Health Status, Health-Related Factors and Work Environment in Korean Semiconductor Workers between 1984-2012: A
Kyungsik Kim1,2,3, Ho Kyung Sung4,5, Jieun Jang1,6
1Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Daehak-ro 101, Jongno-gu, Seoul 03080, Korea.
Background:
The environment of semiconductor facilities and exposure status has undergone changes. To identify changes in the work environment, health status, and risk factors, a qualitative and cross-sectional study was conducted.
Methods:
For the qualitative study, 38 current and retired workers who worked for at least 10-years were studied; for the cross-sectional study, 306 current workers who worked for at least 5-years based on JEM strata from Samsung Electronics were selected. Participants were asked about occupational history, cancer-relating risk factors during the working period, medical history, dietary habits for the past year, and hematological cancer-relating infection.
Results:
In the qualitative study, fabrication workers reported bladder cystitis, dermatitis in hands, gastritis/ulcer, and dry eye as frequent symptoms during work environment changes (manual to automatic process). In the cross-sectional study, there were no abnormal findings for infection biomarkers related to hematological cancer and spontaneous abortion, and their general health status was no different from the general population. Also, questionnaire feasibility was evaluated for the applicability in the prospective cohort.
Conclusion:
Current semiconductor workers' health status was good compared to other populations. For lifelong health assessment, a cohort study is needed which considers health worker effects and current environments.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
02:20Longitudinal Research
01:29Assessment of the Gastrointestinal System II: Health Perception Pattern
Health Perception Patterns
Health perception patterns offer valuable insights into a patient's lifestyle habits and how they may impact their GI health. These patterns include:
01:26Longitudinal Studies
01:27Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-IV: Assessement and Diagnostic Studies
Medical History
01:11Observational Studies
There are three types of observational studies – Prospective, retrospective, and cross-sectional.
Prospective Study
Prospective studies, also known as longitudinal or cohort studies, are carried out by collecting future data from groups sharing similar characteristics. One...