The Perceived Socioeconomic Status Is an Important Factor of Health Recovery for Victims of Occupational Accidents in Korea

We aimed to examine whether there is a correlation between the health recovery of industrial accident victims and their perceived socioeconomic status. Data were obtained from the first Panel Study of Worker's Compensation Insurance, which included 2,000 participants. We performed multivariate regression analysis and determined the odds ratios for participants with a subjectively lower socioeconomic status and for those with a subjectively lower middle socioeconomic status using 95% confidence intervals. An additional multivariate regression analysis yielded the odds ratios for participants with a subjectively lower socioeconomic status and those with a subjectively upper middle socioeconomic class using 95% confidence intervals. Of all participants, 299 reported a full recovery, whereas 1,701 did not. We examined the odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) for participants' health recovery according to their subjective socioeconomic status while controlling for sex, age, education, tobacco use, alcohol use, subjective state of health prior to the accident, chronic disease, employment duration, recovery period, accident type, disability status, disability rating, and economic participation. The odds of recovery in participants with a subjectively lower middle socioeconomic status were 1.707 times greater (1.264-2.305) than that of those with a subjectively lower socioeconomic status. Similarly, the odds of recovery in participants with a subjectively upper middle socioeconomic status were 3.124 times greater (1.795-5.438) than that of those with a subjectively lower socioeconomic status. Our findings indicate that participants' perceived socioeconomic disparities extend to disparities in their health status. The reinforcement of welfare measures is greatly needed to temper these disparities.

The Perceived Socioeconomic Status Is an Important Factor of Health Recovery for Victims of Occupational Accidents in Korea

We aimed to examine whether there is a correlation between the health recovery of industrial accident victims and their perceived socioeconomic status. Data were obtained from the first Panel Study of Worker's Compensation Insurance, which included 2,000 participants. We performed multivariate regression analysis and determined the odds ratios for participants with a subjectively lower socioeconomic status and for those with a subjectively lower middle socioeconomic status using 95% confidence intervals. An additional multivariate regression analysis yielded the odds ratios for participants with a subjectively lower socioeconomic status and those with a subjectively upper middle socioeconomic class using 95% confidence intervals. Of all participants, 299 reported a full recovery, whereas 1,701 did not. We examined the odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) for participants' health recovery according to their subjective socioeconomic status while controlling for sex, age, education, tobacco use, alcohol use, subjective state of health prior to the accident, chronic disease, employment duration, recovery period, accident type, disability status, disability rating, and economic participation. The odds of recovery in participants with a subjectively lower middle socioeconomic status were 1.707 times greater (1.264-2.305) than that of those with a subjectively lower socioeconomic status. Similarly, the odds of recovery in participants with a subjectively upper middle socioeconomic status were 3.124 times greater (1.795-5.438) than that of those with a subjectively lower socioeconomic status. Our findings indicate that participants' perceived socioeconomic disparities extend to disparities in their health status. The reinforcement of welfare measures is greatly needed to temper these disparities.

Workplace Violence Experienced by Substitute (Daeri) Drivers and Its Relationship to Depression in Korea

Workplace violence is related to various health effects including mental illness such as anxiety or depression. In this study, the relationship between the experience of workplace violence and depression in substitute drivers in Korea, namely, daeri drivers, was investigated. To assess workplace violence, questions regarding types and frequency of the experience of violence over the past year were asked to the daeri drivers. In order to assess the risk of depression, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale was used. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals of depression were estimated using multiple logistic regression analysis. All of the daeri drivers had experienced instance of verbal violence while driving and 66 of the drivers (34.1%) had been in such a situation more than once in the past quarter of a year. Sixty-eight daeri drivers (42.2%) had experienced certain type of physical violence over the past year. Compared to daeri drivers who had experienced workplace verbal violence less than 4 times and who had not experienced workplace physical violence over the past year, higher odds ratio was observed in daeri drivers who had experienced workplace verbal violence or physical violence, more than 4 times and more than one time respectively, after adjustment. Experience of verbal or physical type of workplace violence over the past year increased the risk of depression in the daeri drivers. Because violence against drivers can compromise the safety of the driver, the customer, and all the passengers, it is imperative that the safety and health of daeri drivers be highlighted.

The Effect of Work Characteristics on Dermatologic Symptoms in Hairdressers

OBJECTIVES: Hairdressers in Korea perform various tasks and are exposed to health risk factors such as chemical substances or prolonged duration of wet work. The objective of this study is to provide descriptive statistics on the demographics and work characteristics of hairdressers in Korea and to identify work-related risk factors for dermatologic symptoms in hairdressers. METHODS: 1,054 hairdressers were selected and analyzed for this study. Independent variables were exposure to chemical substances, the training status of the hairdressers, and the main tasks required of them, and the dependent variable was the incidence of dermatologic symptoms. The relationships between work characteristics and dermatologic symptoms were evaluated by estimating odds ratios using multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Among the 1,054 study subjects, 212 hairdressers (20.1%) complained of dermatologic symptoms, and the symptoms were more prevalent in younger, unmarried or highly educated hairdressers. The main tasks that comprise the majority of the wet work were strictly determined by training status, since 96.5% of staff hairdressers identified washing as their main task, while only 1.5% and 2.0% of master and designer hairdressers, respectively, identified this as their main task. Multiple logistic regressions was performed to estimate odds ratios. While exposure to hairdressing chemicals showed no significant effect on the odds ratio for the incidence of dermatologic symptoms, higher odds ratios of dermatologic symptoms were shown in staff hairdressers (2.70, 95% CI: 1.32 - 5.51) and in hairdressers who perform washing as their main task (2.03, 95% CI: 1.22 - 3.37), after adjusting for general and work characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the training status and main tasks of hairdressers are closely related to each other and that the training status and main tasks of hairdressers are related to the incidence of dermatologic symptoms. This suggests that in the future, regulations on working conditions and health management guidelines for hairdressers should be established.

The association between concealing emotions at work and medical utilization in Korea

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the association between concealing emotions at work and medical utilization. METHODS: Data from the 2007-2009 4th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV) was used, 7,094 participants (3,837 males, 3,257 females) aged between 20 and 54 who were economically active and completed all necessary questionnaire items were included. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for differences in hospitalization, outpatient visits, and pharmaceutical drug use between those who concealed their emotions and those who did not were investigated using logistic regression models with and without gender stratification. RESULTS: Among those who concealed their emotions (n = 2,763), 47.4% were females, and 50.1% had chronic disease. In addition, 9.7% of the concealing emotions group had been hospitalized within the last year, 24.8% had been outpatients in the last two weeks, and 28.3% had used pharmaceutical drugs in the last two weeks. All ORs represent the odds of belonging to the concealing emotions group over the non-concealing emotions group. After adjustment for individual, occupational, socioeconomic and disease factors, the adjusted ORs (95% CI) in hospitalization are 1.29 (1.08 ~ 1.53) in the total population, 1.25 (0.98 ~ 1.60) in males and 1.30 (1.02 ~ 1.66) in females, in outpatient visits are 1.15 (1.02 ~ 1.29) in the total population, 1.05 (0.88 ~ 1.24) in males and 1.25 (1.06 ~ 1.47) in females and in pharmaceutical drug use are 1.12 (1.01 ~ 1.25) in the total population, 1.08 (0.92 ~ 1.27) in males and 1.14 (0.98 ~ 1.33) in females. CONCLUSIONS: Those who concealed their emotions at work were more likely to use medical services. Moreover, the health effects of concealing emotions at work might be more detrimental in women than in men.

A case of multiple myeloma in a poultry worker

BACKGROUND: Livestock breeders including poultry workers are exposed to various agricultural chemicals including pesticides and/or organic solvents. Multiple myeloma is a rare disease in Korea, and few reports have investigated the influence of occupational exposures on multiple myeloma occurrence. CASE PRESENTATION: A 61-year-old male poultry farm worker presented with bone pain and generalized weakness. A bone marrow biopsy was performed, and he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. The patient had worked in a poultry farm for 16 years and was exposed to various pesticides and organic solvents such as formaldehyde without any proper personal protective equipment. Results of the work reenactment revealed that the concentration of formaldehyde (17.53 ppm) greatly exceeded the time-weighted average (0.5 ppm) and short-term exposure limit (1.0 ppm) suggested in the Korean Industrial Safety and Health Act. CONCLUSIONS: This case report suggests that poultry workers may be exposed to high levels of various hazardous chemicals including pesticides and/or organic solvents. Numerous previous studies have suggested an association between multiple myeloma and exposure to agricultural chemicals; thus, multiple myeloma in this patient might have resulted from the prolonged, high exposure to these chemicals.