Despite hearing loss being a prevalent chronic condition, estimated to nearly 20% of the global population by the World Health Organization, the specific association with individual lifestyle factors, particularly alcohol consumption, remains unclear. In South Korea, approximately 80% of the population engages in alcohol consumption, with a notably high prevalence among males, indicating a high-risk drinking pattern. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the correlation between alcohol consumption and hearing loss in male workers, as well as to analyze additional variables such as alcohol flushing reaction, with the intention of improving worker health.
The study was conducted from January 2012 to December 2019, targeting 114,114 participants who visited Kangbuk Samsung Hospital Total Healthcare Centers. Data were collected through pure-tone audiometry tests and alcohol-related questionnaire, and statistical analysis was performed using Cox regression analysis. Based on previous studies indicating a potential protective effect of light drinking on hearing loss, this group was designated as the reference. Additionally, stratified analyses were conducted based on the presence of alcohol flushing reaction and different working hours.
The hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for hearing loss was higher in the heavy drinking group (1.23 [1.11–1.37]) compared to the moderate drinking group (1.09 [0.98–1.20]). Stratified analyses revealed a significantly elevated the hazard ratio of hearing loss in groups with alcohol flushing reaction compared to those without this factor.
Our study demonstrated that moderate or heavy alcohol consumption in male workers can increase the risk of hearing loss, particularly in those with alcohol flushing reaction. These findings underscore the importance of addressing alcohol-related factors concerning hearing health among male workers.
Circadian rhythm disturbance caused by shift work has adverse effects on the metabolic homeostasis of the liver. Disruption of the metabolic homeostasis of the liver causes fat accumulation in the liver. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between shift work and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among male workers in the steel manufacturing industry of Korea.
Based on medical examination data collected in June 2020, 2,511 male subjects from one steel manufacturing company in Korea were selected in total. NAFLD was evaluated using abdominal ultrasound, which was performed by two experienced radiologists. The multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed by adjusting for age, physical activity, smoking history, alcohol consumption, body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, blood glucose, lipidemia, liver function test, employment duration, and hepatotoxic materials exposure status.
Compared to daytime workers, the odds ratio (OR) of moderate-severe NAFLD in shift workers was 1.449 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.028–2.043). Compared to daytime workers, the ORs of moderate-severe NAFLD were significantly higher for the group that engaged in total shift work for more than 20 years (OR, 2.285; 95% CI, 1.051–4.970), the group that was not allowed to sleep during night shift work (OR, 1.463; 95% CI, 1.030–2.078), and the group that consumed food during night shift work (OR, 1.580; 95% CI, 1.093–2.284).
There was a correlation between shift work and moderate-severe NAFLD in male steel manufacturing workers. There will be a need for more research related to the correlation of shift work with steatohepatitis and cirrhosis in the future.
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Adolescent smoking and drinking are influenced by parental supervision. This study aimed to investigate the gap in adolescent smoking and drinking experience rates and age at initiation according to maternal working hours.
Data from 1,580 adolescents aged 12–18 years and 1,172 working mothers of double-parent or single-mother households were selected from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) VI & VII data. Figures on adolescents' smoking and drinking rates and their ages at imitation were used. Maternal working hours were divided into < 40 hours, 40–52 hours, and > 52 hours to analyze whether smoking and drinking experience rates and age at initiation differ according to maternal working hours and by the child's sex. Maternal age, education level, household income, occupation, shift work, current smoking status, monthly drinking frequency and child's obesity, stress recognition and depressive mood were adjusted for in the statistical analyses.
The odds for adolescents' smoking behavior were significantly higher with increasing maternal working hours in boys but not in girls. The odds for adolescents' drinking behavior were not significantly higher in both boys and girls. Regardless of the child's sex, there were no significant differences in the age of smoking and drinking initiation according to maternal working hours.
Adolescents of mothers who work long hours are at a higher risk of being exposed to smoking. Thus, our society needs to share the burden of raising children, which is concentrated on women, and employers and governments should support policies that can help prevent long working hours.
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In Korea, the cause of lung disease of unknown origin was identified as humidifier disinfectants in November 2011. In February 2017, the ‘Special Act on Remedy for Damage Caused by Humidifier Disinfectants’ was promulgated. Even though emotional and mental injuries caused by humidifier disinfectants have been reported, the focus of the special act has been on physical injury only, and criteria for recognizing mental health impact have not been considered. This case considers emotional and mental injury caused by humidifier disinfectants. After a humidifier disinfectant was used from January 2005 to April 2006, the patient's son aged 20 months was hospitalized with respiratory symptoms, and he died within two weeks. Also, the patient was hospitalized for a month with the same symptoms, and then she led a normal life with no symptoms. After both mother and son were diagnosed with definite (level 1) humidifier disinfectant lung injury (HDLI) in 2017, she took to drinking alcohol because of extreme guilt over her son's death. In March 2018 she died from acute liver failure due to alcohol use disorder. The patient's death was caused by continuous alcoholism, due to emotional and mental trauma caused by her son's death after HDLI was revealed as the cause. The government did not acknowledge her death was due to humidifier disinfectants, but the company that sold the humidifier disinfectants recognized her as a victim and compensated the family of the victim. There are still lots of psychological responses among humidifier disinfectant disaster victims. Mental health impact on humidifier disinfectant victims should be considered more carefully, and institutional improvements should be made into establish psychological interventions and measures.
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Methyl alcohol poisoning has been mainly reported in community. Two cases of methyl alcohol poisoning occurred in a small-sized subcontracted factory which manufactured smartphone parts in Korea.
One young female patient presented with dyspnea and visual disturbance. Another young male patient presented with visual disturbance and myalgia. They treated with sodium bicarbonate infusion and hemodialysis for metabolic acidosis. In addition, he received ethyl alcohol per oral treatment. Her and his urinary methyl alcohol concentration was detected as 7.632 mg/L, 46.8 mg/L, respectively, although they were treated hemodialysis. Results of the working environment measurement showed that the concentration of methyl alcohol (1030.1–2220.5 ppm) in the air exceeded the time weighted average (200 ppm). They were diagnosed with optic neuropathy due to methyl alcohol poisoning and still have visual impairment.
Workers who hired as dispatched employees in a small-sized subcontracted factory were exposed to high concentrations of methyl alcohol. The workplace had poor ventilation system. In addition, workers did not wear proper personal protect equipment. Working environment measurement and annual chekups for workers were not performed. They were in a blind spot to occupational safety and health. More attention is needed to protect vulnerable workers’ health.
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