Relationship Between Job Training and Subjective Well-being In Accordance With Work Creativity, Task Variety, and Occupation

Background@#Job training influences the overall working environment and worker's well-being. The purpose of this study is to find the relationship between job training and subjective well-being in accordance with occupations and understand the influence of task characteristics—work creativity and task variety (WCTV)—on the effect of training. @*Methods@#A cross-sectional study based on the Fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey was conducted on 50,205 workers in the Republic of Korea. The World Health Oorganization–5 well-being index was used to measure their subjective well-being. The relationship between job training and subjective well-being was divided in accordance with the level of WCTV. @*Results@#Training paid for by employer showed a negative effect on subjective well-being when received for more than 3 days (OR 0.88, p<0.01) in the last 12 months. Training paid for by oneself showed a positive linkage with well-being when the level of training was 1–3 days (Odds ratio = 1.55, p<0.001). This result showed different aspects in accordance with the level of WCTV. For the high WCTV group, the aforementioned results were reaffirmed, but for the group with low WCTV, job training did not show a statistically significant result on well-being. On-the-job training was not related to subjective well-being regardless of the level of WCTV. @*Conclusion@#Job training had different effects on subjective well-being depending on the type and frequency of training, as well as the WCTV. It is imperative to comprehensively apply different types of job training in accordance with the characteristics of occupations to uplift workers' well-being.

Esophageal Carcinosarcoma in a Patient with Corrosive Esophagitis

Esophageal carcinosarcoma is a rare type of esophageal cancer characterized by both carcinomatous and sarcomatous components. Its endophytic growth tendency into the esophageal lumen leads to a higher curative resection rate. However, lymph node metastases in esophageal carcinosarcoma occur at a relatively early stage. We report a case of esophageal carcinosarcoma in a 52-year-old man who had dysphagia for 2 months and a history of ingestion of glacial acetic acid in adolescence. His endoscopy and chest CT results showed an 8.5-cm-sized ulcerative polypoid mass with multiple lymph node metastases in the mid-esophagus. Biopsy revealed an interweaving spindle cell proliferation with squamous dysplasia. Immunohistochemical staining showed positive expressions of vimentin and cytokeratin. Even though the patient received concomitant chemoradiotherapy with a stent insertion, he died 7 months after diagnosis. We herein present a case of corrosive esophagitis followed by esophageal carcinosarcoma that suggested the possibility of an association between the two diseases.

Relationship Between Job Training and Subjective Well-being In Accordance With Work Creativity, Task Variety, and Occupation

Background@#Job training influences the overall working environment and worker's well-being. The purpose of this study is to find the relationship between job training and subjective well-being in accordance with occupations and understand the influence of task characteristics—work creativity and task variety (WCTV)—on the effect of training. @*Methods@#A cross-sectional study based on the Fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey was conducted on 50,205 workers in the Republic of Korea. The World Health Oorganization–5 well-being index was used to measure their subjective well-being. The relationship between job training and subjective well-being was divided in accordance with the level of WCTV. @*Results@#Training paid for by employer showed a negative effect on subjective well-being when received for more than 3 days (OR 0.88, p<0.01) in the last 12 months. Training paid for by oneself showed a positive linkage with well-being when the level of training was 1–3 days (Odds ratio = 1.55, p<0.001). This result showed different aspects in accordance with the level of WCTV. For the high WCTV group, the aforementioned results were reaffirmed, but for the group with low WCTV, job training did not show a statistically significant result on well-being. On-the-job training was not related to subjective well-being regardless of the level of WCTV. @*Conclusion@#Job training had different effects on subjective well-being depending on the type and frequency of training, as well as the WCTV. It is imperative to comprehensively apply different types of job training in accordance with the characteristics of occupations to uplift workers' well-being.

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.

Successful Conservative Management of Hepatic Portal Venous Gas due to Anastomosis Leakage After a Sigmoidectomy

In past decades, hepatic portal venous gas (HPVG) has rarely been reported, and the mortality rate has been very high. In most cases, surgical intervention was needed. Presently, abdominal computed tomography can be conveniently used to diagnose HPVG, which has various underlying causes and benign courses. We present the case of a patient with HPVG due to anastomosis leakage after a sigmoidectomy for diverticulitis; the patient was cured with conservative management.

Iatrogenic Development of Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage in Diagnosing Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension / 가정의학회지

A 34-year-old woman came to the emergency room complaining of a severe orthostatic headache. Results of a cerebrospinal fluid tap and brain computed tomography were normal. Based on her history and symptoms, she was found to have spontaneous intracranial hypotension. She was hospitalized and her symptoms improved with conservative treatment. On the next day, her headache suddenly worsened. Cisternography was performed to confirm the diagnosis and determine the spinal level of her cerebrospinal fluid leak. It revealed multiple cerebrospinal fluid leaks in the lumbar and upper thoracic regions. It was strongly believed that she had an iatrogenic cerebrospinal fluid leak in the lumbar region. An epidural blood patch was performed level by level on the lumbar and upper thoracic regions. Her symptoms resolved after the epidural blood patch and she was later discharged without any complications. In this case, an iatrogenic cerebrospinal fluid leak was caused by a dural puncture made while diagnosing spontaneous intracranial hypotension, which is always a risk and hampers the patient's progress. Therefore, in cases of spontaneous intracranial hypotension, an effort to minimize dural punctures is needed and a non-invasive test such as magnetic resonance imaging should be considered first.

A Study on Prevalence and Risk Factors for Varicose Veins in Nurses at a University Hospital

BACKGROUND: Lower-limb varicose veins (VVs) are common and known to have a higher prevalence among people who work in occupations requiring prolonged standing. In the Republic of Korea, however, VV-related occupational factors have seldom been examined. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of VVs among nurses, an occupational group considered to be at high risk of VVs, and determine the occupational risk factors of prolonged standing. METHODS: Between March and August 2014, a questionnaire survey coupled with Doppler ultrasonography was conducted on the nurses working at a university hospital. RESULTS: A total of 414 nurses participated in the survey and diagnostic testing. From the survey analysis and test results, the prevalence of VVs in nurses was estimated to be 16.18%. Significant factors for venous reflux were age [odds ratio (OR) = 1.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.03–1.10], pregnancy (OR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.17–3.94), and delivery (OR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.08–3.78). The statistical significance of these factors was verified after risk adjustment for sociodemographic factors (OR = 3.40, 95% CI = 1.27–9.09). CONCLUSION: Factors significantly associated with venous reflux were increasing age and prolonged working hours (≥ 4 hours) in a standing position (OR = 2.80, 95% CI = 1.08–7.25), even after risk adjustment for sociodemographic factors. This study is significant in that an objective diagnosis of VVs preceded the analysis of the risk factors for VV incidence, thus verifying objectively that VVs are associated with occupations requiring prolonged hours of working in a standing position.

Occupational Burden of Asbestos-Related Diseases in Korea, 1998–2013: Asbestosis, Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer, Laryngeal Cancer, and Ovarian Cancer

BACKGROUND: Asbestos exposure causes asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) including asbestosis, malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, and ovarian cancer. Although Korea used substantial amounts of asbestos in the past, no study has focused on its occupational burden of disease (OBD). Therefore, this study aimed to determine the OBDs of ARDs in Korea. METHODS: The CARcinogen Exposure (CAREX) database was used to determine the proportion of exposed population. Relative risks for lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, and ovarian cancer were used to determine the population-attributable fraction. Data for deaths caused by ARDs during 1998–2013 were obtained from the World Health Organization mortality database. The potential years of life lost (PYLL) and annual average PYLL (APYLL) indicated OBDs. RESULTS: In Korea, the number of ARD-attributable deaths and PYLL due to all ARDs during 1998–2013 were 4,492 and 71,763.7, respectively. The number of attributable deaths and PYLL due to asbestosis, malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, and ovarian cancer were 37 and 554.2, 808 and 15,877.0, 3,256 and 47,375.9, 120 and 1,605.5, and 271 and 6,331.1, respectively; additionally, the APYLL were 15.0, 19.7, 14.6, 13.4, and 23.4, respectively, and the average age at death was 70.4, 62.6, 69.1, 69.9, and 61.8, respectively. Our study showed that although the use of asbestos has ceased in Korea, the incidence of ARDs tends to increase. CONCLUSION: Therefore, efforts to reduce future OBDs of ARDs, including early detection and proper management of ARDs, are needed in Korea.

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

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to identify the difference of perception about the role of appointing health officers by comparing and analyzing the response of entrustment workplace (EW) and specialized health management institution (SI). This is considered an important aspect of an institutional assessment to improve the quality of health management services. METHODS: A survey questionnaire was mailed to 122 SIs and 319 EWs nationwide. The questionnaire survey was about the general characteristics of SIs and EWs and main occupations for each evaluation item. In total, 81 SIs (66.4%) and 30 EWs responded to the questionnaire. A logistic regression analysis was performed to compare the opinions of SI and EW. RESULTS: Based on the analysis, the items showing statistically significant differences were as follows. Doctors’ main tasks survey: “Guidance on their wearing personal protective equipment (PPE)” (OR: 4.58), “Guidance of improvement of work environment (WE)” (OR: 3.33), etc.; Nurses’ main tasks survey: “Guidance on their wearing PPE” (OR: 3.86), “Guidance for programs on health process in confined space (CS)” (OR: 0.36), “Guidance on the hearing conservation program (HCP)” (OR: 0.28), etc.; Industrial hygienist (IH)‘s main tasks survey: “Guidance of work through inspection (WTI)” (OR: 0.15), “Guidance on the improvement of WE” (OR: 0.32), “Management confirmation of substances used by process and Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)” (OR: 0.08), “Guidance on posting or keeping of MSDS and warning signs” (OR: 0.03), “Prevention of dust-induced medical problems” (OR: 0.28), “Guidance for programs of health process in CS” (OR: 0.39), etc. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to educate the EWs to recognize the need for physicians to perform tasks, such as wearing a PPE, and instruction to improve WE. As for nurses’ tasks, such as education about the CS and the noise work, educating the nurses of the SI is regarded necessary as the demand of the EWs is considered. With respect to the unique tasks of IH, such as WE management and instructions for wearing PPE, among several other tasks of IH, training should be provided for improved IH recognition.

Hepatogastric fistula as a rare complication of pyogenic liver abscess

Hepatogastric fistula following a pyogenic liver abscess is extremely rare, and only a handful of cases have been reported. An 88-year-old female presented with generalized weakness, fever and chills. An abdominal computed tomography scan revealed a 5cm-sized hypodense lesion with internal septa in the left lateral section of the liver. Due to initial suspicion of early liver abscess, she was treated with empirical intravenous antibiotics. Initially, aspiration or drainage of the liver abscess was not performed due to immature lesion characteristics. An ultrasonography-guided percutaneous drainage of the liver abscess was performed 17 days after hospitalization due to a more mature lesion appearance on follow-up imaging. On tubography, contrast media leakage through the fistulous tract was visualized. Surgical management was performed, and she was discharged 2 weeks after surgery.

Cerebrospinal fluid infection after lumbar nerve root steroid injection: a case report / 대한마취과학회지

A 45-year-old woman was admitted due to severe headache and neck stiffness. She had visited a local clinic for back pain and received a lumbar nerve root steroid injection 10 days before admission. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed psoas abscess, pneumocephalus, and subdural hygroma. She was diagnosed with psoas abscess and meningitis. The abscess and external ventricle were drained, and antibiotics were administered. Unfortunately, the patient died on hospital day 19 due to diffuse leptomeningitis. Lumbar nerve root steroid injections are commonly used to control back pain. Vigilance to "red flag signs" and a rapid diagnosis can prevent lethal outcomes produced by rare and unexpected complications related to infection. Here, we report a case of fatal meningitis after infection of the cerebrospinal fluid following a lumbar nerve root steroid injection.

Characteristics of occupational musculoskeletal disorders of five sectors in service industry between 2004 and 2013

BACKGROUND: ‘Work related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs)' have been mostly reported in the manufacturing industry but recently the occurrence of industrial injuries has been constantly increasing in the service industry. This research is going to analyze the data about workers' compensation for WRMSDs in five different service sectors and identify characteristics of occupations with the highest approved occupations. METHODS: According to the data released from the Korea Worker's Compensation & Welfare Service, the overview of 12,730 cases of workers' compensation for WRMSDs in five service sectors from 2004 to 2013 is going to be analyzed and the source data is going to be classified by the Korean Standard Classification of Occupations to select the top five occupations that have the highest number of approval. RESULTS: After selecting each five occupations from the service sector that have work related musculoskeletal disorders, the result showed that the occupation with the highest number of approval in the health and social care sector were the early childhood educators, cooks in the school canteens in education services sector, garbage collectors in the sanitation and similar services sector, deliverymen in wholesale and retail, consumer goods repair and building cleaners in general management businesses such as those in building maintenance. The major event observed in the top five occupations was the overexertion and reaction as a cause of WRMSDs. The day when the WRMSDs mostly occurred was on Monday and the most likely time was 10 am. The median days away from work and lost working days are 29–90 days and 0–50 days respectively. The difference in each occupation was observed in year of service, age, and gender. CONCLUSIONS: 83.21% of the approved cases of workers' compensation for WRMSDs occurred in the top 25 occupations in all of the five service sectors, which meant that the approval of workers' compensation is concentrated in specific occupations. This research is going to suggest preventive measures for work related musculoskeletal disorders in the service industry and to help prioritize the preventive measures. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable.

The Influence of Job Stress and Job Satisfaction on Turnover Intention for Male Dental Hygienists / 치위생과학회지

The number of male dental hygienists has been continuously increasing in dental services. The purpose of this study aimed to identify the relationship between job stress, job satisfaction, and turnover intention in male dental hygienists and to provide basic data to improve their job satisfaction. The study population was 110 Korean male dental hygienists working for dental clinics or hospitals. The data were collected from November 10 to December 7, 2015. After an explanation about the objective of the study, 110 questionnaires were distributed via email, and 97 responses were analyzed using SPSS. Overall averages of job stress, job satisfaction and turnover intention in male dental hygienists were 3.05, 2.92, and 3.47 out of 5, respectively. Some sub-factors of job stress, including interpersonal relationships at the workplace and future prospects of dental clinics, were proven to have statistically significant negative influence on job satisfaction (p<0.001). Regression analysis was performed with job stress and job satisfaction as independent variables and turnover intention as a dependent variable. Results showed that job stress had a positive effect on turnover intention (p<0.01) while job satisfaction had a negative effect on turnover intention (p<0.001). Job satisfaction was revealed to have statistically significant negative influence on turnover intention (p<0.001). Some of sub-factors of job stress, including work environment and future prospects of dental clinics and professional position, had a positive effect on turnover intention (p<0.05). The study showed that higher job stress led to higher turnover intention, and higher job satisfaction led to lower turnover intention. Accordingly, job stress and job satisfaction are critical factors for turnover intention in male dental hygienists.

Predicting Acute Intoxication of Glufosinate-containing Herbicides: A Comparative Study of a Group with Complication Versus the Others without Complication in Single Institution

PURPOSE: Glufosinate-containing herbicides intoxication causes mild to severe complication, depending on patients' factors. However, it is not clearly known whether there are factors affecting glufosinate-containing herbicides intoxicated patients who develop complications. Thus, we sought to identify independent factors comparing the complicated group with the non-complicated group and to predict which patients will develop subsequent medical complication. METHODS: The medical records of patients with exposure to Glufosinate-containing herbicides at a tertiary academic university hospital in Korea from January 2012 to April 2015 were reviewed retrospectively. Demographic and clinical data of 75 patients were then analyzed by univariate and multivariate stepwise logistic regression analyses to identify potential predictors of significant complications following acute Glufosinate-containing herbicides poisoning for comparison of complicated patients with non-complicated patients. RESULTS: Of 75 patients, 44 (58.6%) had medical complications and 6 (8%) were dead. Neurologic complications (n=26, 35%) were the most common including seizure (n=18), delirium tremens (n=5), and amnesia (n=4). The results of univariate analysis showed that an advanced age (>60 years old), higher ingested amount of the herbicide (>100 mL), vomiting at arrival, medical history of hypertension, metabolic acidosis, and systemic inflammatory response score (SIRS)> or =2 were significant factors. However, the results of multivariate analysis showed that an advanced age (p60 years, and amount ingested>100 mL were significant predictive factors for significant medical complications in patients with Glufosinate-containing herbicides poisoning.

Availability of the Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter Measured by Using Facial CT as a Predictive Factor for Traumatic Brain Injury in the Emergency Department

PURPOSE: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs frequently in patients with facial injuries. In patients with facial injuries without neurologic deficit, it is a challenging decision for emergency physicians whether brain computed tomography (CT) is necessary or not. Our objective is to evaluate the availability of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measured by facial CT in predicting TBI. METHODS: From January, 2010, to December, 2012, we conducted a retrospective study of patients with head or facial injuries who underwent both facial CT and brain CT simultaneously in the emergency department. Patients with obvious orbital trauma or ocular disease were excluded. We analyzed correlation between ONSD measured by facial CT and the brain CT findings of TBI. RESULTS: A total of 229 patients were enrolled. Ninety six patients without TBI on facial CT showed mean ONSD of 5.11+/-0.44 mm, and 82 patients with TBI showed mean ONSD of 5.89+/-0.78 mm. The sensitivity and the specificity compared with the presence of TBI findings on brain CT were 78.05% and 82.29%, respectively, when the cut-off value was set to 5.5 mm. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.826 in the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve). CONCLUSION: ONSD measured on facial CT is available for predicting TBI in patients with facial injuries.

A Case of Cervical Spine Fracture with Imitating Social Media Video

With increasing users of SNS (Social Network Service), the video known as 'couple play' has been popular recently. People imitate the scene of couple play in the video. However, some of them failed to reproduce some actions. We report a case of cervical spine fracture with 'couple play'. A 14-year-old female presented to the emergency department complaining of posterior neck pain. She had a history of trauma with 'couple play' three days ago. She had no neurologic deficit. Cervical spine x-ray and computed tomography showed spinous process fracture of the seventh cervical spine (clay-shoveler fracture). This case demonstrates the need for heightened awareness concerning videos containing dangerous actions that may be harmful when imitated. The authors believe that an institutional strategy for notification of the risks is needed.

Risk assessment of gastric cancer associated with asbestosis: a case report

BACKGROUND: The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies asbestos as belonging to Carcinogen Group 2A for gastric cancer. We herein report a case of gastric cancer associated with asbestosis and describe the work-related and risk assessments of asbestos exposure for gastric cancer. CASE PRESENTATION: The 66-year-old male patient in our case worked in asbestos spinning factories. His level of cumulated asbestos fiber exposure was estimated to be 38.0-71.0 f-yr/cc. Thus, the Excess Life Cancer Risk for lung cancer associated with asbestos exposure was 9,648x10-5, almost 9,600 times the value recommended by the United States of America Environmental Protection Agency (1 x 10-5). The relative risk of developing lung cancer for this patient was more than 25 f-yr/cc, a well-known criterion for doubling the risk of lung cancer. CONCLUSION: The patient's exposure to high-dose asbestos was sufficient to increase his risk of gastric cancer because as the risk of lung cancer increased, the risk of gastric cancer was due to increase as well. Therefore, occupational asbestos fiber exposure might be associated with gastric cancer in this case.

Work-relatedness of lung cancer by smoking and histologic type in Korea

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the distribution of causative agents related to occupational lung cancer, their relationships with work, and associations between work-relatedness and the histologic type of lung cancer. METHODS: We used data from the occupational surveillance system in Korea in 2013. In addition, data from 1,404 participants diagnosed with lung cancer were collected through interviews. We included the patients' longest-held job in the analysis. Work-relatedness was categorized as "definite," "probable," "possible," "suspicious," "none," or "undetermined." RESULTS: Among the subjects, 69.3% were men and 30.7% were women. Regarding smoking status, current smokers were the most prevalent (35.5%), followed by non-smokers (32.3%), ex-smokers (32.2%). Regarding the causative agents of lung cancer, asbestos (1.0%) and crystalline silica (0.9%) were the most common in definite work-related cases, while non-arsenical insecticide (2.8%) was the most common in probable cases followed by diesel engine exhaust (1.9%) and asbestos (1.0%). Regarding histologic type, adenocarcinoma was the most common (41.7%), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (21.2%). Among current smokers, squamous cell carcinoma was the most common among definite and probable cases (13.4%), while non-small cell lung cancer was the least common (7.1%). Among non-smokers, squamous cell carcinoma was the most common (21.4%), while the least common was adenocarcinoma (1.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately, 9.5% of all lung cancer cases in Korea are occupational-related lung cancer. Well-known substances associated with lung cancer, such as crystalline silica, asbestos, and diesel engine exhaust, are of particular concern. However, the histologic types of lung cancer related to smoking were inconsistent with previous studies when work-relatedness was taken into account. Future studies are required to clarify the incidence of occupational lung cancer in agricultural workers exposed to non-arsenical insecticides and the associations between work-relatedness and the histologic type of lung cancer.

Median sacral artery injury during percutaneous mechanical disc decompression using Dekompressor(R) / 대한마취과학회지

No abstract available.

Median sacral artery injury during percutaneous mechanical disc decompression using Dekompressor(R) / 대한마취과학회지

No abstract available.