Workers In Korea Research Articles

Ethnic discrimination, asking for fair treatment, and poor self-rated health: a gender stratified analysis of 13,443 Korean Chinese waged workers in South Korea

BackgroundIn South Korea, Korean Chinese workers experience ethnic discrimination although they share physical similarities and ethnic heritage with native-born Koreans. This study aimed to examine whether perceived ethnic discrimination is associated with poor self-rated health and whether the association differs by gender among Korean Chinese waged workers in South Korea.MethodsWe conducted a pooled cross-sectional analysis using data of 13,443 Korean Chinese waged workers from the Survey on Immigrants’ Living Conditions and Labor Force conducted in 2018, 2020, and 2022. Based on perceived ethnic discrimination, asking for fair treatment, and subsequent situational improvement, respondents were classified into the following four groups: “Not experienced,” “Experienced, not asked for fair treatment,” “Experienced, asked for fair treatment, not improved,” and “Experienced, asked for fair treatment, improved.” Poor self-rated health was assessed using a single question “How is your current overall health?” We applied logistic regression to examine the association between perceived ethnic discrimination and poor self-rated health, with gender-stratified analyses.ResultsWe found an association between ethnic discrimination and poor self-rated health among Korean Chinese waged workers. In the gender-stratified analysis, the “Experienced, not asked for fair treatment” group was more likely to report poor self-rated health compared to the “Not experienced” group, regardless of gender. However, gender differences were observed in the group stratified by situational improvements. For male workers, no statistically significant association was found in the “Experienced, asked for fair treatment, improved” group with poor self-rated health (odd ratios: 0.87, 95% confidence intervals: 0.30–2.53). Conversely, among female workers, a statistically significant association was observed (odd ratios: 2.63, 95% confidence intervals: 1.29–5.38).ConclusionsThis study is the first to find an association between perceived ethnic discrimination and poor self-rated health, along with gender differences in the association between situational improvements after asking for fair treatment and poor self-rated health among Korean Chinese waged workers in South Korea.

Noise-Induced and Age-Related Hearing Loss in Korea

Recently, reports of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) have sharply risen among workers in South Korea, almost 20-fold in 2022, compared to 2012. This is presumably because NIHL is combined with age-related hearing loss. For the correct diagnosis of NIHL, therefore, the effect of aging that contributes to threshold shifts is should be excluded, and that would require scrutinizing of various established methods. Additionally, international and domestic data from large cross-sectional studies may provide new insights in excluding the effect of age-related hearing loss in individuals in which threshold shifts occurred. This paper comprises the recommendations for the diagnosis and quantification of NIHL in a medico-legal context.

Formaldehyde Exposure of Aquaculture Workers in Korea

ABSTRACT Objectives Korea’s aquaculture sector primarily cultivates aquatic life, with fish seed production as a focus. Formalin, a parasiticide, consists of 37% formaldehyde mixed with yellow No. 4 dye. Formaldehyde vaporization poses cancer risks, classified as a carcinogen. Korea regulates formaldehyde as a hazardous substance, requiring workplace environment measurements. Few aquaculture farms have conducted these checks in recent years. In this study, we investigated actual formaldehyde exposure levels among Korean aquaculture workers, highlighting a critical safety concern. Methods A field survey was conducted to measure formaldehyde exposure at 10 aquaculture farms in areas where Korean aquaculture is concentrated. Short-term and long-term personal samples, local samples, and direct-reading measurements were conducted. Formaldehyde exposure levels were detected in short-term personal samples from six farms and in long-term personal samples from two farms, and formaldehyde was detected in all local samples. In direct-reading measurements, a high concentration of formaldehyde was sustained for short periods. Results Long-term (8-hour) personal samples were mostly non-detectable, except for farms A and D, which had levels of 0.0009 ppm and 0.0017 ppm, respectively. Short-term (15-minute) samples were non-detectable in four farms, with an average of 0.0158 (±0.0130) ppm in the remaining six farms. Local samples from all farms had an average of 0.0384 (±0.0957) ppm of formaldehyde. For farms A and D, where long-term sampling detected formaldehyde, real-time measurements showed a sustained high concentration in farm A for about 48 minutes before decreasing. Farm D had no detectable formaldehyde throughout the monitoring period. Conclusion According to the formaldehyde exposure level assessment, short term exposure to formaldehyde during and immediately after application of formalin nearly exceeded the ACGIH TLV STEL in one farm. However, concentration of long term samples appeared at 10% of ACGIH TLV TWA. Additional study is recommended to determine whether exposure to formaldehyde poses a health risk for aquaculture workers during application of formalin.

From University Students and Graduates to Male Sex Workers: The Career Decisions and Decision-Making Processes

There is limited information concerning the experiences and career decision-making processes of male sex workers in South Korea. The aim of this study was to understand the motivations, career decisions, and decision-making processes of a group of male university students and graduates who decided to join the sex work profession in South Korea as part of their career development. Qualitative research design and snowball strategies were employed in 2021 with nine male sex workers. Interview sessions, online focus group activity, remarkable items sharing, and member-checking interview sessions were undertaken to collect rich stories and promote understanding of male sex workers who are completing or have completed their bachelor’s degrees in South Korea. Based on the social cognitive career and motivation theory, three main themes were highlighted: (1) financial consideration, (2) personal interest in sexual activities, and (3) limited career opportunities for the younger generation. The findings illustrate the motivations of a group of educated male sex workers and the social issues for sex workers in South Korea. Government bodies, policymakers, and non-profit organizations may use this study as a reference for policy development and human resources schemes.

The Causes of Rejection of Medical Care Benefits for Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance, A retrospective analysis

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to analyze the reasons of the claim rejections and denials compensated by dentalrelated the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) that is operated by the Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Service (COMWEL).Methods: We collected 803 claims from one consultant who responded to dental-related medical inquiries commissioned by the Daegu and Gyeongbuk Workers’ COMWEL from January 2021 to May 2023. We analyzed the approval status and the reasons for non-approval, based on the reviewed response materials and dental online medical consultation data.Results: Among the initial and supplementary compensation applications, there were 79 cases with insufficient examina-tions, 72 cases with incomplete records, 19 cases with errors, 148 cases due to pre-existing conditions, and 6 cases where the applicant was ineligible for medical benefits. The reasons for re-evaluation after data supplementation included 122 cases of inadequate examinations, 76 cases of incomplete records, 24 cases with logical errors, 11 cases with insufficient photographs, and 57 cases for a combination of these reasons.Conclusions: In the context of industrial injury compensation claims, the denial of claims often arises from missing or incomplete dental records, diagnostic omissions, or logical inconsistencies between records, diagnoses, and treatment plans. Therefore, it is essential to ensure accurate medical records, appropriate examinations, and evidence-based diagnosis. Spe-cial attention should also be given to the collection of clinical data, including photographs.

Factors Related to High-Risk Alcohol Drinking Behaviour amongst Adult Male Workers in Korea : Using the Dataset of the Korea Health Panel Survey (2016-2018)

Factors Related to High-Risk Alcohol Drinking Behaviour amongst Adult Male Workers in Korea : Using the Dataset of the Korea Health Panel Survey (2016-2018)

Health and medical experience of migrant workers: qualitative meta-synthesis

BackgroundMigrant workers in Korea are contributing to economic development by resolving labour shortages due to the increase in the ageing population, and they have become necessary and important in the Korean economy. However, long working hours, poor working conditions, and cultural differences can cause migrant workers to experience disadvantages in using health and medical services. Therefore, this study aimed to understand and analyse the health and medical service experience of migrant workers in Korea by reviewing previous studies in order to improve their health and access to medical services.MethodThe qualitative meta-synthesis method suggested by Thomas and Harden was used. The key question for searching the literature is ‘What is the status of the use of health and medical service by migrant workers in Korea and the attributes that affect them?' Five electronic databases (RISS, KCI, KISS, Science ON, and KMbase) were searched for Korean literature published in academic journals until 6 November 2022 using a combination of “migrant worker or foreign worker or foreign labourer or migrant” and “medical or health” in Korean.ResultsA total of nine studies out of 1,006 were included in the review after methodological quality assessment using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP). The results of studies were synthesised into three themes and ten sub-themes: ‘Personal factors’ of personal health beliefs and the financial burden of healthcare costs; ‘Cultural factors’ of cultural differences in the lifestyle, cultural differences in the healthcare environment, and traditional medicine in the country; and ‘Socio-institutional factors’ of poor and difficult working environment, insufficient information about medical institutions, policies with a lack of practical applicability, systems of healthcare institutions, and healthcare services usage.ConclusionsThis study identified the experiences of migrant workers in using health and medical care services. The results of this study can be used as a basis for improving the health of migrant workers and access to healthcare services. Based on the results of this study, it is necessary to improve the health management ability of migrant workers by developing a health management platform that can support Korean medical information and provide professional and accurate self-health management information.

The Influence of Workplace Violence, Psychosocial Working Conditions on Depressive Symptoms Among Female Workers in South Korea.

Workers' depression is an important issue, with the prevalence higher in women than in men. This study aimed to identify the effects of workplace violence exposure and psychosocial working conditions on depressive symptoms in female workers in South Korea. This study included 15 605 female wageworkers who participated in the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey. Logistic regression analyses were implemented to identify the factors that affected their depression. The female workers reported increased frequency of symptoms of depression when there was humiliating behavior from co-workers (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.999) or physical violence from clients (aOR = 1.609). In psychosocial working environments, they reported a greater frequency of depressive symptoms with high quantitative demands (aOR = 1.498), high emotional demands (aOR = 1.085), lower colleague's support (aOR = 1.566), or lack of support from supervisors at the workplace (aOR = 1.707). An emphasis should be put on preventing humiliating behaviors from co-workers as well as violence from clients in the workplace.

Effects of Presenteeism on Burnout among Rehabilitation Medical Workers in Korea: Multiple Mediating Effects of Organization and Supervisor Supports.

This study aimed to examine the discriminatory impacts of two major impairment factors-job presenteeism and attention presenteeism (JP and AP)-in presenteeism on burnout and to verify the multiple mediating effects of organizational and supervisory support in their causal relationship to provide theoretical and practical implications for alleviating burnout among rehabilitation medical workers (RMWs). Participants were convenience sampled from 23 hospitals and rehabilitation medical institutions in Korea, and 494 datasets were analyzed using the R packages R-studio, Jamovi, and JASP. The significant effects of JP and AP on burnout were investigated; AP (0.609) had a much higher effect than JP (0.170) on burnout among RMWs. Moreover, the multiple mediating effects of organizational support and supervisory support were verified in the JP-AP relationship and burnout among RMWs. Additionally, the absolute effect on burnout was more from AP than JP, and organizational support had a far more significant effect than supervisory support in the process of affecting burnout. The present study contributes to the literature on burnout by examining the relationships between presenteeism and burnout and by extending the current understanding of burnout and presenteeism to RMWs. And it is practically important to understand that the effect of AP was greater than that of JP between the two key sub-factors of presenteeism affecting burnout among RMWs, and Korean RMWs are more affected by support from the organization system than by personal support from their boss. Related theoretical and practical implications are further elaborated.

Migrant well-being and undocumented status in South Korea: a cross-sectional assessment of physical, psychological, social well-being, and health behaviors

BackgroundA high burden of physical, mental, and occupational health problems among migrant workers has been well-documented, but data on undocumented migrant workers are limited and their well-being has rarely been compared to that of the general population.MethodsUsing data from a cross-sectional survey of non-professional migrant workers in South Korea in early 2021, we described their physical, psychological, social well-being and health behaviors across a wide range of outcomes, including self-rated health, occupational injury, cigarette smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, meal pattern, happiness, mental illness, social support, and social participation. The outcomes were first compared between documented and undocumented migrant workers in generalized linear regressions adjusting for potential confounders. Then, the well-being of the migrant workers was compared against that of the general population using data from the Korean Happiness Survey, which is a nationally representative survey of the South Korean general population conducted in late 2020. The parametric g-formula was performed to adjust for potential confounders.ResultsAfter adjusting for potential confounders, the undocumented migrant workers were less likely to be happy or participate in social communities, and much more likely to have anxiety or depression, smoke cigarettes, or engage in heavy alcohol consumption than the documented migrant workers. When compared to the general South Korean population, an evident social gradient emerged for happiness and mental illness; the undocumented experienced the worst outcome, followed by the documented, and then the general population. Also, the undocumented migrant workers were more likely to smoke cigarettes than the general population.ConclusionThe undocumented migrant workers face considerably greater challenges in terms of mental health and happiness, demonstrate higher rates of risky health behaviors such as smoking and heavy drinking, and experience a lack of social support and community integration. A stark social gradient in happiness, mental illness, and cigarette smoking exists among the documented, undocumented migrant workers and the general population in South Korea. Socio-structural factors are likely to play a crucial role in contributing to the suboptimal level of overall well-being of undocumented migrant workers. Policy-level interventions as well as interpersonal efforts are in urgent need.

Bioaerosol exposure assessment of aquaculture workers in Korea

Bioaerosol exposure assessment of aquaculture workers in Korea

Association of precarious employment with depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation among female workers: Findings from a nationwide longitudinal study in Korea

BackgroundIn this study, we examined the relationship of precarious employment (PE) with depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation among Korean women. MethodsWe included a nationwide sample of 4162 women drawn from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Women and Families, comprising 7566 observations. PE was assessed using three dimensions: employment insecurity, income inadequacy, and lack of rights and protection. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 10-item version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate the association between each element of PE and the depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation over a two-year follow-up period, represented as odds ratios (ORs) and confidence intervals (CIs). ResultsThe overall prevalence rates of depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation were 11.8 % and 1.9 %, respectively. Compared with permanent employment, fixed-term employment (OR [95 % CI]:1.29 [1.00–1.67]) or daily employment (OR [95 % CI]:1.53 [1.26–1.99]) was associated with the depressive symptoms at the follow-up. Additionally, lack of social benefits (OR [95 % CI]:1.40 [1.09–1.79]) and high perceived vulnerability (OR [95 % CI]:1.27 [1.08–1.49]) were associated with the depressive symptoms at the follow-up. Additionally, daily employment was associated with the suicidal ideation at the follow-up (OR [95 % CI]:1.94 [1.02–3.68]) and high perceived vulnerability was marginally associated with an increased suicidal ideation risk (OR [95 % CI]:1.49 [0.98–2.29]). LimitationCausal effect of PE could not be asserted due to the observational nature of this study. ConclusionsPE is a social determinant of women's mental health and policy interventions are required to improve their employment conditions.

A study on the structural relationship between emotional labor, job burnout, and turnover intention among office workers in Korea: the moderated mediating effect of leader-member exchange

BackgroundThis research investigated the interplay of emotional labor, job burnout, and leader-member exchange on turnover intentions among office workers in South Korea.MethodsAn online survey was conducted with 333 employees working in Korean small- and medium-sized enterprises. The target sample consisted of in-house employees who do not deal with external customers. All the measurement and structural models of this study were analyzed using SPSS 27.0 and Amos 28.0.ResultsThe survey revealed that emotional labor indirectly influenced turnover intentions via job burnout and leader-member exchange. Deep acting intensified job burnout, thereby elevating turnover intentions, while surface acting mitigated job burnout.ConclusionsThe findings underscored the importance of managing emotional labor and job burnout and fostering robust leader-member relationships to reduce staff turnover. Moreover, leader-member exchange was found to mitigate the effects of emotional labor on job burnout and turnover intention, with higher leader-member exchange reducing the negative impact of deep acting on turnover intention through job burnout.

The mediating effects of resilience on psychological distress in social workers in Singapore and South Korea during the Covid-19 pandemic

Under the pandemic situation, social workers functioning as front liners were found to be more adversely affected. This study examined the mediating effect of resilience between psychological distress and organizational support among frontline social workers in two countries, South Korea and Singapore. The hierarchical multiple regression and Sobel z-test were conducted. We found that resilience statistically significantly mediates the impact of organizational support on psychological distress among frontline social workers. Organizations in the social sectors need to consider how enhancing their practitioners’ resilience via resources like having quality relationships, professional identity, and self-care could contribute toward improving their well-being.

Factors affecting work-related non-fatal injuries among aged workers in South Korea.

The objective of this paper is to investigate whether an aging workforce is associated with an increase in work-related non-fatal injuries and to explore the underlying reasons for this potential increase. Aged workers were defined as those who were at least 55-years-old. Work-related non-fatal injuries were assessed in aged and young workers who were registered with the workers' compensation system from 2017 to 2021 of South Korea. The mean estimated rate of work-related non-fatal injuries of aged workers (0.88/100) was about 2.5-times higher than that of younger workers (0.35/100). Most work-related non-fatal injuries in the older adults were in individuals working in the "construction sector" (36.0%), those with "elementary occupations (unskilled workers)" (45.0%), and those with employment status of "daily worker" (44.0%). "Trip & slip" (28.7%) and "falling" (19.6%) were more frequent types of work-related non-fatal injuries in aged workers relative to young workers. The category of "buildings, structures, and surfaces" was a more frequent cause of work-related non-fatal injuries in aged workers than young workers. The incidence of non-fatal work-related injuries is higher among aged workers compared to their younger counterparts. The increased occurrence of aged workers participating in precarious employment and jobs, along with the greater physical vulnerability, is likely the cause of their higher rate of work-related non-fatal injuries.

Investigation of Working Conditions and Health Status in Platform Workers in the Republic of Korea

BackgroundThe present study aimed to analyze several aspects of the working conditions and health status of platform workers in the Republic of Korea, such as ergonomic and emotional hazards. We also compared the health status of the platform workers with that of the general population. MethodsA total of 1,000 platform workers participated in this survey from August 7 to August 17, 2022. The participants included 400 designated drivers, 400 food-delivery drivers, and 200 housekeeping managers. A face-to-face survey with a structured questionnaire was conducted by researchers who had received specific instructions. The focus of the survey extended to the work environment, encompassing factors such as workplace violence, as well as physical, chemical, and ergonomic hazards. Health-related data for the previous year were also collected, covering a range of issues such as hearing problems, skin problems, musculoskeletal symptoms, headaches, injuries, mental health issues, and digestive problems. Subsequently, we compared the health symptom data of the responders with those of the general population in the Republic of Korea. ResultsPlatform workers, including designated drivers, food-delivery drivers, and housekeeping managers, existed in the blind spot of social insurance, facing frequent exposure to physical and chemical hazards, ergonomic risk factors, and direct or indirect violence. The prevalence of health problems, including musculoskeletal symptoms, general fatigue, and depressive symptoms, in each occupational group was statistically higher than that in the general population after standardization for age and gender. ConclusionThe results revealed unfavorable working environment and inferior occupational health of platform workers compared with those of the general population.

Association between precarious employment and the onset of depressive symptoms in men and women: a 13-year longitudinal analysis in Korea (2009-2022).

Increasing social concern surrounds the potential adverse health effects of precarious employment (PE). In this study, we explored the association between PE and the onset of depressive symptoms. A total of 11,555 Korean waged workers (5700 females) contributed 62,217 observations from 2009 to 2022. PE was operationalized as a multidimensional construct, including employment insecurity, income inadequacy and lack of rights and protection. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (11-item version). The association between PE and the onset of depressive symptoms in the subsequent year was estimated using generalized estimating equations. Effect sizes were reported as odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). The overall incidence of depressive symptoms was 8.3% during the study period. In cross-sectional analysis, daily employment, disguised employment, lower monthly wages and lack of social insurance coverage were associated with concurrent depressive symptoms in both men and women. Longitudinally, fixed-term employment (OR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.07-1.29), daily employment (OR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.45-1.85) and disguised employment (OR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.17-1.57) were associated with the onset of depressive symptoms among the overall sample. Among men, the lowest quartiles of wage were associated with the onset of depressive symptoms (OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.13-1.60), while the absence of a trade union was associated among women (OR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.01-1.39). Employment insecurity, inadequate income and lack of rights and protection may contribute to depressive symptoms. Therefore, PE serves as a significant social determinant of mental health among workers in Korea. Active policy efforts are warranted to improve the overall quality of employment in the workforce.

Changes in Korea's working time policy: the need for research on flexible working hours considering socioeconomic inequality.

Changes in Korea's working time policy: the need for research on flexible working hours considering socioeconomic inequality.

Determinants of blood pressure control in hypertensive individuals using histogram-based gradient boosting: findings from 1114 male workers in South Korea

Hypertension is a significant public health concern, particularly among workers, due to its association with increased risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. This study aimed to identify key factors influencing blood pressure control in hypertensive male workers aged 40 and above using the Histogram-based Gradient Boosting (HGB) algorithm. Data were drawn from the 2017–2020 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), including 1114 male participants who reported being diagnosed with hypertension by a physician. The HGB model was compared with five other machine learning models: Random Forest, XGBoost, LightGBM, CatBoost and AdaBoost. The HGB model demonstrated superior performance with an accuracy of 82.3%, precision of 80.5%, recall of 78.9% and F1-score of 79.7%. Feature importance analysis revealed that age, Body Mass Index (BMI) and physical activity were the most significant factors influencing blood pressure control. Other notable factors included sodium intake, stress levels and medication adherence. The study’s findings underscore the importance of targeted interventions focusing on these key factors to improve hypertension management strategies. By employing advanced machine learning techniques, this research provides valuable insights into the determinants of blood pressure control, offering a foundation for developing effective strategies to reduce hypertension-related complications and mortality among Korean male workers.

Customer verbal abuse is associated with depressive symptoms among high-workload cosmetics sales workers in South Korea.

This study sought to investigate whether association between customer verbal abuse and depressive symptoms differed by workload. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 795 cosmetic sales workers at department store in South Korea. Experience of customer verbal abuse over the past one month was measured by using a yes/no question. Depressive symptoms during the preceding week were assessed by using 20 items from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale. Workload during the past week was measured by asking the number of customers a worker dealt with on average in a day and classified into two categories: 1) Low (15 people or less), and 2) High (more than 15 people). Cosmetics sales workers' experience of customer verbal abuse was associated with a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms (PR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.15-1.63). After being stratified by workload, customer verbal abuse showed a statistically significant association with depressive symptoms among high workload groups (PR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.19-1.79), whereas the association was not statistically significant among low workload group (PR: 1.23, 95% CI: 0.91-1.65). Our findings suggest that experience of customer verbal abuse could have a negative influence on depressive symptoms among high-workload cosmetics sales workers in South Korea.