This study investigated the risk perceptions, prevalence of environmental diseases (EDs) and associated factors with the prevalence of environmental disease among the population living near an incinerator
Study area were divided into 3 local areas near the incinerator by distance (A, B, C) and control area (D) by distance and geographic isolation. A Questionnaire was conducted with 1,380 in local residents (A, B, C) and 390 in control area (D), gathered information of demographic characteristics, lifestyle, perception of damage by incinerators, experience of EDs (atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma) diagnosed by physician. Analysis of variance, χ2 test, and Kruskal Wallis test was applied to determine the difference by area. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with the prevalence of allergic rhinitis.
Residents residing closer to the incinerator had negative perception in most items in questionnaire compared with control. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis was higher as they lived nearby the incinerator (
As closer to the incinerator, the risk perception tend to negative and prevalence of EDs were increased. Carpet, residential area, duration of residence and perception of environmental air pollution around the residential area were associated with prevalence of allergic rhinitis. These results may be useful for the communication with residents to discuss the environmental problems caused by the incinerator.
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In modern society, many workers are stressed. Supervisors’ support or behavior can affect the emotional or psychological part of the worker. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of supervisor’s behavior on worker’s stress.
The study included 19,272 subjects following the assignment of weighted values to workers other than soldiers using data from the Fourth Korean Working Condition Survey. Supervisors’ behavior was measured using 5 items: “supervisor feedback regarding work,” “respectful attitude,” “good conflict-resolution ability,” “good work-related planning and organizational ability,” and the encouragement of participation in important decision making. Job stress was measured using 1 item: “I experience stress at work.” Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the effects of supervisors’ behavioral, general, occupational, and psychosocial characteristics on job stress in workers. Organizational characteristics associated with supervisors’ behavior were also analyzed.
The results showed that supervisors’ provision of feedback regarding work increased workers’ job stress (OR = 1.329, 95% CI = 1.203 ~ 1.468). When a supervisor respect workers (OR = 0.812, 95% CI = 0.722 ~ 0.913) or good at planning and organizing works (OR = 0.816, 95% CI: 0.732 ~ 0.910), workers’ job stress decreased. In particular, the two types of supervisor behaviors, other than feedback regarding work, were high in private-sector organizations employing less than 300 employees.
Supervisors’ behavior influenced job stress levels in workers. Therefore, it is necessary to increase education regarding the effects of supervisors’ behavior on job stress, which should initially be provided in private-sector organizations with up to 300 employees.
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Health problems in shift workers vary including obesity acting as a risk factor in cerebrovascular diseases. Recent studies have commonly determined the prevalence of obesity in shift workers on the basis of body mass index. The accuracy of BMI for diagnosing obesity are still limited apparently. Consequently, this study aimed to determine the relationship between shift work and obesity according to the total body fat percentage in Korean wage workers.
From the Fourth and the Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2008–2011), after military personnel were excluded, a total of 2952 wage workers (20 ≤ age ≤ 65) whose current jobs were their longest jobs were selected as subjects of the study. The total body fat percentage was used to determine the obesity standards (≥25.7 % in males and ≥36.0 % in females). The subjects were divided into groups by gender and work type (manual vs non-manual), and chi-squared test was used to evaluate the relationship between socio-economic, health behavior, and work-related factors, on the one hand, and obesity, on the other. In addition, multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the effects of shift work on obesity.
When other factors were controlled for, the risk of obesity in shift work showed a statistically significant increase (odds ratio = 1.779, 95 % confidence interval = 1.050-3.015) in the male manual worker group. However, there were no significant results in the male non-manual and female worker groups.
Shift work was related to a higher risk of obesity in the Korean male manual worker group.
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Exposure to the underwater environment for occupational or recreational purposes is increasing. As estimated, there are around 7 million divers active worldwide and 300,000 more divers in Korea. The underwater and hyperbaric environment presents a number of risks to the diver. Injuries from these hazards include barotrauma, decompression sickness, toxic effects of hyperbaric gases, drowning, hypothermia, and dangerous marine animals. For these reasons, primary care physicians should understand diving related injuries and assessment of fitness to dive. However, most Korean physicians are unfamiliar with underwater and hyperbaric medicine (UHM) in spite of scientific and practical values.
From occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) specialist’s perspective, we believe that UHM should be a branch of OEM because OEM is an area of medicine that deals with injuries caused by physical and biological hazards, clinical toxicology, occupational diseases, and assessment of fitness to work. To extend our knowledge about UHM, this article will review and update on UHM including barotrauma, decompression illness, toxicity of diving gases and fitness for diving.
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