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OBJECTIVE: This study investigates anxiety risk and work-related factors among platform workers. The recent growth in the platform industry is a worldwide trend, with delivery workers in Korea representing typical platform workers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey to assess anxiety risk among 532 delivery workers compared to general employees. It identified associations between work-related factors and anxiety, including job demands and autonomy, legal protection, and emotional labor. RESULTS: Delivery workers exhibited significantly higher anxiety (odds ratio [OR] = 1.67 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.23-2.28) and work-related anxiety (OR = 2.17 95% CI = 1.48-3.18) risk than the general workforce, and a significantly higher risk of having unfavorable work environment factors. Their anxiety risk was significantly associated with work-related factors, such as long shifts, quick return, time pressure, job stress, absence of union, work-family conflict, and emotional labor. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified high levels of anxiety among Korean delivery workers and associated occupational factors. It highlights the importance for industry and government interventions to enhance mental health support, mitigate poor employment conditions, and ensure legal safeguards.
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INTRODUCTION: The concept of ideal preparations in dental schools are highly emphasized during the first two years of students' learning. However, students do not have as much opportunity to practice skills that would prepare them for real-life stituations such as non-ideal preparations and caries removal. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the benefits of utilizing carious typodont teeth in the Operative curriculum for first- and second-year UCSF dental students METHODS: This study was completed by hosting a workshop in which the students performed a Class II preparation on #19 carious typodont tooth. The students filled out pre- and post-surveys with questions about their confidence with performing a preparation and their opinions on the current curriculum. RESULTS: The pre-survey responses showed that the majority of the first- and second-year students did not believe that the traditional non-carious typodont teeth were a good representation of prepping on real, carious teeth. The pre-survey responses also showed that most of the first- and second-year students thought that the addition of carious typodont teeth would improve their learning experience. The post-survey results displayed that the majority of the students thought that prepping carious typodont teeth helped to better reinforce concepts such as preparation design, taught them the difference between ideal and non-ideal preparations, and allowed them to better understand tooth anatomy with the addition of the dentin layer. CONCLUSION: The use of the carious typodont teeth in pre-clinical operative lab was found to be beneficial to first- and second-year UCSF student's learning based on the pre- and post-survey results.
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Caries Dental , Diente , Humanos , Caries Dental/cirugía , Aprendizaje , EstudiantesRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Noise is defined as unwanted sound. It may induce negative emotions and mental health problems and may even lead to increased suicide risk. However, the impact of noise exposure on environmental diseases and disease severity is not well understood. This study aimed to elucidate the association between night-time noise exposure and the prevalence of environmental diseases in South Korea. METHODS: We conducted an analysis of the Environmental Disease Database provide by the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) from 2013 to 2017. After spatially interpolating the noise data provided by the National Noise Information System (NNIS), night-time noise values in the district level were obtained by calculating the mean noise values at the administrative district level. The linear regression analyses were performed to test the association between the age-standardized prevalence ratio (SPR) and the night-time noise exposure in the district level. RESULTS: In areas with high night-time noise exposure (≥55 dB), the SPR for atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis were 1.0515 (95 % confidence interval [CI]:1.0508-1.0521) and 1.0202 (95 % CI:1.0201-1.0204), respectively, which were higher than those in the general population. The SPR for environmental diseases, including atopic dermatitis, asthma, and allergic rhinitis, was 1.0104 (95 % CI:1.0103-1.0105). Additionally, a significant linear association was observed between the level of nocturnal noise exposure and the total hospitalization period for atopic dermatitis (ß = 399.3, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: We provide evidence of a significant association between night-time environmental noise and environmental diseases, particularly atopic dermatitis and allergic rhinitis. Furthermore, we observed a significant linear association between night-time noise exposure and the severity of atopic dermatitis.
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Asma , Dermatitis Atópica , Rinitis Alérgica , Humanos , Dermatitis Atópica/epidemiología , Dermatitis Atópica/etiología , Factores de Riesgo , Asma/epidemiología , Asma/etiología , Rinitis Alérgica/epidemiología , Rinitis Alérgica/etiología , Susceptibilidad a EnfermedadesRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Long shifts and short rest periods (SRP) between shifts are important factors that greatly affect shift workers' health. However, reports on the psychological effects of shift work, such as depression, have been inconsistent. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the combined effect of long shifts and SRP on depression in shift workers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 3295 shift workers in the sixth Korean Working Conditions Survey. The relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) was computed to estimate the combined effect of long shifts and SRP on depression. RESULTS: Depression in shift workers was not significantly associated with long shifts or SRP after adjustment, but the risk was significantly increased when exposed to both factors simultaneously (odds ratio 1.36, 95% confidence interval 1.03-1.79). The RERI between the two factors was statistically significant (p = 0.020), indicating a synergistic interaction with depression. Sensitivity analysis by occupation showed a significant interaction in the combined group of office and service workers (p = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous exposure to SRP and long shifts should be avoided when planning shift work schedules or devising health policies for shift workers. Special consideration is needed for healthcare and service workers, who may be particularly vulnerable to negative health impacts due to shift work.
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OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the association between workplace violence and sickness absenteeism. METHODS: We analyzed the data from the fifth and sixth waves of the Korean Working Conditions Surveys. Individuals younger than 18 years and self-employed or unpaid family workers were excluded. Descriptive statistics, χ 2 tests, and multiple logistic regression analysis were conducted. RESULTS: After adjusting for sociodemographic, occupational, and job-related characteristics, we found that the workers who had experienced workplace violence had higher rates of sickness absenteeism, especially when the perpetrator of violence was a coworker. CONCLUSIONS: Daily contact with the perpetrator at the workplace can cause distress and recollection of painful memories; thus, the aftermath of being harassed inside the workplace can be even more devastating than the event itself. A sensitive approach to recognizing the perpetrators of violence is needed.
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Violencia Laboral , Humanos , Absentismo , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Lugar de Trabajo , Condiciones de TrabajoRESUMEN
Background: The rise in telecommuting or non-face-to-face work owing to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has fueled conversations regarding the "right to disconnect." Although evidence suggests that receiving work-related communications through telecommunication devices outside of work hours may lead to various symptoms and illnesses, limited research has been undertaken on these symptoms. This study therefore aims to investigate the correlation between receiving work communications through telecommunication devices after work hours and the occurrence of work-related headaches and eyestrain in full-time, non-shift white-collar workers. Methods: This study used data from the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey. The frequency of using telecommunication devices for work purposes outside of working hours was divided into five categories: "Every day," "Several times a week," "Several times a month," "Rarely," and "Never." Work-related headaches and eyestrain were categorized based on a "yes" or "no" response to the survey questions. Descriptive statistics, χ2 tests, and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS 27.0. Results: After adjusting for sex, age, income level, education, occupation, workplace size, work hours, and sleep disorders, the odds ratio (OR) of work-related headaches and eyestrain based on frequency of telecommunication device usage were as follows: "rarely" (OR: 1.292; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.111-1.503), "several times a month" (OR: 1.551; 95% CI: 1.249-1.926), "several times a week" (OR: 1.474; 95% CI: 1.217-1.784), and "every day" (OR: 1.548; 95% CI: 1.321-1.813). Conclusions: Employees who use telecommunication devices for work after regular hours are more susceptible to experiencing work-related headaches and eyestrain compared to those who do not. However, there is a dearth of research examining the physical and mental health impacts of using telecommunication devices for after-hours work. Furthermore, the existing preventative measures in Korea are insufficient. Consequently, it is imperative to develop effective measures and conduct additional research to address this issue.
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Background: Work is an inseparable element of a person's life, and violence in the workplace has various effects on individual workers and companies. While most studies have focused on specific industries, very few studies have investigated the influence of workplace violence by co-workers. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the association between workplace violence and work-related depression/anxiety in various occupations by differentiating the perpetrators of violence as co-workers and clients. Methods: This study was conducted based on data from the 4th and 5th Korean Working Conditions Surveys (KWCS). The experience of workplace violence was classified in terms of the perpetrator: workplace violence by co-workers and that by clients. Work-related depression and anxiety were assessed using questions about health problems related to depression and anxiety and whether the problems were related to work. Descriptive statistics, χ2 tests, and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed using the SPSS 26.0. Results: After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics (age, education, income, subjective health status) and occupational characteristics (occupation, weekly working hours, type of employment, size of workplace, and shift work), male workers with experience of workplace violence by co-workers were found to be at a higher risk of work-related depression/anxiety (odds ratio [OR], 11.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 8.65-15.36). The same was confirmed for female workers (OR, 10.89; 95% CI, 7.90-15.02). Conclusions: Employees who experienced workplace violence from co-workers were found to be more vulnerable to work-related depression/anxiety. Continuous contact between the victim and the perpetrator may occur, and the possibility of a secondary assault can frighten the victim. Appropriate prevention and intervention measures that focus on the perpetrators of violence are needed.
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This study aims to explore how precarious employment among young age groups affects alcohol-use disorders. Using samples from Youth Panel 2007, a longitudinal and annual follow-up survey, the association between alcohol-use disorder assessed with CAGE and the accumulated years of precarious employment was assessed with logistic regression analysis. During the 4-year follow-up period, precarious employment for 2-4 years (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.02-4.24) showed a significantly increased risk of alcohol-use disorder compared with the full-time permanent sustained group. Among young male adults, precarious employment for 2-4 years (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.07-6.14) also showed a significantly increased risk of alcohol-use disorder, while it was not significant in women (OR 1.51, 95% CI 0.43-5.31). Although the prevalence of alcohol-use disorders was highest in groups with precarious employment for 2-4 years among female young adults, no significant association between alcohol-use disorders and precarious employment was found. This study suggests that the longer the precarious employment, the higher the risk of alcohol-dependence disorder, and showed that the tendency was stronger in males. In addition, because people engaged in precarious employment are vulnerable to alcohol-use disorders, policy programs focusing on them are needed.
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Alcoholismo , Adolescente , Alcoholismo/epidemiología , Empleo , Femenino , Estudios de Seguimiento , Humanos , Masculino , República de Corea/epidemiología , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Morphogenic adaptation of young seedlings to light environments is a critical developmental process that ensures plant survival and propagation, as they emerge from the soil. Photomorphogenic responses are facilitated by a network of light and growth hormonal signals, such as auxin and gibberellic acid (GA). Karrikins (KARs), a group of butenolide compounds produced from burning plant materials in wildfires, are known to stimulate seed germination in fire-prone plant species. Notably, recent studies support that they also regulate seedling growth, while underlying molecular mechanisms have been unexplored yet. Here, we demonstrate that SUPPRESSOR OF MAX2 1 (SMAX1), a negative regulator of KAR signaling, integrates light and KAR signals into GA-DELLA pathways that regulate hypocotyl growth during seedling establishment. We found that SMAX1 facilitates degradation of DELLA proteins in the hypocotyls. Interestingly, light induces the accumulation of SMAX1 proteins, and SMAX1-mediated degradation of DELLA is elevated in seedling establishment during the dark-to-light transition. Our observations indicate that SMAX1-mediated integration of light and KAR signals into GA pathways elaborately modulates seedling establishment.
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Proteínas de Arabidopsis , Arabidopsis , Arabidopsis/metabolismo , Proteínas de Arabidopsis/metabolismo , Furanos , Regulación de la Expresión Génica de las Plantas , Germinación/fisiología , Giberelinas , Hipocótilo/metabolismo , Péptidos y Proteínas de Señalización Intracelular/metabolismo , Piranos , Plantones/metabolismoRESUMEN
Recent findings have suggested that not all physical activity (PA) types improve health and that the health effects of occupational PA (OPA) and leisure-time PA (LTPA) can be different. However, few studies have been reported the association of OPA and LTPA with self-rated health (SRH). Therefore, we aimed to examine the association between different PA domains and general health and the impact of LTPA on the relationship between health and OPA. In total, 33440 adults from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2014-2019 were analyzed in September 2021. SRH was dichotomized into "poor" and "good." Sedentary behavior (SB) was evaluated by measuring the daily sitting time. Multiple logistic regression was used to investigate the relationship of SRH with OPA, LTPA, and SB, stratified by LTPA to identify its impact on the relationship. In the fully adjusted model, OPA was found to increase the risk of poor SRH, while LTPA was found to lower the risk. In those who did not engage in LTPA, OPA and poor SRH were significantly associated. Poor SRH was not significantly associated with OPA in those who engaged in LTPA. SB was also associated with poor SRH, independent of LTPA. To improve health, it is important to promote LTPA and reduce OPA and SB. In particular, for workers with a higher level of OPA, additional LTPA should be introduced to prevent SRH from worsening.
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Ejercicio Físico , Actividades Recreativas , Adulto , Humanos , Encuestas Nutricionales , República de Corea , Conducta SedentariaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between organizational justice (OJ) and health-related productivity loss (HRPL) among Korean employees. METHODS: From January 6, 2020 to February 18, 2020, data were collected using a web-based questionnaire. This study measured HRPL using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire: General Health version. Procedural and interactional justice were measured using the Korean organizational justice questionnaire. Generalized linear models were used for estimating productivity loss based on tertiles of OJ levels, while the productivity loss of employees in low OJ categories was used as a reference group. RESULTS: The nonparametric associations between the OJ levels and the overall HRPL level were observed. High levels of OJ significantly reduced HRPL. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the hypothesis that high OJ is associated with improved labor productivity.
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Justicia Social , Rendimiento Laboral , Eficiencia , Humanos , Cultura Organizacional , República de Corea , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
Leaf senescence is an active developmental process that is tightly regulated through extensive transcriptional and metabolic reprogramming events, which underlie controlled degradation and relocation of nutrients from aged or metabolically inactive leaves to young organs. The onset of leaf senescence is coordinately modulated by intrinsic aging programs and environmental conditions, such as prolonged darkness and temperature extremes. Seedlings growing under light deprivation, as often experienced in severe shading or night darkening, exhibit an accelerated senescing process, which is mediated by a complex signaling network that includes sugar starvation responses and light signaling events via the phytochrome B (phyB)-PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTOR (PIF) signaling routes. Notably, recent studies indicate that nonstressful ambient temperatures profoundly influence the onset and progression of leaf senescence in darkness, presumably mediated by the phyB-PIF4 signaling pathways. However, it is not fully understood how temperature signals regulate leaf senescence at the molecular level. Here, we demonstrated that low ambient temperatures repress the nuclear export of phyB and the nuclear phyB suppresses the transcriptional activation activity of ethylene signaling mediator ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE3 (EIN3), thus delaying leaf senescence. Accordingly, leaf senescence was insensitive to low ambient temperatures in transgenic plants overexpressing a constitutively nuclear phyB form, as observed in ein3 eil1 mutants. In contrast, leaf senescence was significantly promoted in phyB-deficient mutants under identical temperature conditions. Our data indicate that phyB coordinately integrates light and temperature cues into the EIN3-mediated ethylene signaling pathway that regulates leaf senescence under light deprivation, which would enhance plant fitness under fluctuating natural environments.
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Proteínas de Arabidopsis , Arabidopsis , Fitocromo , Arabidopsis/metabolismo , Proteínas de Arabidopsis/metabolismo , Señales (Psicología) , Etilenos/metabolismo , Regulación de la Expresión Génica de las Plantas , Luz , Fitocromo/metabolismo , Fitocromo B/metabolismo , Senescencia de la Planta , TemperaturaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: In today's work scenario, the number of shift workers, including those in night shifts, is increasing. Shift work can adversely affect workers' health in the long run, but studies on the relationship between shift work and depression have shown inconsistent results. This study aimed to determine whether the number of night/shift workers at risk of depression, as predicted by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), is higher than that of day workers. METHODS: This study was conducted based on data from the 6th and 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2014, 2016, and 2018. Work schedules were classified into 2 types: day work and night/shift work. This study used the PHQ-9, a self-reported depression screening test, to identify workers at risk of depression. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0, and descriptive statistics, χ2 test, and logistic regression analysis were employed. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, educational level, working hours per week, and income, men engaging in night/shift work were at a higher risk of depression (odds ratio [OR]: 1.407, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.937-2.113). The same was confirmed for women (OR: 1.564, 95% CI: 1.176-2.081). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that the OR for those engaged in night/shift work with a PHQ-9 score of 10 or more increased. Considering the large volume of psychiatric history and symptoms in Korea, additional research is needed. Additionally, further discussion on ways to provide realistic help to night/shift workers is warranted.
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Heat stress adversely affects an array of molecular and cellular events in plant cells, such as denaturation of protein and lipid molecules and malformation of cellular membranes and cytoskeleton networks. Genome organization and DNA integrity are also disturbed under heat stress, and accordingly, plants have evolved sophisticated adaptive mechanisms that either protect their genomes from deleterious heat-induced damages or stimulate genome restoration responses. In particular, it is emerging that DNA damage responses are a critical defense process that underlies the acquirement of thermotolerance in plants, during which molecular players constituting the DNA repair machinery are rapidly activated. In recent years, thermotolerance genes that mediate the maintenance of genome integrity or trigger DNA repair responses have been functionally characterized in various plant species. Furthermore, accumulating evidence supports that genome integrity is safeguarded through multiple layers of thermoinduced protection routes in plant cells, including transcriptome adjustment, orchestration of RNA metabolism, protein homeostasis, and chromatin reorganization. In this review, we summarize topical progresses and research trends in understanding how plants cope with heat stress to secure genome intactness. We focus on molecular regulatory mechanisms by which plant genomes are secured against the DNA-damaging effects of heat stress and DNA damages are effectively repaired. We will also explore the practical interface between heat stress response and securing genome integrity in view of developing biotechnological ways of improving thermotolerance in crop species under global climate changes, a worldwide ecological concern in agriculture.
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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the types of chronic diseases and self-reported work disability. METHODS: We used data from the Korean Labor and Income Panel Study from waves 6 to 21 conducted from 2003 to 2018. New cases of work disability were defined as those who reported that they had work limitations due to their health problems. Information on chronic disease was collected using a questionnaire during the sixth wave of the survey. To evaluate the effects of chronic disease on self-reporting work disability, Cox proportional hazard models were used. RESULTS: The three most influential diseases on work disability were ophthalmologic diseases, chronic kidney diseases, and cardiovascular diseases during the 15-year follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Work disability is strongly and significantly associated with the aforementioned chronic diseases.
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Personas con Discapacidad , Enfermedad Crónica , Humanos , Renta , República de Corea/epidemiología , AutoinformeRESUMEN
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.
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Dolor Musculoesquelético , Estudios Transversales , Empleo , Humanos , Incidencia , Dolor Musculoesquelético/epidemiología , Dolor Musculoesquelético/etiología , República de Corea/epidemiología , Salarios y BeneficiosRESUMEN
Light acts as a vital external cue that conveys surrounding information into plant growth and performance to facilitate plants to coordinate with changing environmental conditions. Upon exposure to light illumination, plants trigger a burst of molecular and physiological signaling cascades that induces not only photomorphogenic responses but also diverse adaptive behaviors. Notably, light responses and photomorphogenic traits are often associated with plant responses to other environmental cues, such as heat, cold, drought, and herbivore and pathogen attack. Growing evidence in recent years demonstrate that the red/far-red light-absorbing phytochrome (phy) photoreceptors, in particular phyB, play an essential role in plant adaptation responses to abiotic and biotic tensions by serving as a key mediator of information flow. It is also remarkable that phyB mediates the plant priming responses to numerous environmental challenges. In this minireview, we highlight recent advances on the multifaceted role of phyB during plant environmental adaptation. We also discuss the biological relevance and efficiency of the phy-mediated adaptive behaviors in potentially reducing fitness costs under unfavorable environments.
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Among the factors causing workers' anxiety, job-related factors are important since they can be managed. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the association between work-related anxiety and job-related factors among Korean wageworkers using data from the Fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey. Participants were 13,600 Korean wageworkers aged <65 years. We analyzed the association between job-related factors and work-related anxiety, and the moderating effect of decision-making authority. "Meeting precise quality standards," "Solving unforeseen problems on your own," "Complex tasks," "Learning new things," "Working at very high speed," and "Working to tight deadlines" were positively associated with work-related anxiety. "Monotonous tasks" was negatively associated with work-related anxiety. The odds ratio (OR) of "Complex tasks" was higher in the group that had insufficient decision-making authority (OR 3.92, 95% confidential interval (CI) 2.40-6.42) compared to that with sufficient decision-making authority (OR 2.74, 95% CI 1.61-4.67). The risk of work-related anxiety was higher when the workers experienced time pressure, carried out tasks with high mental and physical demands, and dealt with unpredictable situations. This association was more pronounced when decision-making authority was insufficient.
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Trastornos de Ansiedad , Ansiedad , Estudios Transversales , Humanos , República de Corea , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The socioeconomic burden of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) is significant, and kitchen work is a high-risk occupation for MSDs due to the intensive manual workload and repetitive movements that are involved. However, there are very few studies on MSDs and rest breaks as a workplace intervention among kitchen workers. This study examined the relationship between insufficient rest breaks and increased MSD risk among Korean kitchen workers. METHODS: Sociodemographic and occupational factors of 1,909 kitchen workers were collected from the 3rd-4th Korean Working Conditions Survey data. Five items on rest breaks at work were categorized into two groups, "sufficient" and "insufficient." The number of MSDs and work-related MSDs (WMSDs), an outcome variable, was obtained from the sum of MSDs/WMSDs in three anatomical sites (back, neck, and upper limb, lower limb). The association between rest breaks and MSDs was estimated using zero-inflated negative binomial analyses, with adjustments for age, education level, and weekly working hours, and the analyses were stratified by sex. RESULTS: After adjustment, significant associations were found between insufficient rest breaks and an increased risk of MSDs (odds ratio [OR] 1.68 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-2.54) and WMSDs (OR 1.40 95% CI 1.01-1.96) among female kitchen workers. Insufficient rest breaks were significantly associated with MSDs in female kitchen workers in all three anatomical sites. CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the need for rest breaks as a workplace intervention for preventing MSDs in kitchen workers. Further studies to reveal the causality of this relationship are required.
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Previous studies have highlighted the potential health effects of phthalate exposure, such as atopic dermatitis and asthma. However, evidence supporting the association between phthalate exposure and atopic dermatitis is limited and based on data collected from Western populations. This study aimed to analyze the association between phthalate exposure and atopic dermatitis in Korean adolescents aged 12-17 years using a nationally representative dataset. We conducted a cross-sectional study using a publicly available dataset from the third Korean National Environmental Health Survey (n = 797). We divided the study participants into four quartiles according to urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations. The odds ratio of having atopic dermatitis was calculated using the first quartile as the reference group in binary logistic regression. We found that in the logistic regression model, both the urinary Mono-(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (MECCP; OR: 1.81; CI: 1.01-3.25) and Mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP; OR: 1.81; CI: 1.01-3.25) concentrations in the highest quartile were positively associated with atopic dermatitis. The atopic dermatitis group had a significantly higher mean urinary MECCP and MBzP concentration. In the future, longitudinal studies involving repeated measurements are warranted to analyze the long-term effects of phthalate.