Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health

Original Articles

The Association between Job Characteristics, Psychosocial Distress and Homocysteine.: Bong Suk Cha, Sang Baek Koh, Sei Jin Chang; Korean J Prev Med. 1998;31(4):719-727.

Abstract PDF: This study was carried out to assess the relationship between jobstrain, psychosocial distress and homocysteine. The study design was cross-sectional, and included 152 industrial workers in middle sized city. A self-adminstered questionnaire measured general characteristic, job strain and psychosocial distress. Blood was drawn into EDTA tube, and total plasma homocysteine was measured by HPLC. Homocysteine in the high job demand group was significantly higher than that in the low job demand. Cholesterol in the high job control group was significantly higher than that in the low job control. Homocysteine was significantly higher in the high job strain group than that in the other group. Folate and vitamin B12 showed a significantly negative correlation with homocysteine. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine whether the psychosocial distress and other variable contributed to explaining the homocysteine. Stress correlates with the homocysteine.; Summary

Association between Job characteristics and Psychosocial Distress of Industrial Workers.: Sei Jin Chang, Bong Suk Cha, Sang Baek Koh, Myung Geun Kang, Sang Ryul Koh, Jong Ku Park; Korean J Prev Med. 1997;30(1):129-144.

Abstract PDF: This study was carried out to assess the relationship between job characteristics(job strain) and psychosocial distress, and to find out the effect of social support on psychosocial distress. The study design was cross-sectional, and included 1,211 industrial workers in middle-sized city. A self-administered questionnaire measured job characteristics(jod demand, job control), and social support(coworker support, supervisor support) at work. Psychosocial distress was measured using PWI(Psychosocial Well-being Index), a 45-item self-administered instrument. Among the 1,211 respondents, the prevalence of psychosocial distress was 24.8%. High job strain (high job demand + low job control) was present in 8% of the subjects. The crude odds ratio of high job strain was 4.76 (95% CI : 2.60-8.74), and those of active group and passive group were 3.81(95% CI : 1.82-3.95) and 2.64(95% CI : 1.77-3.94), respectively. The odds ratios of each group adjusted for sex, age, support, and religion were still significant. Our results supported the association between job strain and psychosocial distress. Social support at work, although significantly associated with psychosocial distress, did not modify the association between job strain and psychosocial distress.; Summary

Social support and phychosocial distress among white-collar workers.: Bong Suk Cha, Sei Jin Chang, Jong Ku Park; Korean J Prev Med. 1992;25(4):429-447.

Abstract PDF: The effects and roles of social support and stressors (stressful life events and chronic strains) on psychosocial distress were examined in a model with data from a sample of the white-collar workers (N = 416) in Korea. The findings of this study present that mean levels of psychosocial distress were higher' in the female, youth, unmarried and divorced, and low economic status (monthly income). The analysis also shows that, as expected, stressful life and chronic strains as stressors are positively related to occurrence of psychosocial distress, and social support is negatively related to psychosocial distress. Further, the contribution of social support to predicting psychosocial distress is greater in magnitude than that of stressful events, chronic strains, and sociodemographic variables. There is no evidence that social support buffers the impacts of stressors on psychosocial distress, rather social support takes a role of main or direct effects on psychosocial distress. Therefore, the strength of the social support is an important and meaningful strategy to prevent from stress and mental, physical illness.; Summary

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