Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Psychosocial Risk Factors and Musculoskeletal Symptoms among White and Blue-collar Workers at Private and Public Sectors
Conclusion This study showed differences in psychosocial risk factors and musculoskeletal symptoms in workers engaged in different types of jobs and work organization. Personal and work-related characteristics, psychosocial factors and PPT responses were different across workers’ group. Despite all, there was no significant difference in reported symptoms across the groups, possibly indicating that the physical load is similar among the sectors. (Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine)
Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine - July 25, 2014 Category: Occupational Health Source Type: research

The Relationship between the Occupational Exposure of Trichloroethylene and Kidney Cancer
Abstract Trichloroethylene (TCE) has been widely used as a degreasing agent in many manufacturing industries. Recently, the International Agency for Research on Cancer presented “sufficient evidence” for the causal relationship between TCE and kidney cancer. The aim of this study was to review the epidemiologic evidences regarding the relationship between TCE exposure and kidney cancer in Korean work environments. The results from the cohort studies were inconsistent, but according to the meta-analysis and case–control studies, an increased risk for kidney cancer was present in the exposure group ...
Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine - June 3, 2014 Category: Occupational Health Source Type: research

Factors Related to Sleep Disorders among Male Firefighters
Conclusions Musculoskeletal symptoms, shift work, and depression are associated with sleep disorders. Integrated health management is needed to promote good sleep quality among firefighters. (Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine)
Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine - May 22, 2014 Category: Occupational Health Source Type: research

A Case of Complicated Silicosis with a Complex Clinical Course in a Glass Manufacturing Worker
We reported a case of complicated silicosis that occurred in a glass manufacturing plant worker who had presumably been exposed to low-concentration free silica for almost 20 years. To the best of our knowledge this report is the first in the Republic of Korea. The physician’s first impression was cancer since the enlargement of neck and supraclavicuar lymph nodes had clearly progressed and metastasis was suspected in ultrasonography. However, it turned out to be reactive hyperplasia and anthracosis. Although lung cancer was suspected and tests were performed in 2 hospitals due to repetitive cough and dyspnea, along wit...
Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine - May 15, 2014 Category: Occupational Health Source Type: research

A Case of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Assessments of Fitness for Work
Conclusion Proper screening for obstructive sleep apnea among workers is important for preventing workplace accidents caused by this disorder, but screening guidelines have not yet been established in Korea. An effort toward preparing practical guidelines for obstructive sleep apnea is needed. (Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine)
Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine - April 25, 2014 Category: Occupational Health Source Type: research

Pulmonary function decline in firefighters and non-firefighters in South Korea
Conclusions Evaluating the working environment of firefighters is difficult; however, our study revealed that pulmonary function declined in firefighters. Thus, more effort should be made to prevent and manage respiratory diseases early by preforming strict and consistent pulmonary function tests in firefighters. (Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine)
Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine - April 25, 2014 Category: Occupational Health Source Type: research

Estimated rate of agricultural injury: the Korean Farmers’ Occupational Disease and Injury Survey
Conclusions Agricultural injury rates in this study were higher than rates reported by the existing compensation insurance data. Males and older farmers were at a greater risk of agriculture injuries; therefore, the prevention and management of agricultural injuries in this population is required. (Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine)
Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine - April 25, 2014 Category: Occupational Health Source Type: research

Association among Working Hours, Occupational Stress, and Presenteeism among Wage Workers: Results from the Second Korean Working Conditions Survey
Conclusions The present study suggests that long working hours and occupational stress are significantly related to presenteeism. (Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine)
Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine - March 24, 2014 Category: Occupational Health Source Type: research

Iron Deficiency is Not Associated with Increased Blood Cadmium in Infants
Conclusion These findings indicate that iron deficiency does not increase blood cadmium concentrations in infants, in contrast with the effects of iron deficiency on manganese and lead concentrations. (Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine)
Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine - February 10, 2014 Category: Occupational Health Source Type: research

The Association between Long Working Hours and Self-Rated Health
Conclusions This study showed that workers working more than 60 hours per week have a significantly higher risk of poor self-rated health than workers working less than 40 hours per week. This effect was more obvious for the female workers group and the group with a tenure of more than 1 year. In the future, longitudinal studies may be needed to determine the association between long working hours and various health effects in Korean workers. (Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine)
Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine - January 20, 2014 Category: Occupational Health Source Type: research

Occupational Factors Associated with Changes in the Body Mass Index of Korean Male Manual Workers
Conclusion This study showed that, except for 3-shift work, the factors associated with BMI increase could differ depending on the length of job experience. Consequently, different strategies may be needed for workers with short-term versus long-term job experience when designing interventions for preventing their obesity. (Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine)
Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine - December 27, 2013 Category: Occupational Health Source Type: research

Association between Workplace Risk Factor Exposure and Sleep Disturbance: Analysis of the 2nd Korean Working Conditions Survey
Conclusion These results suggest that occupational exposures to physical and psychosocial workplace risk factors are significantly related to sleep disturbance. (Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine)
Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine - December 27, 2013 Category: Occupational Health Source Type: research

Discordance in Spirometric Interpretations Based on Korean and Non-Korean Reference Equations
Conclusions The two Korean equations shared similar characteristics of spirometric interpretation. The spirometric interpretations of Choi's equation were significantly different from those of Morris's equation and Knudson's equation. (Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine)
Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine - December 27, 2013 Category: Occupational Health Source Type: research

Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine as a Branch of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Abstract Exposure to the underwater environment for occupational or recreational purposes is increasing. As estimated, there are around 7 million divers active worldwide and 300,000 more divers in Korea. The underwater and hyperbaric environment presents a number of risks to the diver. Injuries from these hazards include barotrauma, decompression sickness, toxic effects of hyperbaric gases, drowning, hypothermia, and dangerous marine animals. For these reasons, primary care physicians should understand diving related injuries and assessment of fitness to dive. However, most Korean physicians are unfamil...
Source: Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine - December 19, 2013 Category: Occupational Health Source Type: research