Breastfeeding Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice among White-Collar and Blue-Collar Workers in Indonesia

BACKGROUND: Working status is identified as a major risk factor of poor breastfeeding practices among workers. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and factors associated with breastfeeding practice among white-collar and blue-collar workers in Indonesia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed in two factories and three government offices in Jakarta from December 2015 to February 2016. Subjects were woman workers whose children were age 6 to 24 months old and actively working in the factory and/or office. The factors studied were selected socio-demographic and occupational characteristics, score on knowledge and attitude, and breastfeeding practice during working hours. RESULTS: From a total of 192 subjects, 73% of white-collar workers had good knowledge on breastfeeding, in contrast with 55% of blue-collar workers who had not good breastfeeding knowledge (P < 0.001). Most of the subjects were conducting breast pumping during working hours, however 15% of white-collar workers and 17% of blue-collar workers never breastfeed nor breast pumped at work. Working status (P = 0.005) and knowledge (P = 0.002) were factors associated with breastfeeding practice among workers. CONCLUSION: White-collar workers have a better knowledge, attitude, and practice toward breastfeeding. Knowledge improvement related to breastfeeding benefits and supports to working mothers are a key priority, however advocacy to employers, managers, and supervisors in providing breastfeeding facilitation and program support were also critical to successful breastfeeding practice among workers.

Distribution of age, gender, and occupation among individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome based on the National Health Insurance data and National Employment Insurance data

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to investigate the basic characteristics of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and its differences between occupations using Korea's National Health Insurance (NHI) and National Employment Insurance (NEI). METHODS: The study participants were obtained from the NEI and NHI data from 2008 to 2015, with a diagnosis code of G560 (CTS) as the main or sub-diagnosis. Data about gender, age, diabetes mellitus, smoking, drinking, and length of employment, information about type of occupation, and number of employees according to age and occupation were obtained from NHI and NEI data. In total, 240 occupations were classified into blue-collar (BC) and white-collar (WC) work. In addition, each occupation was classified as high-risk and low-risk groups depending on the degree of wrist usage. RESULTS: The number of patients with CTS per 100,000 individuals increased with advancing age, and it was higher in women (4,572.2) than in men (1,798.5). Furthermore, the number was higher in BC workers (3,247.5) than in WC workers (1,824.1) as well as in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group in both BC workers (3,527.8 vs. 1,908.2) and WC workers (1,829.9 vs. 1,754.4). The number of patients with CTS was higher in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group among male and female BC workers and female WC workers. However, the number was higher in the low-risk group among male WC workers. In the BC category, the number of patients with CTS was highest among food processing-related workers (19,984.5). In the WC category, the number of patients with CTS was highest among social workers and counselors (7,444.1). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study are expected to help identify occupational differences in patterns of CTS. High number of patients with CTS was seen in new jobs, as well as in previous studies.

Factors Influencing Health Promoting Behaviour according to the Type A/B Personality of White Collar Workers / 한국직업건강간호학회지

PURPOSE: The study was done to identify factors influencing health promoting behaviour in office workers according to the type A/B personality. METHODS: The data were collected by questionnaires from 249 workers in Seoul and Gyung-gi province. Measures were a health promoting behaviour, the type of personality, self-esteem, perceived health status, social support, and job stress. The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients, t-test, and stepwise multiple regression with SPSS/WIN 15.0 version. RESULTS: This study suggests that A type office workers have a little lower degree in health promoting behaviour, self-esteem, social support and have a higher degree in perceived health status, perceived symptoms and job stress than those of B type office workers. The factors which influence A type office workers on health promoting behaviour are social support, perceived health status and self-esteem, which accounted for 40.2% of the variance and those of B type office workers, self-esteem and perceived health status accounted for 24.5%. CONCLUSION: It needs to develop and operate self-management program for health maintenance and promotion for the type A/B personality White Collar Workers.

Factors Influencing Health Promoting Behaviour according to the Type A/B Personality of White Collar Workers / 산업간호학회지

PURPOSE: The study was done to identify factors influencing health promoting behaviour in office workers according to the type A/B personality. METHODS: The data were collected by questionnaires from 249 workers in Seoul and Gyung-gi province. Measures were a health promoting behaviour, the type of personality, self-esteem, perceived health status, social support, and job stress. The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients, t-test, and stepwise multiple regression with SPSS/WIN 15.0 version. RESULTS: This study suggests that A type office workers have a little lower degree in health promoting behaviour, self-esteem, social support and have a higher degree in perceived health status, perceived symptoms and job stress than those of B type office workers. The factors which influence A type office workers on health promoting behaviour are social support, perceived health status and self-esteem, which accounted for 40.2% of the variance and those of B type office workers, self-esteem and perceived health status accounted for 24.5%. CONCLUSION: It needs to develop and operate self-management program for health maintenance and promotion for the type A/B personality White Collar Workers.

Analysis of the Influence of Job Stress and Psychosocial Factors on Self Perceived Fatigue in White Collar Male Workers Using the Structural Equation Model / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to determine the self-perceived fatigue and its association with job stress and psychosocial factors among white collar male workers. METHODS: The self-administered questionnaires were given to 872 workers employed in 42 work places located in Daejeon City and Chungnam Province during the period from February 1st to April 30th, 2009. The questionnaire surveys included socio-demographic characteristics, job-related characteristics, health-related behaviors, a Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), psychosocial factors (type A behavior pattern, locus of control, self-esteem) and the Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (MFS). RESULTS: Concerning the correlation of self-perceived fatigue with various factors, while the level of self-perceived fatigue was positively correlated with the job demands, a type A behavior pattern and self-esteem, it was negatively correlated with job autonomy and supervisor support. With the analysis of the covariance structure, JCQ (job demand, job autonomy, supervisor support and coworker support) had more of an influence on the level of self-perceived fatigue than the psychosocial factors (type A behavior pattern, locus of control, self-esteem). The inter-relational effects were that the higher the JCQ and psychosocial factors, the higher the level of self-perceived fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: The study results indicated that the level of self-perceived fatigue was more influenced by the JCQ than the psychosocial factors. Thus, an effective strategy for fatigue reduction among workers requires additional programs that will focus on innovated job specifications and managed psychosocial factors.

Life Style and Perception of Obesity of Male White Collar Workers / 영남의대학술지

BACKGROUND: This study investigated and analyzed the life style of male white-collar workers and their perception of obesity to determine how to improve eating habits and prevent obesity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the questionnaires distributed to and collected from 300 male white-collar workers in Daegu, the survey was conducted from December 20, 2005 to February 28, 2006. Two hundred sets of collected questionnaires were used for the analysis, and SPSS WIN 12.0 was employed to analyze the data. RESULTS: Forty-two percent of subjects had weights ranging between 71 kg and 80 kg; 39.5%, weighted between 61 kg and 70 kg. The waist measurements of 64.5% of all respondents were between 32 and 34 inches. The lifestyle questions found that 54% of respondents were smokers and 88.5% drank alcohol. In addition, 62.5% of all respondents reported doing exercise, whereas 37.5% reported no exercise. CONCLUSION: The height and weight of 200 respondents were used to calculate the body mass index (BMI). Only 31.6% had a normal BMI, whereas 32% were found to be overweight, a condition likely to lead to obesity. Meanwhile, 36.5% of respondents were obese or morbidly obese.

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.