Effect of Traffic-Related Air Pollution on Allergic Disease: Results of the Children's Health and Environmental Research

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the relationship of living near to main roads to allergic diseases, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), allergic sensitization, and lung function in Korean children. METHODS: A total of 5,443 children aged 6-14 years from 33 elementary schools in 10 cities during 2005-2006 were included in a baseline survey of the Children's Health and Environmental Research. We assessed association of traffic-related air pollution (TAP) exposure with the distance to the nearest main road, total road length of main roads and the proportion of the main road area within the 200-m home area. RESULTS: Positive exposure-response relationships were found between the length of the main road within the 200-m home area and lifetime wheeze (adjusted prevalence ratio [PR] for comparison of the longest to the shortest length categories=1.24; 95% CIs, 1.04-1.47; P for trend=0.022) and diagnosed asthma (PR=1.42; 95% CIs, 1.08-1.86; P for trend=0.011). Living less than 75 m from the main road was significantly associated with lifetime allergic rhinitis (AR), past-year AR symptoms, diagnosed AR, and treated AR. The distance to the main road (P for trend=0.001), the length of the main road (P for trend=0.041), and the proportion of the main road area (P for trend=0.006) had an exposure-response relationship with allergic sensitization. A strong inverse association was observed between residential proximity to the main load and lung function, especially FEV1, FEV1/FVC, and FEF25-75. The length of the main road and the proportion of the main road area were associated with reduced FEV1 in schoolchildren. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that exposure to traffic-related air pollution may be associated with increased risk of asthma, AR, and allergic sensitization, and with reduced lung function in schoolchildren.

Association among Working Hours, Occupational Stress, and Presenteeism among Wage Workers: Results from the Second Korean Working Conditions Survey

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was to identify the association between presenteeism and long working hours, shiftwork, and occupational stress using representative national survey data on Korean workers. METHODS: We analyzed data from the second Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS), which was conducted in 2010, in which a total of 6,220 wage workers were analyzed. The study population included the economically active population aged above 15 years, and living in the Republic of Korea. We used the chi-squared test and multivariate logistic regression to test the statistical association between presenteeism and working hours, shiftwork, and occupational stress. RESULTS: Approximately 19% of the workers experienced presenteeism during the previous 12 months. Women had higher rates of presenteeism than men. We found a statistically significant dose-response relationship between working hours and presenteeism. Shift workers had a slightly higher rate of presenteeism than non-shift workers, but the difference was not statistically significant. Occupational stress, such as high job demand, lack of rewards, and inadequate social support, had a significant association with presenteeism. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that long working hours and occupational stress are significantly related to presenteeism.

Estimated Occupational Injury Rate and work Related Factors Based on Data From the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study used representative national survey data of Korean workers to estimate the occupational injury rate and to identify factors associated with occupational injuries. METHODS: We analyzed data from the fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted from 2007 to 2009 using the Complex Samples Frequencies procedure of the SPSS to estimate the occupational injury rate. Complex Samples Logistic Regression was performed to calculate a nationally representative odds ratios that reflects the likelihood of specific individual attributes and job characteristics being associated with occupational injuries. We did this while controlling for relevant covariates. RESULTS: It was estimated that 3.5% of Korean workers have suffered at least one occupational injury and 1.9% of full-time employed workers have suffered occupational injuries which required more than 4 days of absence during the year. After adjustment for confounding variables, the experience of occupational injuries was related to several job characteristics, including exposure to hazards such as: air pollutants (OR=1.40; 95%CI: 1.05~1.85), noise (OR=1.31; 95%CI: 1.01~1.70), biological hazards (OR=1.60; 95%CI: 1.13~2.28), a difficult physical environment (OR=1.79; 95%CI: 1.33~2.41), and difficult ergonomic work (e.g. work involving awkward posture or heavy lifting) (OR=1.49; 95%CI: 1.11~2.00). CONCLUSIONS: Using national survey data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to estimate the occupational injury rate and to identify predictors of work-related injuries has several advantages. Futhermore, these results suggest that a hazardous work environment is associated with occupational injury.

Job Stress as a Risk Factor for Occupational Injuries Among Employees of Small and Medium-sized Companies / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to investigate the association between job stress and occupational injury among Korean employees. METHODS: The data was obtained from a work-stress survey that was administered to employees of small and medium-sized companies in Incheon, Korea. A four-month prospective follow-up study was conducted (the baseline study was conducted from September 2006 to October 2006, and the follow-up study was done from March 2007 to April 2007). A total of 1,241 participants (774 males and 467 females) were included in the analysis. A structured self-reported questionnaire was used to assess each respondent's sociodemographics, work related factors, job stress, and occupational injury. Job stress was measured using 24 items (7 sub-scales) of the Short Form of the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS-SF). Occupational injuries were assessed by self-report during the follow-up period. We estimated the relation of job stress to occupational injury using logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 199 employees (16.0%) had suffered at least one occupational injury during the previous 4-months. After adjustment for confounding variables, the logistic regression analyses indicated that the groups with high stress as related to 'Job demand' (OR=2.23, 95% CI=1.61-3.08), 'Organizational system' (OR=1.63, 95% CI=1.19-2.23), 'Lack of reward' (OR=1.42, 95% CI=1.03-1.95) and 'Occupational climate' (OR=1.55, 95% CI=1.13-2.13) were more likely to experience occupational injury than the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results tend to suggest that job stress is associated with occupational injury. The importance of job stress should be acknowledged and stress management programs need to be started to minimize the occupational injury caused by job stress.

Association Between Job-Stress and VDT Work, and Musculoskeletal Symptoms of Neck and Shoulder Among White-Collar Workers / 대한산업의학회지

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the association of job stress and working with video display terminal (VDT) to musculoskeletal symptoms of the neck-shoulder which were most common in white-collar workers. METHODS: From 122 workplaces, 1,790 white-collar workers with no trauma, and no history of musculoskeletal disease were selected for the study. The questionnaire survey included general characteristics, work related characteristics, Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) and musculoskeletal symptoms. Multiple logistic regression, adjusted for age, smoking status, drinking habit, housekeeping, work time, job tenure, and work-load change, were used to evaluate the effects of job stress and VDT-work on the symptoms. RESULTS: The prevalence of neck-shoulder symptoms was overall 24.3% overall. The prevalence odds ratio of job demand (high/low) to neck-shoulder symptoms, adjusted for general and work-related factors, was 1.56 (95% confidence interval 1.12~2.17), and that of job strain (high strain/low strain) was 1.72 (1.07~2.79). However, VDT-work was not associated with neck-shoulder symptoms in the multiple logistic regression model. CONCLUSIONS: To prevent musculoskeletal disorders in white-collar workers, it is important to consider psychosocial factors such as job demand and job strain, as well as VDT-work.

Relationship of Burdened Work and Musculoskeletal Symptoms in Small-to-medium-sized Enterprises / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate relationship of burdened work and musculoskeletal symptoms in small-to-medium sized enterprises. METHOD: After a questionnaire survey was administered to 9,950 workers in 122 workplace, 7,626 workers(76.6%) were finally selected for the study analysis. Industrial hygienists visited 122 small-to-medium sized enterprises to investigate the presence of burdened works within the workplace. The selection of jobs with significant burden was based on the Ministry of Labor's recent notification in 11 types of job description associated with musculoskeletal disorders. The subjects of this study were then divided into three categories. 1) non-burdened white collar workers, 2) non-burdened blue collar workers, and 3) burdened workers (include some VDT workers). Multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between burdened work and musculoskeletal symptoms. RESULTS: The burdened workers reported significantly more musculoskeletal symptoms than non-burdened white collar workers and non-burdened blue collar workers(OR:1.57, 95% CI: 1.314-1.875). There was no significant difference in reports of musculoskeletal symptoms between non-burdened white and blue collar workers. CONCLUSION: To prevent or diminish musculoskeletal disorders in small-to-medium sized enterprises, we need to better manage burdened works.