Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Original Article

The Problem Drinking and Related Factors in Female Firefighters: Seung Won Yoo, Kyoo Sang Kim, Chung Yill Park, Min Gi Kim; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2012;24(2):124-132. Published online June 30, 2012; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2012.24.2.124

Abstract PDF: OBJECTIVES
This study was conducted to investigate problem drinking and analyze factors associated with alcohol use among female firefighters, as well as to provide useful data for management of alcohol use by female firefighters.
METHODS
The study includeed 1,587 female firefighters from throught Koea. Data were collected from June to July in 2008 using self-administered questionnaires including a general questionnaire, work related questionnaire, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), the Korean Occupational Stress Scale Short Form (KOSS-26), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD). Among 1,263 female firefighters (75.6%) surveyed, the results of 1,084 qualified questionnaires (70.5%) were analyzed using the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and multiple logistic regression.
RESULTS
The prevalence of problem drinking (AUDIT score > or =8) in female firefighters was 12.5%. Multiple logistic analysis showed that being single, smoking and depression were correlated with problem drinking. Single female firefighter, present smokers and individuals positive for symptoms of depression had OR values of 2.11, 17.58 and 1.76, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
Three factors were found to influnce the occurrence of problem drinking. Accordingly, smoking related education, counseling to cope effectively with depression and health promotion programs that consider psychological effects of job stress are needed to reduce work related factors that lead to problem drinking by female firefighters.

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Original Article

Effect of Hand Transmitted Vibration on the Auditory System: Jae Kook Yoon, Cheol In Yoo, Ji Ho Lee; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2011;23(1):18-30. Published online March 31, 2011; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2011.23.1.18

OBJECTIVES
This study was undertaken to estimate the effect of hand transmitted vibration exposure for long time period on the auditory system in shipyard grinder workers.
METHODS
From 2006 to 2009, the study was carried out on 87 grinder workers for hand transmitted vibration exposure group, with 81 welders who were served as the control group. All subjects were male; at baseline, none of the participants had ear disease or diabetes mellitus. Auditory threshold at different frequencies ranged from 0.25 kHz to 8 kHz for both ear was recorded; the following were also collected from the subjects: age, exposure duration, noise exposure level of investigation year, total cholesterol, systolic/diastolic blood pressure, and smoking history.
RESULTS
In comparison of two groups, mean of age, exposure duration, noise level, total cholesterol, systolic/diastolic blood pressure, smoking rate were not significantly different between the groups. Auditory thresholds of 0.25, 0.5 kHz frequencies in both ear, 1 kHz frequency in right ear, and 8 kHz frequency in left ear were higher in hand-transmitted vibration exposure group than that in the control group at a statistically significant level. After stratification by age 50 years, there were no significant differences between the two groups in less than 50-years old age group, but auditory threshold of 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 8 kHz frequency were significantly different between the two groups in above 50-years old age group. The differences between two groups ranged from 0.4 dB(HL) to 6.7 dB(HL). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that hand transmitted vibration exposure was significant only in 0.25, 0.5 kHz frequency and the regression coefficients of vibration exposure ranged from 3.826 to 5.028 in those frequencies.
CONCLUSIONS
The differences of hearing threshold between two groups only in the 50-years old group were possibly owing to changed peripheral vascular system with autonomic nervous system, and significances only in low frequencies such as 0.25, 0.5 kHz probably mean that hand vibration exposure have been transmitted to auditory organ over long term. Collectively, older people can be more susceptible to hearing loss in the presence of hand transmitted vibration exposure and auditory threshold at low frequency may be more affected by the hand transmitted vibration exposure than high frequency.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

The Health Effect of Hand Arm Transmitted Vibration
Jung-Wan Koo
Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea.2013; 32(4): 303. CrossRef

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Original Article

A study on the relationship between Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and liver function test in blue-collar workers: Jin Guhn Sohn, Hae Rhan Song, Kwang Young Lee, Jin Ha Kim, Ho Chan Kim; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2003;15(3):281-289. Published online September 30, 2003; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2003.15.3.281

Abstract PDF

OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the relationship between AUDIT score and liver function test.
METHODS
AUDIT questionnaires were distributed to 440 blue-collar workers. We compared liver function test with firstly, normal and hazardous drinking as defined by WHO, and secondly, with normal, hazardous and harmful drinking as measured by Kim et al.(1999). We also compared influencing factors on abnormal liver function.
RESULTS
By simple analysis in the normal BMI group, abnormal liver function was significantly affected by hazardous drinking (odds ratio 2.81) based on the guideline of WHO. By chi-square test for linear trend in the normal BMI group, abnormal liver function was significantly affected by hazardous drinking (odds ratio 1.23) and harmful drinking (odds ratio 2.14) based on the guideline of Kim et al.By multiple logistic regression analysis, abnormal liver function was significantly affected by AUDIT questionnaires No. 1-3 (odds ratio- high risk 2.39), age (odds ratio- thirties 1.95, forties 2.40, fifties 3.85), BMI (odds ratio- overweight 1.66, obesity 4.53), guideline by WHO (odds ratio- hazardous drinking 2.10), and guideline by Kim et al (odds ratio- harmful drinking 2.20) CONCLUSIONS: We found that the problem of alcohol drinking as measured by AUDIT was significantly associated with abnormal liver function. Therefore we suggest that AUDIT will be useful for the predictive test of abnormal liver function and screening test of hazardous and harmful drinking.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Effects of nutrition education on nutrition-related knowledge, dietary habits, and nutrient intakes of alcoholic patients
An Na Kim, Hyeon-Sook Lim
Journal of Nutrition and Health.2014; 47(4): 277. CrossRef
Nutrient Intake Status of Korean Drinkers: Analysis of Data from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), 2011
Hyung-Tae Kim, Sung-Soo Chun, Sun-Hee Joung, Mi-Eun Yun
Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association.2013; 19(4): 343. CrossRef
Psychometric Properties of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test: A Korean Version
Sun S. Kim, Elsie E. Gulick, Kyoung A. Nam, Seong-Ho Kim
Archives of Psychiatric Nursing.2008; 22(4): 190. CrossRef

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