~3.41) mg/l, 30.30(11.6~58.0) microgram/l and 10.51(1.0~31.0) microgram/l, respectively. And the mean values of hemoglobin, hematocrit and red blood cell count were 15.41 (10.2~18.9)g/dl, 45.88(33.9~54.7)%, 497.37(415~591)x10(4)/mm3, respectively. 4. The mean number of positive responses to subjective symptoms(16 items) was 2.08(13%) and tended to decrease with increasing work duration and age. 5. The number of positive responses of subjective symptoms did not show dose-response relationship with lead absorption indices.

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Effect of Pork Consumption on Renal and Hematochemical Indices in Workers Occupationally Exposed to Unclean Environments
Chan-Kyu Han, Jeong-Hae Rho, Bog-Hieu Lee
Korean Journal for Food Science of Animal Resources.2008; 28(1): 91. CrossRef

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A Review of Health Effects of Relative Humidity in Office Building: Soo Hun Cho, Heon Kim; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1990;2(2):123-133. Published online August 31, 1990; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1990.2.2.123

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No abstract available.

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Min Lee, Sang-Bum Park, Sang-Min Lee
Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology.2016; 44(3): 424. CrossRef
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Korean Journal of Environmental Health Sciences.2012; 38(6): 503. CrossRef

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Discussion on the health Care System for Industrial Workers in Korea In relation to Revision of Industrial Safety and Health Law: Yong Tae Yum; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1990;2(2):117-122. Published online August 31, 1990; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1990.2.2.117

Abstract PDF: No abstract available.

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