- What is the Origin of Inequalities in Work and Health?.
-
Mi A Son
-
J Prev Med Public Health. 2005;38(3):241-251.
-
-
-
 Abstract
 PDF
- There has been an enormous increasing trend of widening gap of social inequalities since economic crisis at the end of 1997 in Korea. Since then, Korean society has deteriorated in economic and social conditions; the unemployment rate, temporary or casual workers and absolute poverty have increased. This paper presents the origin of inequalities in work and health in Korea. The origin of inequalities in work begins with the relationship between the capitalist and labourers in the capitalist mode of production. The conception and execution are dissolved in the work process in the capitalist mode of production. Thus, captitalists become control over ther labour process from workers. An alienation of the work process from the workers. The distribution of work is the majour source if inequalities in many countries as well as Korea. This paper presents the increasing tendency of unhealthy states such as mortality, early death, morbidity, physical work load, workplace injury amongst the under-privileged: ordinary workers, unemployed people, casual workers and socially deprived people in Korea.
-
Summary
- Hematuria among Benzidine Dye Industry Workers.
-
Mi A Son, Domyung Paek, Jung Kun Choi, Su Kyeong Park, Jung Soon Park, Se Min Oh, Jung Sun Park, Dong Ook Park
-
Korean J Prev Med. 1995;28(1):225-243.
-
-
-
Abstract
PDF
- Benzidine Industry in Korea has started after Japan has banned its production in early 1970's. and it has been in operation in Korea for over 20 years. However, it is not known yet whether any bladder cancer has developed from benzidine exposure. This study was done to screen benzidine-exposed workers for bladder cancer, and to examine the feasibility of employing screening test at the workplace. All the workplaces that manufacture or use benzidine for more than 20 years in Korea have been covered in this study, and they include 2 benzidine manufacturing factories, 5 benzidine using factories, as well as 2 benzidine free factories as an outside control. In total, 516 workers were screened with urine stick test and urine cytology test for the evidence of hematuria and abnormal urothelial cells. Each worker was also asked about risk factors and symptoms of bladder cancer including past medical history, smoking, medication and occupational history. Benzidine in the air was measured by personal and area sampling. Out of 516 screened workers, 84(16.3%)workers showed positive hematuria in urine stick test, and 7(1.4%)workers showed degenerative cells in urine cytology tests. Those workers with abnormal urine test results who have been exposed to benzidine for more than 10 years were further screened, and, in total. 23 workers were examined with intra-venous pyelography and cystoscopy. None of those screened had any evidence of bladder cancer. When workers with only past hematuria history were included in the positive hematuria group, 96(18.5%) had positive hematuria. On the multiple logistic regression analysis, positive hematuria was significantly associated with benzidine exposure history of other occupations with elevated bladder cancer risk, pyuria and glycosuria. The association got stronger as direct benzidine exposure was accounted through individual task analysis, and as exposure duration was accounted with tenure analysis. For those with benzidine exposure with more than 10 years of tenure, the odds of having positive hematuria was elevated 2.14(95%C.I is 1.08 to 4.25) times more than for those without exposure. Even though bladder cancer was not detected for several limitations including short observation period, majority of studied workers with short latency, healthy worker effect, and low sensitivity of single screening test in a cross-sectional study, the study results suggest that hematuria screening is a feasible and very useful test for bladder cancer screening among benzidine exposed workers.
-
Summary
- A Comparative Study on Evaluation Methods of Permanent Impairment in Korea.
-
Chang Ok Rhee, Jung Keun Choi, Mi A Son, Ok Ryun Moon
-
Korean J Prev Med. 1994;27(3):627-651.
-
-
-
Abstract
PDF
- In this study, literature review was done to examine and compare the current status and problems of different evaluation approaches toward permanent impairment in Korea. Alternatives and improvements in the current approaches in Korea were suggested. Series of cases were also examined to compare different approaches applied to the real cases, using 105 cases from a hospital data and another 207 cases from insurance company data. The main findings of the literature review are as follows; 1. The current evaluation methods of permanent impairment in Korea are grouped into two categories, grading and rating. Grading of impairments are expressly specified in 17 various statutes. 2. In Grading methods, the rigid system of 14 different grades has been adopted uniformally for the convenience of administration, which may not be, appropriate or valid from medical and scientifical aspect. 3. The advantage of McBride method is assessment of occupational disability rate. However the classified compensable occupations are only 280 and limited to manufacturing industries in 1960s' of U.S.A., which is not appropriate to current Korean circumstances. Especially, the job list does not include managerial officers or mental workers. 4. AMA Guides is the scientific and reasonable method for the assessment of physical impairment rate. However compensation and reparation of impairment case is difficult because this method cannot assess the disability rate according to occupation, age, etc. The results of cases comparative study are as follows: 5. The physical impairment could be compared in 167 out of total 312 cases and for the cases of complex impairment, McBride method underestimate physical impairment rate compared with AMA method. 6. When disability rate was assessed, occupation was considered the compensation of only 85 cases, and age was used in only 21 cases. This was because occupation and age compensation in McBride method are unreasonable. 7. The most ideal alternative is to assess physical impairment according to AMA method and then to develop a compensation method appropriate for the circumstances of Korea society.
-
Summary
|
KSPM
