Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Brief Communication

Workers' opinions on working time regulations: results from the 5th Korean Work, Sleep, and Health Study (KWSHS): Jeong Woo Park, Seong-Sik Cho, Mo-Yeol Kang, Min Choi, Jongwoo Lee; Ann Occup Environ Med 2026;e32. Published online July 21, 2026; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/aoem.2026.38.e32 [Accepted]

Abstract PDF: Although South Korea's average annual working hours have declined over recent decades, the country continues to rank higher among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. Despite ongoing policy debates on working time reform, public perspectives on specific regulatory measures among Korean workers remain underexplored. This study analyzed data from the 5th wave of the Korean Work, Sleep, and Health Study (KWSHS). The survey was conducted in September 2024 via an online platform. A total of 5,783 working adults aged 19–70 years were included. Participants were asked about their opinions on five working time regulatory measures, including the current weekly hour cap, extending regulations to small companies and exempt industries, introducing a daily working hours limit, regulating non-essential night work, and restricting weekend work for large supermarkets. A majority of respondents supported all five proposed regulatory measures. Support was highest for introducing a daily working hours cap (72.1% agree or strongly agree), followed by regulating non-essential night work (63.2%), extending the cap to small companies (60.1%), restricting weekend work for large supermarkets (60.7%), and introducing the weekly cap for exempt industries (52.8%). While 34.7% favored reducing the current weekly maximum, 36.5% preferred maintaining the current limit. The survey respondents generally support strengthening working-time regulations. These findings provide workers’ opinions on working-time regulations, although they should be interpreted within the study's limitations (a sample with a higher proportion of office workers).

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Original Article

Relationship between shark meat intake and blood mercury concentration in Korean adolescents: Jeong A Chang, Jeong Woo Park, Joon SaKong; Ann Occup Environ Med 2026;e28. Published online July 13, 2026; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/aoem.2026.38.e28 [Accepted]

Abstract PDF: Background
Mercury exposure through seafood consumption poses health risks, yet limited research has examined shark meat—a large predatory fish still consumed in Korea—and its association with blood mercury levels in adolescents.
Methods
This cross-sectional study used data from the 3rd Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KNEHS). Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between shark meat intake and blood mercury levels and to estimate the odds ratios for exceeding the reference blood mercury level, adjusting for potential confounders.
Results
Of the 912 participants, 50 (5.5%) were identified as shark meat consumption group. Shark meat consumption was associated with higher blood mercury concentrations (β = 0.41; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.23–0.59), with the highest levels observed among those who consumed shark meat within the past 30 days (β = 1.19; 95% CI: 0.30–2.08), those who preferred shark meat (β = 0.67; 95% CI: 0.26–1.08), and those with higher annual intake (β = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.00–1.43). Shark meat consumers had substantially higher odds of exceeding the blood mercury reference level (≥5.8 µg/L; odds ratios: 35.84; 95% CI: 3.39–378.84), with an estimated attributable risk of 97.2% (95% CI: 70.5%–99.7%) and a population attributable risk of 65.7% (95% CI: 11.6%–95.4%). Of the estimated 25,740 (95% range: 11,905–54,913) adolescents aged 12–17 years potentially exceeding this threshold, approximately 16,911 (95% CI: 2,986–24,556) cases may be attributable to shark meat consumption, though these estimates should be interpreted cautiously given the wide confidence intervals.
Conclusion
Shark meat consumption was associated with elevated blood mercury levels in Korean adolescents. Targeted education on its potential health risks is needed to reduce unintended exposure, while maintaining the nutritional benefits of fish consumption.

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Research Article

Association between employment status and sickness presenteeism among Korean employees: a cross-sectional study: Jeong Woo Park, Seong Sik Cho, JongWoo Lee, Jonghyun Hwang, Jung Il Kim, Byoung Gwon Kim, Young Seoub Hong; Ann Occup Environ Med 2020;32:e17. Published online June 12, 2020; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/aoem.2020.32.e17

Abstract PDF

Background

Sickness presenteeism (SP) indicates “going to work while being ill.” The importance of SP has only recently been investigated, and the association between SP and employment status has been inconsistent across studies. Therefore, we conducted this study to explore the association between SP and employment status by using presenteeism propensity (PP), which can reflect the individual decision-making process.

Methods

The study population included employees participating in the 5th Korean Working Condition Survey. We analyzed data of only employees with at least one health event, which was calculated as the sum of SP and sickness absenteeism days. Employment status was grouped into 3 categories: stable employment, unstable employment (contract period ≥ 1 year), and unstable employment (contract period < 1 year). Survey-weighted logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between employment status and PP (dichotomized as “≤ 0.5” and “> 0.5”).

Results

Unstable employees (contract period ≥ 1 year) had higher odds of PP than stable employees (odds ratio [OR]: 1.23, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03–1.47), whereas unstable employees (contract period < 1 year) had lower odds of PP than stable employees (OR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.71–0.96).

Conclusions

Employment status was associated with SP. Given the negative health impact of SP, social efforts, such as paid sick leave, are required to reduce SP and enhance the health status of unstable workers.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

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Sang-Hyeon Kim, Eun-Chul Jang, Soon-Chan Kwon, In-ho Lee, Jisuk Yun, Ui Chan Jung, Young-Sun Min
Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.2026; 38: e1. CrossRef
Presenteeism propensity as a measure of health-related workplace attendance decisions: a validation study using vignette and survey data
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Health Services and Outcomes Research Methodology.2026;[Epub] CrossRef
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Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine.2022; 64(1): e1. CrossRef
Associations between job and workplace factors, health and physical factors, personal factors, and presenteeism among general employees in Japan: A longitudinal study
Eiko Goto, Hirono Ishikawa, Tsuyoshi Okuhara, Hiroko Okada, Aiko Tsunezumi, Yumi Kagawa, Yoshihisa Fujino, Takahiro Kiuchi
Journal of Occupational Health.2022;[Epub] CrossRef
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Frontiers in Public Health.2021;[Epub] CrossRef

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Research Article

A study of relationship between blood mercury concentration and hypertension in residents living in old mine fields and related factors: Jeong Woo Kim, Byoung Gwon Kim, Jeong Woo Park, Jong Woo Yi, Jung Il Kim, Young Seoub Hong; Ann Occup Environ Med 2019;31:e6. Published online May 30, 2019; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/aoem.2019.31.e6

Abstract PDF

Background

In Korea, around the abandoned metal mines, heavy metals are being accumulating in the cultivated areas. Among exposed heavy metals, mercury is known to harm for cardiovascular system known to affect blood pressure. So, we studied the relationship between blood mercury level and hypertension in residents around abandoned metal mines.

Methods

From 2008 to 2011, we surveyed 7,055 residents in provinces affected by abandoned metal mines and collected data from 6 Hospitals. We conducted a personal questionnaire interview survey with residents on the basis of household questionnaires, sex, age, household income, smoking, and drinking items. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between blood mercury level and hypertension.

Results

We compared residents with low and high groups based on blood mercury level 5.8 μg/L, and higher group was significantly higher risk of hypertension than lower group (odds ratio [OR]: 1.277; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.135–1.436), also in adjusted model, higher group was significantly higher risk of hypertension than lower group (OR: 1.276; 95% CI: 1.117–1.457).

Conclusions

This study showed a significant correlation between mercury and hypertension in residents around abandoned metal mines. Therefore, we should continuously monitor people who are higher than the standard value and the hypertensive patients.

Citations

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Environmental Research.2024; 257: 119391. CrossRef
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Zhaoyuan Li, Shouxin Peng, Meijin Chen, Jinhui Sun, Feifei Liu, Huaiji Wang, Hao Xiang
Environmental Research.2023; 217: 114739. CrossRef
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Eunseop Kim, Sun-In Moon, Dong-Hyuk Yim, Byung-Sun Choi, Jung-Duck Park, Sang-Yong Eom, Yong-Dae Kim, Heon Kim
Journal of Environmental Health Sciences.2022; 48(4): 236. CrossRef
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Environmental Research.2022; 215: 114101. CrossRef
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Can-Can Zhou, Hui Fu, Guo-Yan Zhang, Jia-Wei Ma, Min Ni, Dong-Jie Li, Fu-Ming Shen, Fang Huang
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety.2021; 208: 111642. CrossRef
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