Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Research Article

Participation inequality in the National General Health Examination based on enterprise size: Young Joong Kang, Jong Heun Park, Huisu Eom, Bohwa Choi, Seyoung Lee, Ji-Won Lee, Jun-Pyo Myong; Ann Occup Environ Med 2017;29:3. Published online February 22, 2017; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40557-017-0159-y

Background

Health examinations are performed so that diseases can be identified and treated earlier. Several studies have evaluated the determinants of participation in health examinations including cancer screening, but few have evaluated the relationship between the size of the enterprise and their participation in Workers’ General Health Examinations (WGHE). The aim of the present study was to estimate the association of WGHE participation with the size of the enterprise and the type of policyholder.

Methods

The eligible population from 2006 through 2013 was extracted from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database. The population size ranged from 14–17 million. After adjustment for age and gender, multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the odds ratios of participating in the WGHE (by age group) based on the type of policyholder (reference: public officers) and the size of the enterprise (reference: enterprise size ≥300 employees), respectively.

Results

Workers employed at enterprises with <50 persons were less likely to participate in WGHEs than those employed at enterprises with ≥300 persons. After policyholders were stratified by type (non-office workers vs. public officers), a disparity in the WGHE participation rate was found between the different types of policyholders at enterprises with <50 employees (reference: those employed at enterprises with ≥300 employees); the odds ratios for subjects in their 40s and 50s were 0.2–0.3 for non-office workers vs. 0.8–2.0 for public officers.

Conclusion

Workplace policyholders at small enterprises comprised a vulnerable group less likely to participate in WGHEs. Efforts should be made to raise the WGHE participation rate among the vulnerable employees belonging to small enterprises, as well as among their dependents.

Citations

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Income-based inequality in nationwide general health checkup participation in Japan
A. Shimoda, Y. Saito, C. Ooe, N. Kondo
Public Health.2021; 195: 112. CrossRef
Employment conditions and use of gastric cancer screening services in Korea: a nationwide survey
Hye-Young Shim, Jae Kwan Jun, Ji-Yeon Shin
BMC Public Health.2019;[Epub] CrossRef
Factors Associated with General Health Screening Participation among Married Immigrant Women in Korea
Jinhee Jeong, Yunhee Lee, Sung Hee Kwon, Jun-Pyo Myong
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2019; 16(20): 3971. CrossRef
Healthcare consumers’ sensitivity to costs: a reflection on behavioural economics from an emerging market
Quan-Hoang Vuong, Tung-Manh Ho, Hong-Kong Nguyen, Thu-Trang Vuong
Palgrave Communications.2018;[Epub] CrossRef
The roles of doctors, nurses, and industrial hygienists in the healthcare management services in Korea: a comparison of the opinions of specialized health management institutions and entrusted enterprises
Bo-Young Jang, Dong-Mug Kang, Young-Ki Kim, Se-Young Kim, Kyung-Sun Ko
Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.2018;[Epub] CrossRef

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Original Article

Application of Participatory Action-Oriented Training (PAOT) to Small and Medium sized Enterprises for Prevention of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders: Seong Yong Yoon, Kuckhyeun Woo, Jinseok Kim, Jay Young Yu, Taesung Choi, Bong Goo Ha, Yongseok Jang, Seong Yong Jo; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2005;17(3):249-258. Published online September 30, 2005; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2005.17.3.249

Abstract PDF

OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was firstly to introduce a Participatory Action-Oriented Training (PAOT) program for the prevention of work-related musculoskeletal diseases (WRMSDs) in Small and Medium sized Enterprises in the Gumi Industrial Zone, and secondly to assess its effect.
METHODS
Two PAOT workshops to prevent WRMSDs were conducted with 39 volunteer participants from 10 companies selected (on a first-come, first-served basis) among 200 small- or medium-sized enterprises in Gumi. These companies had been provided with mandatory occupational health management agency services for Small and Medium sized Enterprises by an occupational medicine clinic. Each workshop consisted of 6 technical sessions and one closing ceremony. At the 1st session, the principles of each action checklist item were explained and an on-site checklist exercise was carried out. The 2nd to 5th sessions presented good example pictures on 4 subjects: material storage and handling, working environment, work organization and work-related welfare. Group discussions were carried out by the participants. In the final 6th session on the implementation of improvement, each participant was asked to present 6 action plans, 3 short-term and 3 long-term, for their own workplace improvement.
RESULTS
Overall, the participants worked out 47 real action plans, 27 short-term and 20 long-term, for improvement of their own workplaces. Three to 6 months after the workshops, through in-person visits to each company, it was confirmed that more than half of these 47 plans had been completed; 25 plans (53.2%) had been completed as planned, 8 (17.0%) were in processing, and 14 (29.8%) had not yet been put into practice.
CONCLUSIONS
The study findings confirmed that the PAOT program holds strong potential as an intervention method to prevent WRMSDs in Small and Medium sized Enterprises, although the final results have not been fully assessed yet.

Citations

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Effectiveness of participatory training for the promotion of work-related health and safety among Korean farmers
Jin-Seok KIM, Seong-Yong YOON, Seong-Yong CHO, Sang-Kyu KIM, In-Sung CHUNG, Hyeong-Soo SHIN
INDUSTRIAL HEALTH.2017; 55(4): 391. CrossRef
Effectiveness of Participatory Action-Oriented Training (PAOT) Methods for the Management Metabolic Syndrome in Korean Manufacture Workers for Three-years
Jungsuk Lee, Sin Kam, Seongyong Yoon
Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing.2016; 25(4): 384. CrossRef
Agricultural Labor Environment and Work Safety
Kyung-Suk Lee, Insoo Kim, Min-Tae Seo, Myungsun Ko, Kyung-Su Kim, Hye-Seon Chae, Dong-Phil Choi
Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea.2016; 35(4): 205. CrossRef
The Effect of Metabolic syndrome Management Program Applying Participatory Action-Oriented Training Principle
Seong-Yong Yoon, Kuck-Hyeun Woo, Hwa-Sung Kim, Yong-Bae Kim, Jin-Seok Kim, Seong-Yong Jo, Sung-Soo Lee
Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion.2014; 31(5): 81. CrossRef
Development of an intervention to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders among hospital nurses based on the participatory approach
Soon-Lae Kim, Jong-Eun Lee
Applied Ergonomics.2010; 41(3): 454. CrossRef
Participatory Action Oriented Training for Hospital Nurses (PAOTHN) Program to Prevent Musculoskeletal Disorders
Jong‐Eun Lee, Soon‐Lae Kim, Hye‐Sun Jung, Jung‐Wan Koo, Kuck‐Hyeun Woo, Miyong T. Kim
Journal of Occupational Health.2009; 51(4): 370. CrossRef

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Original Article

Symptom prevalence and Primary intervention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and their related factors among manufacturing workers: Hyunjoo Kim, Woo Cheol Jeong; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2005;17(2):116-128. Published online June 30, 2005; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2005.17.2.116

Abstract PDF

OBJECTIVES
To investigate the symptom prevalence and the primary intervention of work-related musculoskeletal diseases(WMSDs) and their related factors among manufacturing workers.
METHOD
A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted on 2,457 workers, at 22 enterprises in Chungnam province, Korea, from September 1 to December 1, 2003. The contents of the questionnaire included general and work-related characteristics, musculoskeletal symptoms and workers' past one-year experience of primary interventions.
RESULTS
1. The overall symptom prevalence of the musculoskeletal diseases was 23.9%. The WMSD symptom prevalences at the neck/shoulder, arm/elbow, hand/wrist and back/leg were 14.8%. 2.7%. 7.3% and 12.0%, respectively. 2. In multivariate analysis, all WMSD symptom prevalences were high in the high workload, high force & high repetitiveness, and 'high job strain' groups. The WMSD symptom prevalence at neck/shoulder was also high in females and the group experiencing low social support from the supervisor. 3. The rates of the primary interventions were as follows : 13.7% for health education, 5.8% for health counselling, 18.8% for preventive exercise, 24.7% for ergonomic intervention, and 9.8% for administrative intervention. 4. In multivariate analysis, the size of the enterprises and the type of occupational health management system(OHMS) were significantly associated with all primary interventions except health counselling(p<0.05). The other individual-level predictive factors were as follows. Those for the health education were male and union presence. Those for the health counselling were older age(> or =40 years), irregular employment, and the active group of Karasek's job strain model. Those for the preventive exercise were male, older age, longer tenure and regular employment. Those for the ergonomic intervention were longer tenure, job of physical force and/or repetitiveness, high job stain and the group experiencing high social support from the supervisor. The predictive factor for the administrative intervention was male (p<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
To establish an effective strategy for the primary prevention of WMSDs, approaches are needed which consider the individual nature of small and medium sized enterprises. IAlso necessary is to promote the participation of labor and management because the activation of the primary intervention was associated with the type of OHMS and union presence. Moreover the reduction of workload and increased intervention into the high risk group could be effective in the prevention of WMSDs.

Citations

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Effect of Physical Therapy Based Tailored Exercise Program on Pain, Accident incidence Rates, and Lost Days of Work in Manufacturing Worker: Single Subject Design
Kwon-Woo Lee, Won-Ho Kim
Journal of The Korean Society of Physical Medicine.2017; 12(2): 113. CrossRef
Musculoskeletal Workload Evaluation in Physical Therapist
Youn-Bum Sung, Hyung-Seok Seo, Jung-Ho Lee, Young-Han Park
Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society.2012; 13(9): 3999. CrossRef
Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders among Agricultural Workers
Soo-Jin Lee, Hwan-Jin Park
Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea.2011; 30(4): 525. CrossRef

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Original Article

Characteristics and Odds Ratio of Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders According to Job Classification in Small-to-medium-sized Enterprises: Shin Goo Park, Jong Young Lee; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2004;16(4):422-435. Published online December 31, 2004; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2004.16.4.422

Abstract PDF

OBJECTIVES
This study was carried to investigate the prevalence and odds ratio of work related musculoskeletal disorders according to the job classification in small-to-medium-sized enterprises(<300 employee).
METHODS
A questionnaire survey was given to 746 workers in 8 workplaces. 501 workers (67.2%) were finally selected in this study. The workers in the 8 workplaces was divided into 7 jobs. Those were manufacturers(metal), assemblers(appliances), cashiers, packers(cosmetics), garbage collectors, and VDT workers. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios of the musculoskeletal symptoms according to the job classification.
RESULTS
Univariate analysis showed that the significantly related risk factors for musculoskeletal symptoms are as follows; age, marital status, gender, work load change, work duration, hours worked per day, job demand, decision latitude, type of job. According to the type of job, the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms were 7.7%(clerks), 24.3%(manufacturers), 30.0%(assemblers), 23.0%(cashiers), 30.4%(packers), 11.9%(garbage collectors), 29.2%(VDT workers). Multiple logistic regression showed that the following significant odds ratios (referenceclerks): 7.32(packers), 5.63(assemblers), 5.11(cashiers), 4.79(VDT workers), 3.11(manufacturers).
CONCLUSION
In small-to-medium-sized enterprises, the job classification was major risk factor for work related musculoskeletal disorders. According to the job classification, the odds ratios of the work related musculoskeletal disorders were different. Considering the odds ratios, the establishment of a prevention program of work related mus-culoskeletal disorders is recommended.

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The association between long working hours and work-related musculoskeletal symptoms of Korean wage workers: data from the fourth Korean working conditions survey (a cross-sectional study)
Jae-Gwang Lee, Guang Hwi Kim, Sung Won Jung, Sang Woo Kim, June-Hee Lee, Kyung-Jae Lee
Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.2018;[Epub] CrossRef
Musculoskeletal Disorder Symptoms and Its Related Factors among Male Workers in Manufacturing Industries
Seung-Hyun Lee, Young-Chae Cho
Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society.2015; 16(10): 6627. CrossRef
Related Factors to Musculoskeletal Discomfort Symptoms on Some Middle·High school Teachers
Jae-Yoon Lee, Byeong-Yeon Moon, Youn-Hong Jeong, Hyun-Kyung Woo
Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society.2012; 13(1): 264. CrossRef
Musculoskeletal Disorder Symptoms and Related Factors among Male Workers in Small-scale Manufacturing Industries
Seung-Hyun Lee, Ju-Yeon Lee, Young-Chae Cho
Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society.2012; 13(9): 4025. CrossRef
Gender-related Factors Associated with Upper Extremity Function in Workers
Kyoo Sang Kim, Min Gi Kim
Safety and Health at Work.2010; 1(2): 158. CrossRef

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Original Article

Effects of Sociodemographic Factors on the Stage of Behavior Change Among Employees of Small to Medium Sized Enterprises: Myung Hoi Koo, Hyeon Woo Yim, Chung Yill Park, Kang Sook Lee, Jung Wan Koo; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2002;14(1):85-96. Published online March 31, 2002; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2002.14.1.85

Abstract PDF

OBJECTIVES
This research attempts to investigate the relationship between health risk factors and workers'behavioral changes based on individual worker's characteristics to allow the development of more effective health promotion programs in businesses places.
METHODS
A questionnaire survey was conducted with 282 workers employed in small to medium sized enterprises in the Kyong-in area of Korea. The questionnaire was composed of general characteristics, a health risk assessment and an evaluation of the stage of behavior change for health promotion strategy in the workplace.
RESULTS
The health risk assessment revealed that 65.7 % of male workers smoke, 70.5% of male workers do not exercise on a regular basis, 86.1 % of female workers do not exercise at all, and 78.6 % of male workers and 50 % of female workers drink alcohol. In addition, the survey identified that 29.5% of male workers are addicted to excessive drinking, as are 11.1% of female workers. Based on the four stages of behavioral changes that lead to health, the pre-contemplation stage, contemplation stage, action stage, and maintenance stage, 40.5 %, 23.7 %, 12.1 % and 23.7 % of workers are in these stages, respectively, with regards to quitting smoking. As for regular exercises, 18.4 %, 37.6 %, 17.7 %, and 26.3 % of workers belong to each stage, respectively. As for moderation in drinking, 20.9 %, 15.4 %, 10.0 %, and 53.7 % are in each stage, respectively. The rate of health managers in the active stage of quitting smoking is significantly higher than that of general workers. Among the workers who do not exercise on a regular basis, workers over 50 years-old and blue color workers are more common in the precontemplation stage than any other worker groups.
CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest that the stages of behavioral change vary with worker characteristics. An awareness of the effects of the high risk factors is essential for promoting workers'attendance in health promotion programs.

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Effects of a Tailored Health Promotion Program to Reduce Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Among Middle-Aged and Advanced-Age Bus Drivers
Gyu-Seok Hwang, Jae-Wook Choi, Seoung-Hyung Choi, Seoung-Gil Lee, Kyung-Hee Kim, Yong-Min Cho, Chungsik Yoon
Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health.2012; 24(1): 117. CrossRef

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Original Article

Quality Assessment of Group Occupational Health Service for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in Korea: Sunmean Kim, Soo Hun Cho, Chang Yup Kim, Eun Hee Ha, Yun Chul Hong, Ho Jang Kwon, Mi Na Ha, Sang Hwan Han, Young Su Ju; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1998;10(1):71-82. Published online February 28, 1998; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1998.10.1.71

Abstract PDF

Group occupational health service programme started in 1990 is one of the measures to cope with limited human and financial resources in occupational health. The programme has expanded rapidly to include 52 institutions, private as well as public, all over the country. In spite of its potential impact on health of employees and practice of occupational health in small and medium sized industries, comprehensive evaluation in terms of quality has not been tried. This study has aims to develop the criteria to assess the quality of newly developed group occupational health service programme, and to investigate the quality of institutions, and finally to develop policies for the quality improvement. 1) Criteria development : By defining occupational health services, in particular for small and medium sized industries, as one of the primary health care, followings are included as core elements of qualitative occupational health programme ; accessibility, continuity, comprehensiveness, technical quality, intersectoral collaboration, emphasis on preventive services, community participation, and adequacy. Again each element is divided into five major components of national health system infrastructure developed by the World Health Organization ; development of health resources, organized arrangement of resources, delivery of health care, economic support, and management. In turn, each component is categorized into three aspects of quality assessment, structure, process and outcome. Expert panel selected several criteria for each category to evaluate the programme. Criteria were modified according to each group of interviewees, to produce two sets of questionnaire, one for chief operating officer and another for nurses in the institutions, and the chief operating officer and workers in the workplace. 2) Subject : Of all 52 institutions, 25 voluntarily participated in the survey. At individual institution, chief operating officer and practicing nurses were interviewed in depth. After intensive education for interviewees, every interview was performed with standardized guideline and questionnaire. The quality of the 'Group occupational health service programme' was found to be lower than expected. Especially In continuity, comprehensiveness, technical quality, community participation and adequacy, lower quality in structural aspect was commonly identified throughout all the institutions. Quality in terms of accessibility and continuity highly varied among institutions. To improve quality of the programme, more comprehensive and systematic programme such as accreditation has to be introduced. In addition, human resources, governmental fund and information systems for individual workers are to be developed. As a long range plan, integration of occupational health services into the national health systems and pooling of financial resources and planned allocation should be considered.

Citations

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The roles of doctors, nurses, and industrial hygienists in the healthcare management services in Korea: a comparison of the opinions of specialized health management institutions and entrusted enterprises
Bo-Young Jang, Dong-Mug Kang, Young-Ki Kim, Se-Young Kim, Kyung-Sun Ko
Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.2018;[Epub] CrossRef
Relationship between occupational injuries and the provision of safety and health information: data from the 4th Korean working conditions survey
Ju-il Seo, Gab-Sik Shin, Min Gi Kim, Young-Sun Min
Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.2018;[Epub] CrossRef
Practice status of specialized agencies for occupational health management of small- to medium-size enterprises and the factors improving their performance: a cross-sectional survey study
Saerom Lee, Jun-Pyo Myong, Eun-A Kim, Huisu Eom, Bowha Choi, Young Joong Kang
Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.2017;[Epub] CrossRef
Validation of Performance Indicators for Evaluation of Workplace Health Promotion
Seung Hee Ho, Young Moon Chae
American Journal of Health Promotion.2015; 29(6): 402. CrossRef

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