Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine最新文献

{"title":"Educational disparities in labor market participation among middle-aged Koreans with chronic diseases: evidence from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Elderly Employment.","authors":"Seung Yeon Jeon, Dong-Wook Lee, Jaesung Choi, Mo-Yeol Kang","doi":"10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e19","DOIUrl":"10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e19","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>As South Korea experiences rapid population aging, preventing early retirement has become a critical concern. Ill health contributes to early retirement, and educational level moderates this relationship. Although well-studied in Europe, it remains less explored in Northeast Asia, where labor markets and educational attainment differ significantly. This study investigated the moderating role of education in the relationship between chronic diseases and labor force non-participation in South Korea, considering disease severity, type, and employment status.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Elderly Employment, this study analyzed 5,758 individuals born between 1964 and 1976. Chronic diseases were categorized by severity and type. Labor force participation and retirement from lifetime primary occupation were measured. Education was categorized as low (≤high school) or high (≥college). Logistic regression analyses were conducted, adjusting for sociodemographic and lifestyle covariates, with stratification by education level, employment status, severity, and disease characteristics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Chronic diseases were significantly associated with labor market non-participation and early retirement, with stronger associations among individuals with lower educational levels. Educational disparities were particularly evident for severe and psychiatric disorders. Among wage workers, those with lower education were more likely to exit the labor market due to chronic diseases, whereas those with higher education generally maintained employment, except in cases of musculoskeletal diseases. Low-educated individuals with chronic diseases were also more likely to retire early from their lifetime primary occupations.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Education moderates the relationship between chronic diseases and labor non-participation, with greater disparities in severe or psychiatric illnesses and among wage workers. Low-educated workers are more vulnerable to early retirement due to ill health, highlighting the need for targeted policy interventions to support this group and prevent early exit from the workforce.</p>","PeriodicalId":46631,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":"37 ","pages":"e19"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145001643","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Introducing statutory paid sick leave in South Korea: necessity and key considerations.","authors":"Jinwoo Lee","doi":"10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e22","DOIUrl":"10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e22","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>South Korea remains one of the few Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries without a statutory paid sick leave system or a public sickness benefit program. This paper examines the necessity of introducing statutory paid sick leave in South Korea and outlines key considerations for its implementation. The \"right to rest when sick\" is a fundamental health and labor right that ensures workers can recover from illness without risking job loss or income insecurity. A comparative review of international systems demonstrates that most countries have institutional mechanisms to support workers during non-work-related illnesses or injuries through paid sick leave and/or sickness benefits. In contrast, South Korean workers-especially those in small workplaces or non-regular employment-face limited access to such protections. The absence of these systems exacerbates social inequality and increases the risk of presenteeism and delayed medical care. Introducing statutory paid sick leave is not only a public health investment but also a measure to promote labor rights, reduce productivity losses, and prevent poverty caused by illness. The implementation of such a system must ensure universal coverage, prohibit employer retaliation, and be integrated with future sickness benefit programs to create a comprehensive social safety net.</p>","PeriodicalId":46631,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":"37 ","pages":"e22"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145001668","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Introducing a Korean sickness benefit scheme: toward universal health coverage.","authors":"Sang Baek Koh, Kyunghee Jung-Choi","doi":"10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e20","DOIUrl":"10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e20","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":46631,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":"37 ","pages":"e20"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145001670","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The status and implications of paid sick leave and sickness benefits in OECD countries.","authors":"Jaehoon Lee, Jinwoo Lee, Sang Baek Koh","doi":"10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e21","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e21","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The experience of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has highlighted the importance of paid sick leave and sickness benefits, and is creating an international movement to introduce or improve real-world systems. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries except Korea and the United States already have statutory paid sick leave or sickness benefits, with the United Kingdom extending statutory paid sick leave to low-income workers in 2025, and Ireland introducing statutory paid sick leave in 2023. In the United States, 19 states, including Minnesota in 2024 and Alaska and Missouri in 2025, as well as the District of Columbia, have introduced statutory paid sick leave (as of December 2024). Furthermore, an analysis of 33 OECD countries with statutory paid sick leave or sickness benefits suggests that 21 countries comply with the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention standards for adequacy of benefits and comprehensiveness of coverage, while six countries with social assistance have high comprehensiveness of coverage but low adequacy of benefits. There was not a single country with a program that had low levels of both benefit adequacy and coverage. In Korea, the pilot sickness benefit program has been extended until 2027, and the system has been delayed. The principles of benefit adequacy and coverage comprehensiveness must be upheld for the purpose and intent of the program to ensure adequate care and rest. Consequently, in addition to adhering to the standards outlined in the ILO Convention, the implementation of paid sick leave should be codified in legislation to enhance employer accountability.</p>","PeriodicalId":46631,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":"37 ","pages":"e21"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145132175","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A sickness benefit for all, leaving no one behind.","authors":"Daseul Moon, Hongjo Choi","doi":"10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e25","DOIUrl":"10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>South Korea's pilot sickness benefit program, launched in 2022 across six regions and currently operating in 14 regions as of 2025, represents a critical juncture in the country's social protection development. While ostensibly designed with inclusive eligibility criteria, the program reveals fundamental paradoxes that illuminate deeper structural inequalities within Korea's dualized labor market. This opinion piece examines how current design choices risk undermining universal health coverage goals by systematically excluding the most precarious workers. The program's design features-including low replacement rates (60% of the minimum wage) and extended waiting periods-created perverse incentives where the most vulnerable workers accepted the least favorable conditions. This pattern exemplifies what Korpi and Palme termed the \"paradox of redistribution,\" where targeted approaches ultimately prove less effective than universal ones, with the second phase's restriction to the bottom 50% income bracket threatening to exacerbate this paradox. Successful implementation will depend on integrating equity, people-centered design, and gender-transformative perspectives into every phase-design, operation, evaluation, and reform. In doing so, South Korea has the opportunity to offer a model of sickness protection that does not simply patch gaps, but actively reshapes the structures that produce health and economic inequalities in the first place.</p>","PeriodicalId":46631,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":"37 ","pages":"e25"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145001653","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sex difference in musculoskeletal disabilities among Korean fishers: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Hye-Min Kim, Soo Hyeong Park, Bong Gyun Joo, Ki-Soo Park, Jeong Ho Kim, Hansoo Song","doi":"10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e18","DOIUrl":"10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e18","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Fishing is a physically demanding occupation with a high risk of musculoskeletal disabilities (MSDs). Although previous studies have focused on ergonomic risk factors, little attention has been paid to sex differences in the prevalence of MSDs among fishers. This study aimed to assess whether female fishers experience a higher prevalence of MSDs than male fishers and to examine whether this difference persists after adjusting for socioeconomic and occupational factors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analyzed cross-sectional data from 898 Korean fishers (513 men and 385 women) who participated in the 2021-2022 Fisher Health Survey. MSDs in the upper extremities, lower back, and knees were defined as scores in the top 25% of the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH), Oswestry Disability Index, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index Short Form (WOMAC-SF), respectively. Modified Poisson regression was used to calculate the prevalence ratios (PRs) by sex, with stepwise adjustments for age, socioeconomic factors, and occupational factors.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Female fishers had significantly higher MSD risk than male fishers across all body regions (fully adjusted PRs: upper extremity, 1.59; lower back, 1.63; knee, 1.44). Sex disparities were most pronounced among those under 60 years of age and remained significant even in older age groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The elevated MSD risk among female fishers persisted despite adjusting for conventional risk factors, suggesting the influence of additional factors such as biological susceptibility, domestic labor, and gendered health reporting. Therefore, MSD prevention strategies should include sex-sensitive multidimensional approaches beyond ergonomic interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":46631,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":"37 ","pages":"e18"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144733874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Injury rates and work-related diseases following workforce reduction among South Korean on-site workers in basic local governments between 2016 and 2018.","authors":"Dongwhan Suh, Nahyun Kim, Han-Na Jung, Woo Chul Jeong, Hyunjoo Kim","doi":"10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e17","DOIUrl":"10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e17","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>South Korean on-site workers in the public sector, fully covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, often perform hazardous tasks. However, their status and injury rates remain poorly documented. This study aimed to analyze changes in injury rates and the proportion of work-related diseases (WRDs) among on-site workers in basic local governments (BLGs) following workforce reductions between 2016 and 2018.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data from two sources provided by the Ministry of Employment and Labor were analyzed: organizational data on the number of on-site workers, and cases of injuries, deaths, and diseases among on-site workers in 226 BLGs from 2016 to 2018; and workers' compensation claims data (individual data) for on-site workers in BLGs during the same period. Injury, mortality, and disease incidence rates were calculated and compared between BLGs with increased and decreased workforce. The proportion of WRDs among all the injuries was also examined.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The total number of on-site workers in BLGs decreased by 18.1% in 2018 compared with 2016. The injury rate increased from 0.46% in 2016 to 0.62% in 2018. BLGs with workforce reductions showed higher injury rates, particularly in those with fewer than 1,000 on-site workers. The proportion of WRDs among all injuries increased by 1.34 times in 2018 compared with 2016.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Workforce reductions among on-site workers in BLGs are associated with higher injury rates and a great proportion of WRDs. These findings highlight the need for improved occupational safety and health practices within the public sector and serve as an important basis for establishing workforce management and injury prevention policies. However, limitations in the available data made it challenging to identify worker groups particularly vulnerable to WRDs. Further research is needed, as it is critical for the development of effective occupational safety and health policies.</p>","PeriodicalId":46631,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":"37 ","pages":"e17-0"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144733873","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unveiling a hidden hazard: lead poisoning from hobbyist activities and its long-term impact.","authors":"Chiara Pucci, Luca Tomassini, Marco dell'Omo, Alessandra Deini, Daniele Lillacci, Cristiana Gambelunghe, Mauro Zampolini, Nicola Murgia, Angela Gambelunghe","doi":"10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e15","DOIUrl":"10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e15","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Lead poisoning is a serious public health issue that can arise from various sources, including nonoccupational exposure. This can make it challenging to manage, as lead poisoning can arise from unexpected sources. This case study examined lead poisoning in a 52-year-old man linked to hobbyist activities involving lead pellets, highlighting the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges associated with this uncommon source of exposure.</p><p><strong>Case presentation: </strong>A 52-year-old man with a history of sports fishing presented with confusion, balance disorders, and memory loss. The initial medical evaluation revealed anemia and elevated lead levels. Further investigations, including imaging and blood tests, confirmed the presence of ingested lead pellets. The patient underwent chelation therapy, which led to a reduction in blood lead levels and improvement in symptoms. Follow-up over 46 months showed a gradual decrease in lead levels and partial recovery of cognitive function, although a few lead-related effects persisted.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This case underscores the need for awareness of non-traditional sources of lead exposure, such as hobbyist activities. Effective diagnosis and treatment, including chelation therapy, can significantly alleviate the effects of lead poisoning. Ongoing monitoring is essential to manage long-term health outcomes related to chronic lead exposure.</p>","PeriodicalId":46631,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":"37 ","pages":"e15"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12315783/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144477174","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Corrigendum: Correction of Funding in the Article \"List of occupational diseases among farmers in Korea: a literature review\".","authors":"Hansoo Song, Seok-Ju Yoo, Won-Ju Park, Seunghyeon Cho, Ki Soo Park, Joo Hyun Sung, Sang Jin Park, Seong-Yong Yoon, Kyeongsoo Kim, Dong-Phil Choi, Hye-Min Kim, Bounggyun Ju, Kanwoo Youn","doi":"10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e16","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e16","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":46631,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":"37 ","pages":"e16"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144576619","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"New versions of psychosocial stress measurement tools (KOSS®19, KELS®11, and KWVS®13): toward good work.","authors":"Sei-Jin Chang","doi":"10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e11","DOIUrl":"10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e11","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":46631,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":"37 ","pages":"e11"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12315767/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144162828","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}