Workers In Korea Research Articles

Cultural Differences in Advance Care Planning and Implications for Practice.

This study examined cultural differences in advance care planning (ACP) and various strategies that social workers use to initiate conversations on ACP. We conducted qualitative interviews with 12 social workers in South Korea and the US and a thematic content analysis of the transcribed data. Our findings show that different cultural norms and generational viewpoints surrounding death and health-related decision-making influence how people prepare for end-of-life care (EOLC). Whereas principles of self-determination and autonomy guide ACP practices in the US, decisions regarding EOLC are more often made in consultation with family members in Korean and Korean-American communities. Nevertheless, social workers in both countries identified relationship-building, empowerment, and individualized approaches as common strategies in initiating discussions on ACP.

Trends of Industrial Injuries among Long-Term Health Care Workers in Korea, 한국 요양보호사 산업재해의 연도별 변화추이

Trends of Industrial Injuries among Long-Term Health Care Workers in Korea, 한국 요양보호사 산업재해의 연도별 변화추이

Occupational Performance of Hearing-Impaired and Normal-Hearing Workers in Korea.

Background and ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the occupational performance of Korean workers with and without hearing loss and analyze the hearing-related difficulties in the working environment.Subjects and MethodsThe Amsterdam checklist for hearing and work was used for the analyses and the occupational environments of the Korean workers were investigated. Out of 129 total participants, 86 workers experienced severe to profound hearing loss and 43 had the normal hearing ability. The hearing-impaired workers were recruited from two leading vocational centers and normal-hearing workers were their colleagues.ResultsThe hearing-impaired workers were found to take fewer sick leaves and exhibited higher rates of permanent job statuses compared to the normal-hearing workers. Workers with hearing loss rarely detected background sound; however, they could perceive reverberation more frequently. They felt more satisfied with their careers than the normal hearing workers as they received social support and needed to put their effort into hearing for most hearing activities. Furthermore, the effort in hearing increased with the increase in job demand, job control, social support, and career satisfaction. The working hours per week increased with the increase in age, education level, job demand, job control, and social support. Different trends were observed in 9 out of 12 variables while comparing the data from the present study with that obtained from the hearing-impaired workers of the Netherlands, indicating a large difference between countries.ConclusionsAlthough the hearing-impaired Korean workers operate diligently with good job positions, it is necessary to enhance their acoustic environment and provide them social support. Considering the cultural background of the hearing-impaired workers, the development of suitable vocational rehabilitation programs and specific questionnaires is strongly recommended worldwide.

Perceived Risk Factors for Suicide among Nepalese Migrant Workers in South Korea.

(1) Background: In South Korea, far from their homeland, Nepalese migrant workers often face tremendous challenges. The most severe outcome for migrant workers is death by suicide—a major cause of premature death among migrant workers. Nevertheless, in the literature, key factors associated with suicide among Nepalese migrant workers are not specifically identified. Thus, we aimed to delineate the main suicide risk factors for this group of migrants. (2) Methods: We used qualitative research methodology (sample = 20; male =17, female = 3) and employed nominal group techniques to identify the perceived primary risk factors for suicide. (3) Results: Study participants identified and ranked eight sources of distress and perceived risks for suicide, both from home and in the host country. Perceived risks for suicide include a complex set of socio-cultural, behavioral, occupational, physical, and mental health issues as well as communication barriers. (4) Conclusions: The findings suggest the need to design tailored mental health promotion programs for migrant workers before departure from Nepal as well as after arrival as migrant workers in South Korea.

Precarious Employment and Increased Incidence of Musculoskeletal Pain among Wage Workers in Korea: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The number of precarious workers is increasing globally, and precarious employment is becoming a public concern in terms of workers’ health. However, sufficient research on precarious employment and its impact on musculoskeletal pain (MSP) is lacking. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between precarious employment and the risk of MSP among Korean wage workers. After merging the data from the 4th and 5th Korean Working Conditions Surveys, 59,644 wage workers were analyzed. The control group comprised full-time permanent workers, and precarious employment was defined as workers involved in temporary or daily employment, or part-time workers. The outcome variable was the summed number of MSP in three anatomical sites (back, neck and upper limb, lower limb). Zero-inflated negative binomial analyses were selected to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) between precarious employment and MSP. In adjusted models with age, sex, educational level, income level, weekly working hours, and occupation, precarious employment was significantly associated with an increased risk of both MSP (OR 1.66 95% CI 1.56–1.77) and work-related MSP (OR 1.18 95% CI 1.11–1.25). Given the job insecurity and health inequity associated with precarious employment, special attention on precarious workers’ health is needed.

COVID-19: Protecting Health-Care Workers in South Korea.

Health-care workers (HCWs) are vulnerable to the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections, and the safety of HCWs is important in situations where a prolonged COVID-19 is expected. HCWs were recently put in great danger around the globe; as of December 21, there were 306 confirmed cases in HCWs in South Korea, representing 0.60% of the total 50,591 confirmed cases nationally. After experiencing Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), South Korea has put a range of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures with long-term perspectives in place, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), HCW's infection status tracing, visitor control, and a variety of supports from both national and local public health authorities. This article introduces the infection status of HCWs and IPC measures currently taken in South Korea, emphasizing the collaborative and long-term IPC efforts for ensuring the safety of HCWs.

냉전기 한국 가발공의 탄생(1963~1970)

Korea entered the US wig market in the mid-1960s and rapidly grew at once. This was possible in a trade environment where wigs were popular as fashion accessories in the West from the 1950s, and the United States participated in the Vietnam War and regulated the trade of Chinese people. Korean wig workers processed Asian hair from underdeveloped countries, including Korean hair, to suit the taste of whites in the West. In the late 1960s, when the fashion changed from human hair wigs to synthetic fiber wigs in the United States, Korean wigs responded with mass-production of small items, and mass-produced low-wage wig workers. As a result, the price of wigs became cheaper, and blacks joined the wig consumers, which in conflict with the American black human rights movement led to a decline in wig prevalence, leading to a reduction in wig workers in Korea.

Grit and Job Satisfaction

This study sought to examine the mechanism of how grit, defined by persistence and passion for long-term goals, affects job satisfaction. Specifically, we looked at the relationship between grit and goal-work congruence and job satisfaction. Second, the mediating effect of goal-work congruence was investigated in the relationship between grit and job satisfaction. Third, we looked at the moderating effect of socioeconomic status in the relationship between grit and goal-work congruence. Fourth, the moderated mediation effect of socioeconomic status was verified in the process of grit influencing job satisfaction through goal-work congruence. The data of 269 workers in Korea was collected via online survey. Findings were as follows: First, grit positively predicted job satisfaction, which was partially mediated by goal-work congruence. Second, the socioeconomic status was verified to moderate the mediating effect of goal-work congruence between grit and job-satisfaction, which is moderating mediation. To be specific, the lower the socioeconomic status, the greater the indirect effect of grit on job satisfaction. If socioeconomic status was high, the indirect effect of grit was not significant. Based on these findings, the implications and limitations of this study and directions for future research were discussed.

Occupational radiation exposure and cancer incidence in a cohort of diagnostic medical radiation workers in South Korea

ObjectivesWe investigated the association between protracted low-dose ionising radiation and the risk of cancer in medical radiation workers, the largest group of workers with occupational radiation exposures.MethodsData of all South...

Educational Inequalities in Ill-Health Retirement Among Middle- and Older-Aged Workers in Korea: The Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (2006-2016).

To identify differences in risk of ill-health retirement (IHR) between groups with different levels of education and examine this difference with respect to working conditions and health-related factors. This study analysed the longitudinal data of 1691 paid workers aged 45 to 79 years from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging. Multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to identify the predictors and build a prediction model for IHR according to different final education levels. Over the 10-year follow-up, 208 workers exited work because of poor health. Clear educational inequalities in reason of retirement and increased risk of IHR in low, intermediate, and high educational groups were observed. Our results suggest an educational gradient for IHR among Korean male workers and revealed gender differences in the risk of IHR.

Brawn Drain from Cambodia: A Comparative Study of Transnational Labour Migration to Malaysia and South Korea

Abstract The paper examines and compares the transnational labour migration from Cambodia to Malaysia and South Korea, based on the first-hand data and information collected through in-depth interviews with concerned migrant labour. The study sheds light on that the Cambodian workers have changed to engage in new types of unskilled jobs when they move to work in Malaysia and South Korea, which are different from their occupations in Cambodia. The study demonstrates that labour migration to Malaysia and South Korea has helped maximizing the incomes of concerned households through sending remittance as a prevalent mode of risk minimisation. This study sheds light on the different patterns between the migrants in Malaysia and South Korea in two aspects: 1) remittance to home: the vast majority of the migrant workers in South Korea sent their salaries back home by remittance, while those in Malaysia sent limited remittance back home; 2) different mechanisms: scheme of Government-Agency (G-A) for emigration to Malaysia and Government-Government (G-G) for that to South Korea. The study enriches the literature on transnational labour migration by the evidence of brain drain from Cambodia to South Korea and Malaysia.

Dialectics of Transnational Mobility, Class, and Cultural-Intermediary among Indonesian Student-Migrant Workers in South Korea

Cosmopolitanism among migrant workers may present as the result of interpretations between transnational mobility, class, and cultural intermediary. Applying the ethnographic method this research was carried out during 2018-2019, which took Indonesian student-migrant workers aged 20-35 years in South Korea as informants. Travel and immigration, and higher education experiences have left Indonesian migrant workers at work in any places both in and out of campus areas. These practices show that the broader social, cultural, and individual agendas are one way of recognizing a new cosmopolitanism. There are two factors influence the cosmopolitanism process of Indonesian migrant workers; first, the transnational migration process. Second, the process of cultural intermediation in universities. This study reveals significant differences in how Indonesian migrant workers respond to the possibilities and opportunities of transnational mobility, from developing the cultural acceptance skills needed in their life trajectories for building network relationships with other transnational actors. Higher education for migrant workers has introduced another form of work, namely cultural intermediation, which can be seen as a cosmopolitan process.

Seroprevalence and Factors Associated with Scrub Typhus Infection among Forestry Workers in National Park Offices in South Korea.

Scrub typhus is caused by the arthropod-borne bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi and is an endemic infectious disease in the Asia-Pacific area. This study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of scrub typhus and identify associated risk and protective factors among forestry workers, a neglected risk group for scrub typhus, in National Park Offices in South Korea. A nationwide cross-sectional serosurvey was carried out on 1945 National Park Office forestry workers (NPOFWs) in South Korea during December 2016. We visited 29 main offices and used a structured questionnaire to collect data regarding general characteristics, work activities, work hygiene-related factors, and other potential risk factors. Serum samples from NPOFWs were tested using indirect immunofluorescence assay to detect O. tsutsugamushi immunoglobulin (Ig) G and M antibodies. Of the 1945 NPOFWs, 718 (36.9%) participated in this cross-sectional study. The seroprevalence, defined as ≥1:256 for IgG and/or ≥1:16 for IgM, was 4.9% (35/718). In multivariate logistic analysis, longer duration of work in national parks (≥15 years; odds ratio (OR), 4.19; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.71–10.28) and dry field farming (OR, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.12–5.46) were significantly associated with a higher risk of scrub typhus infection. Furthermore, the risk of scrub typhus infection was significantly lower among NPOFWs who washed working clothes daily (OR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.18–0.75). This study indicated that scrub typhus is an important disease among NPOFWs in South Korea. Work hygiene, especially washing working clothes daily, needs to be emphasized among NPOFWs. Additionally, more precautions are required to diminish the rate of scrub typhus infection among NPOFWs who perform dry field farming.

Variability in daily or weekly working hours and self-reported mental health problems in Korea, Korean working condition survey, 2017

BackgroundWorking hour regulation in Korea is being revised to allow increasing variability in number of working hours. We sought to investigate the association between variability in the number of daily or weekly working hours with or without long working hours (> 52 h/w) and mental health among South Korean workers.MethodsWe used data from 28,345 full-time, non-shift employed workers working more than 30 h per week participating in the Korean Working Condition Survey in 2017. We defined six groups according to variability in daily or weekly working hours (same number vs different number) and weekly working hours (31–40, 41–52, > 52 h per week). Odds ratios (ORs) and confidence intervals (CIs) for self-reported depressive symptoms and anxiety were calculated using workers with same number of working hours/31–40 h per week as the reference.ResultsVariability in number of work hours every day or week combined with > 52 working hours per week showed the highest risk of depressive symptoms (OR = 5.13, 95% CI 3.25–8.11) and anxiety (OR = 3.75, 95% CI 2.39–5.88) compared to the reference group, controlling for age, sex, education, occupation, industry, salary, workers’ choice of working hours and overtime payment. Workers working ≤52 h/w were adversely impacted by variable working hours as well.ConclusionsVariable daily or weekly working hours were associated with poorer self-reported depressive and anxiety symptoms in Korea, among full-time and non-shift workers. Reform of the Korean Labor Standards Act warrants consideration.

Suicide rates by occupation in Korea, 1993-2017: the impacts of financial crisis and suicide policy

This study compared the suicide rates among different groups of occupations in Korea and their changes from 1993 through 2017. The suicide rate tended to be low in the high skill occupations except the manager group. The suicide rates showed increases around the financial crises of 1997 and 2008 in most occupations, and the sharpest increase was observed in the managers. The suicide rate in the manager group, which was the lowest among all occupation groups until the mid 2000s, showed the sharpest increase and became the highest since 2012 among all occupation groups. The sustained reduction in suicide rates among the skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers in Korea, following the implementation of paraquat control since 2005, shows that means restriction is an effective and essential way for reducing suicides. While more efforts should be put into means restriction, policy makers should focus on changing public perceptions of suicide in order that it would not be accepted as a possible solution for the difficulties in life.

Analysis and Interpretation of Hand Injuries Based on Data from the National Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance System

PurposeLike other countries, Korea has a high incidence of hand injuries due to industrial accidents. In this study, the social demographic characteristics of hand injuries treated with industrial insurance in Korea and some related occupational factors were analyzed. The evaluation of the dynamics and trends of hand injuries including the association with related factors were conducted.MethodsBased on the 2018 Industrial Accident Insurance Panel Survey data provided by the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service, a retrospective review was conducted on all hand injuries cases treated with industrial insurance between January 2018 and December 2018.ResultsThis review identified a total of 983 cases of hand trauma. The most common age group is 51 to 60 years (36.1%). 61.1% of those surveyed had a length of employment of less than 1 year, and fractures were the most common types of injuries. Amputations were the more frequent injury in the longer working group.ConclusionIn this study, the number of patients treated using industrial accident insurance was the highest among those with less than six months of work experience In addition, in patients with long working periods, more severe injuries such as severe amputation were observed. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce a precise education program to prevent severe injuries suitable for skilled workers. The findings in this study are significant in providing insight into the current state of Korea's industrial accidents and enabling appropriate preventive measures to be taken.

The Impact of Compassion Fatigue on the Well-Being of Oncology Social Workers in Korea

This study explored the impacts of compassion fatigue on social workers working with oncology patients. The purposive sample featured 12 medical social workers providing psychosocial care in hospitals to oncology patients in Korea. Based on in-depth interviews on the effects of compassion fatigue, the following main themes emerged: (a) personal well-being (negative physical symptoms, feeling dejected, rumination, guilt and regret, excessive concern about health, and overwhelmed by sadness); (b) work (losing a sense of purpose, emotionally unavailable, avoiding clients, and feeling demotivated); (c) coming to terms with compassion fatigue (learning to manage compassion fatigue and recognizing helpful strategies); and (d) transforming the impact of compassion fatigue (change in life perspective, finding strength in life and self, and becoming humble). This study informs readers of the development of interventions to counter the negative consequences of compassion fatigue. Future research should focus on further understanding about how oncology social workers develop and cope with compassion fatigue, with an emphasis on the experiences of those with different characteristics and available resources.

Disability and Economic Loss Caused by Headache among Information Technology Workers in Korea.

Background and PurposeHeadache disorders are a leading cause of disability globally. However, there is inadequate information available about these disorders and the related economic loss in the workplace in Asian countries. Information technology (IT) jobs are intellectually and cognitively challenging, and hence IT workers are a suitable population for assessing headache disorders and related economic loss.MethodsWe sent invitation emails to all employees of selected IT companies. A comprehensive Web-based questionnaire regarding headache characteristics, disability, quality of life, and economic loss was completed by 522 participants from 8 companies.ResultsThe participants included 450 (86.2%) who had experienced headache more than once during the previous year. The frequencies of migraine, probable migraine (PM), and tension-type headache (TTH) were 18.2%, 21.1%, and 37.0%, respectively. The Migraine Disability Assessment score was higher for participants with migraine [median and interquartile range, 3.0 (0.0–6.0)] than for those with PM [0.0 (0.0–2.0), p<0.001] and TTH [0.0 (0.0–1.0), p<0.001]. The estimated annual economic losses caused by migraine per person associated with absenteeism and presenteeism were USD 197.5±686.1 and USD 837.7±22.04 (mean±standard deviation), respectively. The total annual economic loss per person caused by migraine (USD 1,023.3±1,972.7) was higher than those caused by PM (USD 424.8±1,209.1, p<0.001) and TTH (USD 197.6±636.4, p<0.001).ConclusionsMigraine, PM, and TTH were found to be prevalent among IT workers in Korea. Disability and economic loss were significantly greater in participants with migraine than in those with PM or TTH.

Adverse Reactions of the Second Dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine in Healthcare Workers in Korea.

We conducted a prospective, mobile-based survey on the self-reported adverse reactions in healthcare workers (HCWs) who received both doses of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. Of the 342 HCWs who completed the two-dose vaccination, 265 (77.5%) responded to the survey at least once. Overall, the rates of adverse reactions were higher after the second dose compared with the first dose (89.1% vs. 80.1%, P = 0.006). The most common systemic reactions were muscle ache (69.1%), fatigue (65.7%), headache (48.7%), chills (44.2%), and fever (32.1%), and were notably more common after the second dose vaccine as well. We also noted a sex difference in which the frequency of adverse reactions after the second dose of the vaccine was significantly higher in females, which was not observed after the first dose. The rates of adverse reactions were lower in older age groups, and the rates and severities of the adverse reactions decreased during the 3-day period following vaccination.

Dietary acculturation and changes of Central Asian immigrant workers in South Korea by health perception

Dietary acculturation and changes of Central Asian immigrant workers in South Korea by health perception