ObjectivesThe purpose of the present study was to identify the association between presenteeism and long working hours, shiftwork, and occupational stress using representative national survey data on Korean workers.MethodsWe analyzed data from the second Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS), which was conducted in 2010, in which a total of 6,220 wage workers were analyzed. The study population included the economically active population aged above 15 years, and living in the Republic of Korea. We used the chi-squared test and multivariate logistic regression to test the statistical association between presenteeism and working hours, shiftwork, and occupational stress.ResultsApproximately 19% of the workers experienced presenteeism during the previous 12 months. Women had higher rates of presenteeism than men. We found a statistically significant dose–response relationship between working hours and presenteeism. Shift workers had a slightly higher rate of presenteeism than non-shift workers, but the difference was not statistically significant. Occupational stress, such as high job demand, lack of rewards, and inadequate social support, had a significant association with presenteeism.ConclusionsThe present study suggests that long working hours and occupational stress are significantly related to presenteeism.

Glucose-sensitive hydrogels (GSHs) responsive to both pH value and glucose concentration have been prepared by polymerizing solutions containing hydroxypropyl methacrylate, (N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate, and tetraethylene glycol dimethacrylate in the mole ratio 70:30:2. Various concentrations of both glucose oxidase (GOx) and catalase were physically immobilized in the hydrogel matrix. The presence of GOx makes the hydrogels glucose-responsive, and catalase was added in order to explore its effects on swelling kinetics. In response to pH changes, hydrogels containing varying amounts of catalase show identical swelling kinetics and identical equilibrium degrees of swelling. However, in response to increases in glucose concentration, the rate of GSH swelling is dramatically increased by the presence of catalase when GOx activity is limited by the amount of oxygen available. In addition, catalase improves the enzymatic stability of the GOx by converting hydrogen peroxide to water.

TRAP appeared to be associated with an increased asthma among children with bronchiolitis, indicating the importance of modifying effects of bronchiolitis in asthma pathogenesis.

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This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of job stress on absence from work caused by illnesses and accidents through a prospective research design. A total of 2,349 manual workers were included in this analysis. In the first survey, job stress was determined using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale-Short Form. In the second survey, information on absence due to accidents or illnesses during the past one year was obtained through a questionnaire. The relationship was analyzed using a logistic regression model with multiple imputation. After adjusting for confounding variables for males, absence due to accidents was statistically associated with high job demand, insufficient job control, inadequate social support, and organizational injustice. In addition, high job demands and organizational injustice were related to increased absence due to illnesses in both genders. A lack of reward was associated with increased absence due to illnesses among female workers. We found that job stress was associated with a higher risk of absence caused by accidents or illnesses of manual workers.