Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Research Article

Difference in health status of Korean farmers according to gender: Ho Lee, Seong-yong Cho, Jin-seok Kim, Seong-yong Yoon, Bu-il Kim, Jong-min An, Ki-beom Kim; Ann Occup Environ Med 2019;31:7. Published online March 8, 2019; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40557-019-0287-7

Background

The objective of this study was to compare differences in lifestyle diseases, musculoskeletal pain, psychosocial stress, and self-health awareness according to gender in Korean farmers.

Methods

The study population comprised 436 farmers residing in rural areas in Korea. A self-administered questionnaire was used to survey demographic characteristics, health-related behaviors, and musculoskeletal pain. The psychosocial well-being index short form (PWI-SF) was used to survey psychosocial stress, and the 12-item short form health survey (SF-12) was used to survey self-health awareness. In addition, a clinical examination was performed for each participant, and lifestyle diseases were identified through a health checkup.

Results

Among lifestyle diseases, females showed a significantly higher proportion than males for metabolic syndrome (OR: 4.57 [95% CI, 1.67–12.51]). For musculoskeletal pain, females again showed significantly higher proportion than males for hand pain (OR: 16.79 [95% CI, 3.09–91.30]), and pain in at least one body part (OR: 2.34 [95% CI, 1.16–4.70]). For psychosocial stress, females showed a significantly higher proportion than males for high-risk stress (OR: 3.10 [95% CI, 1.17–8.24]). Among the items in self-health awareness, females showed significantly higher proportion than males for mental component score (MCS) (OR: 3.10 [95% CI, 1.52–6.31]) and total score (OR: 2.34 [95% CI, 1.11–4.90]).

Conclusions

For all items that showed significant differences, females showed higher proportion than males, which indicates that female farmers tended to have poorer overall health than male farmers. Therefore, specialized programs will have to be developed to improve the health of female farmers.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Older Female Farmers and Modeling of Occupational Hazards, Wellbeing, and Sleep-Related Problems on Musculoskeletal Pains
Dong Seok Shin, Byung Yong Jeong
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2022; 19(12): 7274. CrossRef
Autopercepción del Nivel de vida en los asociados a gremios agrícolas en Tungurahua, Ecuador
Carlos Fabricio Gavilanes Carvajal, Janneth Maricela Illapa Atupaña, María Dolores Guamán Guevara, César Andrés Guerrero Velástegui
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Work.2022; 72(3): 1025. CrossRef
Key Risk Factors Affecting Farmers’ Mental Health: A Systematic Review
Sahar Daghagh Yazd, Sarah Ann Wheeler, Alec Zuo
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2019; 16(23): 4849. CrossRef

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Short Communication

Environmental health centers for asbestos and their health impact surveys and activities: Dong-Mug Kang, Jong-Eun Kim, Yong-Jin Lee, Hyun-Hee Lee, Chang-yeol Lee, Seong-Jae Moon, Min-Sung Kang; Ann Occup Environ Med 2016;28:68. Published online December 1, 2016; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40557-016-0154-8

Abstract PDF PubReader ePub

In 2009, Korea banned the import, transport, and use of asbestos, and the Asbestos Injury Relief Act (AIRA) was promulgated in 2011. Two environmental health centers for asbestos (EHCA), including Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital (PNUYH) and SoonChunHyang University Cheonan Hospital (SCHUCH), were adapted to find environmental asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) and to support the purposes of AIRA. EHCA conducted a health impact survey (HIS) on persons who resided or reside near asbestos factories or mines. A total of 13,433 persons have taken screening examinations in PNUYH EHCA, and 623 persons (4.6%) have had secondary examinations. Of the 21,014 persons who had screening examinations in SCHUCH EHCA, 2490 persons (11.8%) had secondary examinations. Some of those who tested positive for ARDs through HISs filed applications for the asbestos victims’ medical pocketbook (AVMP). Approximately 116 and 612 persons received AVMPs as a result of PNUYH and SCHUCH examinees, respectively. EHCAs have conducted HISs, public relations, and education for asbestos victims, ordinary citizens, and physicians. As HISs are based on voluntary participation, they does not monitor high-risk groups. Active surveillance focusing on high-risk groups has been blocked by the personal information protection act. Although important work has been performed in finding environmental asbestos victims and increasing public awareness on asbestos, it is necessary to improve the current system and registration.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Air pollution and survival in patients with malignant mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer: a follow-up study of 1591 patients in South Korea
Da-An Huh, Yun-Hee Choi, Lita Kim, Kangyeon Park, Jiyoun Lee, Se Hyun Hwang, Kyong Whan Moon, Min-Sung Kang, Yong-Jin Lee
Environmental Health.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Occupational and Environmental Asbestos Exposure and Survival of Patients with Asbestos-Related Cancer: A Follow-Up Study on Patients with Malignant Mesothelioma and Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer in Korea
Min-Sung Kang, Woo-Ri Chae, Yong-Jin Lee, Kyong Whan Moon
Toxics.2023; 12(1): 20. CrossRef
Disease Latency according to Asbestos Exposure Characteristics among Malignant Mesothelioma and Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer Cases in South Korea
Da-An Huh, Woo-Ri Chae, Yun-Hee Choi, Min-Sung Kang, Yong-Jin Lee, Kyong-Whan Moon
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2022; 19(23): 15934. CrossRef
Occupational and environmental asbestos exposure and the risk of lung cancer in Korea: A case-control study in South Chungcheong Province of Korea
Da-An Huh, Min-Sung Kang, Jiyun Lee, Ji Yoon Choi, Kyong Whan Moon, Yong-Jin Lee, Flavio Manoel Rodrigues Da Silva Júnior
PLOS ONE.2021; 16(4): e0249790. CrossRef
Development of Nationwide Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk Evaluation Methods with Comprehensive Past Asbestos Exposure Reconstruction
Dongmug Kang, Seung Ho Lee, Yoon Ji Kim, Tae Kyoung Kim, Ju Young Kim, Youngki Kim
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2021; 18(6): 2819. CrossRef
Epidemiological Findings on Health Effects of Environmental Exposure to Airborne Asbestos
Hideki Hasunuma, Masayuki Shima
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Relationships of Lower Lung Fibrosis, Pleural Disease, and Lung Mass with Occupational, Household, Neighborhood, and Slate Roof-Dense Area Residential Asbestos Exposure
Dongmug Kang, Yu-Young Kim, Minseung Shin, Min-Su Lee, Hee-Joo Bae, Se-Yeong Kim, Young-Ki Kim
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2018; 15(8): 1638. CrossRef
Monitoring and Simulating Environmental Asbestos Dispersion from a Textile Factory
Dongmug Kang, Yongsik Hwang, Yeyong Choi, Se-Yeong Kim, Young-Ki Kim
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2018; 15(7): 1398. CrossRef
Occupational Burden of Asbestos-Related Diseases in Korea, 1998–2013: Asbestosis, Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer, Laryngeal Cancer, and Ovarian Cancer
Dong-Mug Kang, Jong-Eun Kim, Young-Ki Kim, Hyun-Hee Lee, Se-Yeong Kim
Journal of Korean Medical Science.2018;[Epub] CrossRef
The Asbestos Ban in Korea from a Grassroots Perspective: Why Did It Occur?
Yu-Ryong Yoon, Kyeong Kwak, Yeyong Choi, Kanwoo Youn, Jinwook Bahk, Dong-Mug Kang, Domyung Paek
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2018; 15(2): 198. CrossRef

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