Tae-Won Jang

Long Work Hours and Obesity in Korean Adult Workers

Long Work Hours and Obesity in Korean Adult Workers: Tae‐Won JANG, et al. Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Korea—

Association between Blood Cadmium Levels and 10-Year Coronary Heart Disease Risk in the General Korean Population: The Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008–2010

Background Non-occupational heavy metals are considered risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD). Several recent epidemiologic studies have evaluated the relationship between non-occupational cadmium exposure and risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study was designed to investigate the relationship between non-occupational cadmium exposure and risk factors for CHD using the Framingham estimate of 10 year CHD risk. Methods The heavy metal dataset of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 2008 through 2010, a cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of 4,668 non-institutionalized Koreans, was analyzed. Subjects were stratified into seven age groups to minimize the effects of age. The log-transformed blood cadmium concentrations were compared with the Framingham estimate of 10 year CHD risk in each age stratum. Results The Framingham estimate of 10 year CHD risk was significantly associated with the log-transformed blood cadmium concentrations (p<0.05) in all age groups of Korean men, with the lowest regression coefficient (0.254) for men aged 20 to <35 years and the highest (3.354) for men aged 55 to <60 years; similar results, however, were not observed in Korean women. After adjusting for survey year, age, and urinary cotinine concentration, the log-transformed blood cadmium levels among men aged 20 to <35, 40 to <45, 50 to <55, and 60 to <65 years were significantly associated with systolic blood pressure (p<0.05), but not with total and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentrations. Conclusions Cadmium exposure, even at non-occupational levels, may be associated with CHD risk in men. Despite the declines in non-occupational cadmium exposure over the past several decades, more efforts are needed.

Smoking Rate Trends in Korean Occupational Groups: Analysis of KNHANES 1998–2009 Data

Smoking Rate Trends in Korean Occupational Groups: Analysis of KNHANES 1998–2009 Data: Tae‐Won JANG, et al. Department of Preventive Medicine and Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Korea—

Overwork and cerebrocardiovascular disease in Korean adult workers

Overwork and cerebrocardiovascular disease in Korean adult workers: Tae‐Won JANG, et al. Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Republic of Korea—

Heavy smoking rate trends and related factors in Korean occupational groups: analysis of KNHANES 2007-2012 data

Objectives The present study was designed to investigate the smoking and heavy smoking trends and identify possible related factors among Korean male workers from 2007 to 2012 by occupational groups. Methods The data were derived from the fourth (2007–2009) and fifth (2010–2012) waves of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Occupational groups were categorised into three groups, which were non-manual, manual and service and sales groups. Age-adjusted prevalence rates of smoking and heavy smoking (>20 cigarettes/day) in men aged 25–64 years were calculated. Factors associated with heavy smoking were investigated using logistic regression analyses. Results Smoking rate in manual workers decreased gradually over time (p for trend <0.0001). Smoking rate was higher in manual than non-manual workers, but the difference reduced over time (p for trend <0.0001). Heavy smoking rate decreased from 2007 to 2012 (p for trend <0.0001). Heavy smoking rate was higher in manual than non-manual workers; however, this difference increased over time. Stress, depressive mood and long working hours (≥60 h/week) were associated with heavy smoking. Conclusions Antismoking policy should focus on current and heavy smokers. Workplace antismoking programmes should consider working hours and stress, especially in manual workers.

Weekend work and depressive symptoms among Korean employees

The purpose of this study was to quantify the association between weekend work and depressive symptoms in a representative sample of Korean employees. Subjects were 29 171 employees of companies in Korea. Data were obtained as part of the 2011 Korean Working Conditions Survey. Depressive symptoms were measured as a score of ≤7 on the World Health Organization Well-being Index. The association between weekend work and depressive symptoms was quantified using logistic regression, controlling for sociodemographic and work-related factors including the number of hours worked per week and stratified by gender. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was higher in employees who reported working at least one weekend day in the past month than in employees who reported working no weekend days in the past month. After controlling for confounders, including the number of hours worked per week, 1–4 days of weekend work in the past month (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] of 1.36 [1.18–1.57] in males and 1.32 [1.12–1.58] in females) and >4 days of weekend work in the past month (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] of 1.45 [1.19–1.78] in males and 1.36 [1.07–1.73] in females) were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Weekend work was related with a significant increase in the prevalence of depressive symptoms in Korean workers.

0098 Evaluation of sleep problems and sleep hygiene for shift workers in korean steel manufacturing company

Objectives To estimate self-reported sleep health of shift workers and construct plans to minimise harm of the shiftwork. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted by using structured questionnaires on workers who were employed in a steel company. They divided into 3 groups (daytime workers, 4 teams 3 shifts, and other shifts). The survey contains questionnaires about demographic characteristics, sleep hygiene, condition of their work place, Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) to evaluate workers’ sleep disorder and daytime sleepiness. Among shift-workers, ‘insomnia group’ is compared to ‘normal sleep group’ with chi-square test. The multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to explore risk factors of ‘severe insomnia’. Results Workers with severe insomnia were 6.7% in other shifts group, and 2.3% in 4 teams 3 shifts group. There was no severe insomnia in daytime workers. Among 4 teams 3 shifts group, 12.9% workers complained severe daytime sleepiness. With the practice of sleep hygiene, generally the items for improving environment to sleep well showed higher rate in ‘severe insomnia group’ than ‘normal sleep group’. It might be that the workers who suffered from insomnia tried to overcome it. The items which disrupt sleep were concordantly higher in ‘insomnia group’ than in ‘normal sleep group’, suggesting that such kind of adverse sleep habits are negatively affect sleep of shift workers. Conclusion The results of present study suggest relationship between sleep hygiene and sleep disorders among shift workers. To minimise shift worker’s sleep problem, proper sleep hygiene is necessary.

The association between bronchial anthracofibrosis and pneumoconiosis: A retrospective cross-sectional study

The association between bronchial anthracofibrosis and pneumoconiosis: A retrospective cross‐sectional study: Younmo CHO, et al. Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Seoul St. Marys Hospital, Republic of Korea