Korean J Aerosp Environ Med.  2004 Dec;14(4):158-164.

The Present State of Health Management and Related Factors in Small Enterprises

• Lee SJ
• Kim H
• Song J

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The aims of the study are to investigate the present state of occupational health management (OHM) in small enterprises, to explore the related factors, and to provide the information for effective policy of OHM in those enterprises.
METHODS
The study subjects were 155 small enterprises that had referred the measurement of workplace hazards to a hospital at the East Seoul, Korea. Self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted by Fax. The contents of the survey were present state of OHM and related factors.
RESULTS
1. The characteristics of OHM in charge were as follows; among the health manager (1) 81.9% had the high authority, (2) 63.2% could explain workplace hazard, (3) 52.9% had outside professional education, (4) 49.7% recognized the need for occupational health, and (5) 67.7% had pragmatic perspective on workers' health protection. 2. The occupational health activities that showed higher performance rate were as follows; periodic health examination (86.5%), measurement of workplace hazard (92.9%). The occupational health activities that showed lower performance rate were as follows; appointment of emergency hospital (26.5%), replacement health examination (18.1%), health education (30.0%), health promotion (23.3%), preparation of health statistics (14.8%), planning health management (9.7%) 3. As results of multiple logistic regression analysis, the factors associated with the higher activity of occupational health were longer duration(more than 5 years) of health manager in charge(OR=2.41), pragmatic perspective on workers' health protection (OR=3.79), experience of outside professional education (OR=2.40), repair of automobiles(OR=3.31), workplace that employed more than 10 workers (OR=4.02), history of workers' compensation (OR=8.05), employers' high concern (OR=4.61).
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that interest of employers and appointment of suitable health manager in charge were important, and minimum regulations and the development of occupational health program integrated with promoting productivity are required to activate occupational health in small enterprise

Keyword

Small enterprise; Occupational health

MeSH Terms

Education, Professional
Efficiency
Emergencies
Health Education
Health Promotion
Korea
Logistic Models
Occupational Health
Seoul
Social Control, Formal
Workers' Compensation
Surveys and Questionnaires