The goal of this study is to propose the effective method of investigating the injurious factors and make improvement plans that prevents the workers against musculoskeletal disorders at plastic product companies and the same business field with similar working conditions and process. A questionnaire are adopted to analyze the symptoms of workers' musculoskeletal disorders, and ergonomic assessment methods such as RULA, OWAS are performed to find out harmful factors of workplace and working posture. Based on the result of the evaluation, to enhance the working environment, improvement of worktable, working space, tools, and outfit was suggested, and induction of mechanical system was also suggested. It can be concluded that the method and process described in this paper could be helpful for diagnosing the musculoskeletal disorders risk factors and making improvement plans to the plastic product companies and the same business field with similar working conditions and process.

The goal of this study is to propose the effective method of investigating the injurious factors and making improved plans that prevents the workers against musculoskeletal disorders at an autoparts company and the same business field with similar working conditions and process. A questionnaire were adopted to analyze the symptoms of workers' musculoskeletal disorders, and an ergonomic assessment method such as RULA, OWAS were performed to find out harmful factors of workplace and working posture. Based on the result of the evaluation, to enhance the working environment, improvement of worktable, working space, tools, and outfit was suggested, and induction of mechanical system was also suggested. It can be concluded that the method and process described in this paper could be helpful for diagnosing the musculoskeletal disorders and making improvement plans to the autopart company and the same business field with similar working conditions and process.

This study was conducted to determine microbiological assessment on edible ices, which is one of mandatory items for HACCP application, and to provide basic scientific data for the improvement of HACCP system. In HACCP applied edible ice companies, the contamination levels of total counts, yeast and mold, and coliform from raw materials, mixed samples before sterilization, mixed samples after sterilization, and final products of edible ices were lower than those of non-HACCP applied edible ice companies. Foodborne pathogens, such as L. monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., B. cereus, S. aureus, Y. enterocoliticawere not detected in all samples of edible ices from HACCP applied edible ice companies, but S. aureus was isolated from 1 raw material, 1 mixed samples before sterilization and 1 final product of edible ices from non-HACCP applied edible ice companies, respectively.

The purpose of this study was to develop a checklist of risk factors for quantitative assessment of musculoskeletal complaints in shipbuilding workers. A key point was to develop comprehensive a checklist including the worker's physical ability, as ergonomic and workload factors. ln the first, through correlation analysis between musculoskeletal complaints and physical abilities in shipbuilding workers, risk factors related to physical abilities were selected. In the second, after the development of a checklist was composed of physical, ergonomic and workload factors, factor analysis was used to test the validity of the developed checklist. Each factors selected finally showed that physical factors were hand grip strength, spinal curvature, and flexibility (sit to reach), ergonomic factors were posture, total exposed time, duration, and force of working, and workload factors were physical and psychological workload perceived by worker. The results showed that musculoskeletal complaints was associated with physical abilities (p<.05). The developed checklist had a reliability of .761 (Cronbach=.761) and a validity and explanation of 54.9%. The criterion of management was classified in 4 stages by relative weights of each factor. It is suggested that active intervention is needed to reduce musculoskeletal complaints in workers with more than a 14.31 score.

The psychosocial stress and musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs) have been one of major health problems for hospital workers. This study tried to understand the relationship between symptoms associated with MSDs and risk factors such as working posture, job stress, psychosocial stress and fatigue. A total number of 655 hospital workers participated in this study. Specifically, REBA was applied for evaluating working posture and a checklist prepared by KOSHA(Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency) was used for symptom survey. A questionnaire from KOSHA was also used for collecting data associated with job stress, psychosocial stress and fatigue. All these data were formulated and modeled by path analysis which was one of major statistical tools in this study. Specifically, path analysis for the data we collected came up with several major findings. The risk scores from working posture based on REBA had indirect effects via fatigue factor(MFS) as well as direct effects on symptoms. The factors associated with job stress (KOSS) and psychosocial stress(PWI-SF) had significant effects on symptoms. Specifically, indirect effect of job stress factors via fatigue factors(MFS) had bigger than that of direct effect of job stress on symptom.

The psychosocial stress and musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs) have been one of major health problems for hospital workers. This study tried to understand the relationship between symptoms associated with MSDs and risk factors such as working posture, job stress, psychosocial stress and fatigue. A total number of 655 hospital workers participated in this study. Specifically, REBA was applied for evaluating working posture and a checklist prepared by KOSHA(Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency) was used for symptom survey. A questionnaire from KOSHA was also used for collecting data associated with job stress, psychosocial stress and fatigue. All these data were formulated and modeled by path analysis which was one of major statistical tools in this study. Specifically, path analysis for the data we collected came up with several major findings. The risk scores from working posture based on REBA had indirect effects via fatigue factor(MFS) as well as direct effects on symptoms. The factors associated with job stress(KOSS) and psychosocial stress(PWI-SF) had significant effects on symptoms. Specifically, indirect effect of job stress factors via fatigue factors(MFS) had bigger than that of direct effect of job stress on symptom.

This study aimed at evaluating current sanitation management performances in Korean-Food restaurants by their operation types and to develop sanitary training posters based on the risk factors, in an attempt to improve the level of sanitation management in Korean food service facilities. Eighteen Korean-food restaurants that are managed by franchisor, franchisees as well as self-managed with large-scale and small-scale restaurants in Seoul and Gyeonggi-Do, were evaluated by on-the-spot inspectors with an auditing tool consisting of three dimensions, nine categories and thirty four items. Data were analyzed using SPSS. The total score of each group showed that restaurants managed by franchisees ranked the highest (59 out of 100 points), while self-managed, small-scale restaurants ranked the lowest (44 out of 100 points). In the categorization of sanitation management compliance, the dimensions of food hygiene during production recorded the lowest compliance rate of 47.7% (22.89/48.0 points) followed by the dimension of environmental hygiene 59.3% (20.17/34.0 points) and personal hygiene 60.5% (10.89/18.0 points). This indicated the need for urgent improvement. The items which showed the lowest compliance rates were 'proper thawing of frozen foods' (0%), 'notifying and observing heating/reheating temperature' (6%), 'using of hand-washing facility and proper hand-washing' (33%), 'monitoring temperature of frozen-foods and cold-foods' (35%), and 'prevention of cross-contamination' (36%) among thirty four items. Self-managed, small-scale restaurants, in particular, needed to improve sanitary practices such as 'sanitation education for employee', 'verifying the employee health inspection reports', 'storing food on the shelves 15 cm distance away from the wall', 'suitability of ventilation capacity of hoods' and 'cleanliness of drainage'. On the basis of the findings of this study, we developed sanitary training posters, especially for small-scale restaurant operators. This could be an effective tool to educate food service employees on sanitary knowledge and principles and could be used to improve the existing sanitary conditions in Korean food service facilities.

To provide the research strategy for protection of children’s health from hazardous chemical, we reviewed the hazardous chemicals can be exposed through maternity, children's life style and living environment. Recently, diseases related with children’s living condition were focused as asthma, atopy, childhood developmental disability, congenital malformations and obesity. Children can be exposed to hazardous chemicals through an ambient air, water, soil, food, toys and other factors such as floor dust. Also children’s health was deeply related with a wrong life style and neglectful caring by a lack of knowledge and information of harmful ones at parents and child care center’s nursers. According to the previous study, the chemical risk factor of children’s health were identified as inorganic arsenic, bisphenol A, 2,4-D, dichlorvos, methylmercury, PCBs, pesticide, phthalates, PFOA/PFOS, vinyl chloride, et al. Domestic studies for identification of causality between children exposure to chemicals and resulted hazardous effects were not implemented. The confirmation of chemical risk factors through simultaneously performing toxicological analysis, human effect study, environmental/human monitoring, and risk assessment is needed for good risk management. And also, inter-agency collaboration and sharing information can support confirming scientific evidence and good decision making.

The purpose of this preliminary study was to develop a measurement for assessing risk factors for falling in community-dwelling elderly persons. Rasch analysis and principal component analysis were performed to examine whether items on the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC), assessing self-efficacy, and items on the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), assessing balance function, contribute jointly to a unidimensional construct in the elderly. A total of 35 elderly persons (4 men, 31 women) participated. In this study, each item of ABC (16 items) and BBS (14 items) was scored on a 5-point ordinal rating scale from 0 to 4. The initial Rasch and principal component analysis indicated that 3 of the ABC items and 2 of the BBS items were misfit for this study. These 5 items were excluded from further study. After combining ABC and BBS, Rasch and principal component analyses were examined and finally 23 items selected; 12 items from ABC, 11 items from BBS. The 23 combined ABC-BBC items were arranged in order of difficulty. The hardest item was 'walk outside on icy sidewalks' and the easiest item was 'pivot transfer'. Although structural calibration of each 5 rating scale categories was not ordered, the other three essential criteria of Linacre's optimal rating scale were satisfied. Overall, the ABC-BBS showed sound item psychometric properties. Each of the 5 rating scale categories appeared to distinctly identify subjects at different ability levels. The findings of this study support that the new ABC-BBS scale measure balance function and self-efficacy. It will be a clinically useful assessment of risk factors for falling in the elderly. However, the number of subjects was too small to generalize our results. Further study is needed to develop a new assessment considering more risk factors of falling in elderly.

The goal of this study is to propose the effective method of investigating the injurious factors and making improved plans that prevents the workers against musculoskeletal disorders at an autopart company and the same business field with similar working conditions and process. A questionnaire were adopted to analyze the symptoms of workers' musculoskeletal disorders, and an ergonomic assessment method such as QEC, RULA, S.I were performed to find out harmful factors of workplace and working posture. Based on the result of the evaluation, to enhance the working environment, improvement of worktable, working space, tools, and outfit was suggested, and induction of mechanical system was also suggested. It can be concluded that the method and process described in this paper could be helpful for diagnosing the musculoskeletal disorders and making improvement plans to the autopart company and the same business field with similar working conditions and process.

The goal of this study is to propose the effective way of finding injurious factors and making improved plan that prevents the workers against musculoskeletal disorders at a semi-finished medical product fabricating company A questionnaire and an ergonomic assessment method were adopted to analyze the symptoms of workers' musculoskeletal disorders, and an analysis of working postures and a quantitative assessment on various processes were performed to find out harmful factors of workplace. Based on the result of the evaluation, to enhance the working environment, improvement of worktable, working space, tools, and outfit was suggested, and induction of mechanical system was also suggested. It can be concluded that the method and process described in this paper could be helpful for diagnosing the musculoskeletal disorders and making improvement plans to the company with similar working conditions and process.

Falling is a serious problem associated with aging. Unintentional injury, which most often results from falling, is one of the leading causes of death in elderly people. The purpose of this study is to investigate the risk factors of falls and to compare characteristics of people who fall with that of non-fallers among the rural community-dwelling elderly of Korea. A sample of 201 people, living in the community, aged 60 years and over was taken from the members of a center for seniors located in Jecheon city. The mean age of the participants was 70.5 years of age. The participants are comprised of 151 women and 50 men. Eighty four of the 201 participants (41.8%) fell during the previous year. Twenty two of the fallers (26.2%) fell down more than two times. It was found that fallers had poorer eyesight, multiple chronic diseases and a more difficult time walking than non-fallers. In the logistic regression analysis of falls, only the difficulty of walking one kilometer (OR=2.4) and chronic diseases (OR=2.5) have shown an increased risk of falls. The risk of recurrent falls is, in addition, influenced by the difficulty of walking one kilometer. The result of our study shows that the impairment of mobility was the strongest risk factor of recurrent falling.

본 연구는 지형공간정보체계 기반에서 리스크 요인의 변동을 고려한 의사결정을 적용하여 정량적 평가를 수행할 수 있는 기법을 연구한 결과, 다음과 같은 결론을 얻을 수 있었다. 첫째, 리스크 요인의 변동을 고려한 의사결정을 통하여, 기존의 노선에 대한 평가를 정량적인 값으로 산출 할 수 있었으며, 이를 신설될 노선에 대하여 적용하면 도로 계획 및 기본 설계시에 객관적이고 신뢰성 있는 설계를 할 수 있을 것으로 판단된다. 둘째, 리스크 요인의 변동을 고려한 평면선형과 종단선형을 지형공간정보체계 기반에서 쉽게 추출할 수 있었으며, 도로의 계획에서 의사결정에 의한 신속한 3차원 선형 계획 및 분석이 가능하다. 셋째, 본 연구에서 구축된 정량적 평가 시스템을 이용하면 노선선정이 자동화됨으로서, 비교적 많은 비교안을 짧은 시간 내에 리스크 분석을 할 수 있으므로, 도로설계기술발전에 기여 할 수 있다고 판단된다.

현재 우리나라는 고령화 사회에 속하며 향후 고령 사회 진입과 가족 단위의 변화로 인해 노인의 건강하고 독립적인 생활의 중요성이 더욱 증가하고 있다. 낙상은 노인의 조기사망, 신체적 손상, 움직임 감소(immobilization), 정신적 위축, 활동 참여 제한, 장기간의 장애 등을 유발하는 심각한 문제이다. 따라서 낙상의 예방은 노인 개인의 건강 유지와 독립적 활동을 통한 삶의 질 증진뿐 아니라 노인 낙상과 관련된 사회적 부양 및 비용을 감소시키는데 주요한 역할을 한다. 이에 본 연구의 목적은 이러한 낙상과 관련된 위험 요인과 이를 최소화하기위한 작업치료 방법을 검토하고자 한다. 낙상 위험 요인은 내적 요인과 외적 요인으로 구분된다. 연령 증가, 낙상 경험, 균형 손상, 근력 약화, 느린 보행 속도 등이 내적 요인에 포함된다. 이밖에도 연령과 관련된 생리적 변화와 다양한 신체 체계의 만성 질환이 낙상과 연관된다. 작업치료사는 낙상에 대한 외적 요인에 대한 접근으로서 건축적 장애를 해결하는 주거 환경 조절(modification)을 실시한다. 또한 노인은 근력 강화 운동, 유연성 훈련, 유산소 운동, 걷기 운동 등의 다양한 형태의 운동을 통해 근력과 균형 및 보행 속도를 증가시키는 낙상 방지 효과를 얻을 수 있다. 이밖에도 다양한 보조 기구 및 보호 장비를 활용하며 정서 및 인지 행동적 접근을 통해 낙상을 예방한다. 이처럼 낙상은 다양한 내적 및 외적 위험 요인에 영향을 받아 발생하므로 노인 낙상에 대한 예방은 포괄적인 접근이 필요하다. 또한 노인들의 건강과 독립적인 생활 유지 그리고 노인의 삶의 질 향상을 위해 각 노인의 개별적 낙상 위험 요인을 평가하고 이에 맞는 실질적 예방 관리를 실시하여야 한다.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine prevalence and related factors of musculoskeletal symptoms in electronics assembly line workers. Method: A questionnaire survey was performed on 350 workers in In-chon city. The questionnaire consisted of questions on the general characteristics, work duration, working hours, hobby activity hours, housekeeping activity hours and standardized descriptions of NOISH on musculoskeletal symptoms. Result: Complaint rates of musculoskeletal symptoms by anatomical site were as follows: shoulder, 67% : neck, 40.4% : waist, 28.7% : wrist and hand, 27.1% : foot and leg, 14.4% : arm and elbow, 11.2%. Significantly higher prevalence of shoulder musculoskeletal symptom was found women than men, married than unmarried, less than 1hours housekeeping activity than over 1hours housekeeping activity. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified gender, marital status and housekeeping activity as the main affecting factors for shoulder musculoskeletal symptoms. Conclusions: The most prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms was shoulder site. It was higher in married women and over 1hours housekeeping activity in a day. It is recommended that married women should be reduce housekeeping activity time.

The purpose of this study is to compare the correlation of clinical characteristics and patterns of disease. Subjects of the study were the adults(207) living in Geoje City, the diabetes mellitus and the hypertension patients(166) and the normal people(41). In the diabetes mellitus group and the hypertension group, blood pressure, blood glucose, total cholestero LDL-cholesterol and atherogenic index(AI) were significantly high. As the obesity index was getting higher, the blood pressure of the diabetes mellitus group was high, and the HDL-cholesterol of the hypertension group was low, but AI of it was significantly high. The AI was significantly high as serum lipid index were getting higher in both groups. The rate of the prevalence was very high in the diabetes mellitus group(74.3%) and the hypertension group(73.7%). The pattern in the diabetes mellitus group was in order of the hypertension, the hyperlipidemia, and the obesity but, in the hypertension group was the hyperlipidemia, and the obesity. The obesity index and serum lipid index of complex patient group were higher than single patient group.

The purposes of this study were to investigate risk factors of low back pain in civil airmen and to use this information as basis for the back rehabilitation. Subjects of this study were randomly selected 276 civil airmen who had been employed at four airports in Seoul. These data were analyzed by test, t-test, ANOVA, and multiple logistic regression using SAS. The results were as follows: 1) The prevalence of low back pain among 276 civil airmen was 64.9%. 2) The most common cause of low back pain was load lifting (stewardess), long sitting (aircrew A), and long sitting plus training (aircrew B). 3) There were no statistically significant associations among age, height, body weight, and low back pain. 4) No statistically significant relationships were found among the average monthly working time, total working time, average monthly rest time, working year and low back pain. 5) There was statistically significant relation ship between abnormal posture and low back pain (p<.01). 6) There was statistically significant relation ship between fatigue and low back pain among stewardess and aircrew B. 7) There was a statistically significant relationship between job satisfaction and job-related stress (p<.05). 8) In stewardess, higher satisfaction score was associated with less likelihood of low back pain (odds ratio = .80). The results of this study indicate that civil airmen developed chronicity of low back pain due to unfit seat, poor habitual posture, fatigue symptom, and stress or other risk factors. Therefore, there is a need to improve the working environment for the prevention of posture-related low back pain.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between components of population, maternal health, need for health care, maternal lifestyle and environment from a conceptual model for cerebral palsy, and the occurrence of cerebral palsy with spastic quadriplegic. This study was a case-control design. The subjects consisted of 53 children with quadriplegic cerebral palsy as a case who were receiving treatment after a diagnosis for cerebral palsy at 3 university hospitals and 3 rehabilitation facilities, and 186 children as a control who were visiting well baby clinics and pediatric departments after screening at the same hospitals in Seoul. The data were collected by a structured questionnaire survey from October, 1998 to February, 1999. The odds ratios of risk factor was produced by χ2 and simple logistic analysiss. The unconditional logistic analysis was done by modeling the data, after adjusting for gestational age. Statistically associated with an increase the risks for spastic quadriplegia were asphyxia(OR=221.89, 95% CI 15.8-999.0) and maternal history of admission during the pregnancy (OR=10.55, 95% CI 2.2-50.4). The result suggested that the improvement of obstetric and neonatal care is necessary to prevent cerebral palsy with spastic quadriplegia.