565350 research-article2015
WHSXXX10.1177/2165079914565350Workplace Health & SafetyWorkplace Health & Safety
Workplace Health & Safety
January 2015
ARTICLE
Multiple Risk Factors for Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses in Korean-Chinese Migrant Workers Hyeonkyeong Lee, PhD1, Duckhee Chae, PhD, RN2, Kwan Hyung Yi, PhD3, Soye Im, BSN1, and Sung Hye Cho, MSN1
Abstract: Korean-Chinese currently represent the largest group of migrant workers in Korea. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of risk factors on the occurrence of work-related injuries and illnesses (WII). Data for 486 Korean-Chinese migrant workers were drawn from the 2010 Migrant Workers’ Health and Safety Survey in Korea. Logistic regression was used to identify the association between WII and multiple risk factors. Individual health status (OR = 3.83, 95% CI [2.01, 7.30]), safety training (OR = 0.39, 95% CI [0.18, 0.85]), job satisfaction (OR = 1.90, 95% CI [1.07, 3.38]), physical and chemical hazard exposure (OR = 1.05, 95% CI [1.02, 1.08]), and length of stay (OR = 1.01, 95% CI [1.00, 1.01]) were identified as risk factors for WII. The findings suggest the need for a comprehensive approach to assess WII risk factors, including personal, work organization and psychosocial demands, and acculturation in Korean-Chinese migrant workers.
Keywords: acculturation, migrant workers, risk factor, work-related injury and illness
T
he number of foreign-born migrant workers in Korea has grown dramatically over the last 10 years and comprised 3.2% of the total working population in 2012 (Statistics Korea, 2012a). The number of migrant workers has increased the number of workers’ compensation claims, with a 2.5-fold increase in claims between 2005 and 2011 (Korea Worker’s Compensation Welfare Service, 2011). The majority (87.9%) of foreign-born migrant workers in Korea are employed in the manufacturing sector, followed by the agriculture, construction, and service sectors (Statistics Korea, 2012b). Due to the job tasks of manufacturing workers, the most commonly reported injuries were falls and fractures (Korea Worker’s Compensation Welfare Service, 2012). Compared with native-born workers, the occupational risks for migrant workers are higher because of
their unsafe working environments. Their jobs are likely to be labeled “3D”: difficult, dirty, and dangerous. Migrant workers are exposed to physical and chemical hazards, such as uncomfortable postures which induce pain and excessive physical loading, repetitive movement, noise, hazardous chemicals (i.e., fumes, particles, gases), and heat (Yi, Cho, You, & Ahn, 2010). Korean-Chinese (commonly called Chosun-Jok) is currently the largest group of migrant workers in Korea, accounting for roughly 45% of migrant workers in 2012 (Statistics Korea, 2012a). They are Chinese citizens of Korean descent living in China; by and large, their Korean ancestors moved from Korea to China at the end of the 1700s because of severe famine (Choi, 2006). The migration of Korean-Chinese back to Korea to earn money has increased since migrant workers were permitted employment as industrial trainees by the industrial trainee program for foreigninvested firms in 1991 and has recently been prompted by policies of the visitor employment system for foreign national Koreans (Kee, 2009). Despite the increasing Korean-Chinese migrant population and their substandard working environments, no systematic investigation of risk factors for occupational injury and illness has been completed. This study was guided by the conceptual framework, Multiple Risk Factors for Workplace Injuries and Illnesses (MRFWII; Dembe, Erickson, & Delbos, 2004). This framework presents a complex interplay among multiple risk factors (i.e., personal characteristics, exposure to physical and chemical hazards, work organization, and psychosocial demands) and the occurrence of work-related injuries and illnesses (WII) in a broader social, economic, and cultural context. A review of 48 studies on occupational risk factors supports the MRFWII framework (Ahonen, Benavides, & Benach, 2007). As part of the social, economic, and cultural context, the acculturation factor was added to the framework in the current study. Acculturation, “a multidimensional process consisting of the confluence among heritage-cultural and receiving-cultural
DOI: 10.1177/2165079914565350. From 1Yonsei University College of Nursing, 2Chonnam National University, and 3Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute. Address correspondence to: Duckhee Chae, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor, College of Nursing, Chonnam National University, 160 Baekseo-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju, 501-840, South Korea; email: [email protected]/ [email protected]. For reprints and permissions queries, please visit SAGE’s Web site at http://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav. Copyright © 2015 The Author(s)
18 Downloaded from whs.sagepub.com at Bobst Library, New York University on June 5, 2015
Workplace Health & Safety
vol. 63 ■ no. 1
Probability of workplace injury and illness
Acculturation • Length of stay • Language fluency
Personal Characteristics • Gender • Age • Education • Type of job • Income • Health status • Self safety awareness • Safety training
Work organization & psychosocial demands • Job satisfaction • CEO safety awareness • Co-worker safety awareness • Health & Safety Information • PPE Provision
Exposure to physical and chemical hazards • Physical and chemical hazards
Figure 1. Conceptual framework of multiple risk factors for work-related injuries and illness in migrant workers. Adapted from the conceptual framework, Multiple Risk Factors for Workplace Injuries and Illnesses, in “Predictors of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: National Survey Findings,” by A. E. Dembe, J. B. Erickson, and R. Delbos, 2004, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 1, pp. 542-550.
practices, values, and identifications” (Schwartz, Unger, Zamboanga, & Szapocznik, 2010), has been known to be a factor related to physical and mental health outcomes (Ahonen et al., 2007). Korean-Chinese migrants might have an advantage over migrants from other countries because their appearance is similar to that of native Koreans, and the majority of Korean-Chinese migrants have maintained their Korean cultural heritage while living in China. However, most Korean-Chinese migrant workers have low socioeconomic status and come to Korea for a specific purpose, to earn money. Because of this situation, they face issues with respect to their acculturation (e.g., discrimination and resistance from mainstream society), which are associated with the occurrence of WII (Lee, Ahn, Miller, Park, & Kim, 2012; Figure 1). The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of four factors: (a) personal characteristics, (b) exposure to
physical and chemical hazards, (c) work organization and psychosocial demands, and (d) acculturation with the occurrence of WII in Korean-Chinese migrant workers.
Method A secondary analysis of an existing dataset was conducted. Data for this study were drawn from the dataset of Migrant Workers’ Health and Safety Survey conducted by the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) from April 12 to May 31, 2010. This was the first national survey to assess migrant workers’ health and safety status. Using a proportional stratified sampling method, a total of 2,050 workers were selected from migrant workers living in Korea. Using a structured questionnaire, the survey data were collected through face-to-face interviews by trained survey enumerators. For this study, the researchers extracted all data about the 486 KoreanChinese migrant workers from the initial survey dataset. 19
Downloaded from whs.sagepub.com at Bobst Library, New York University on June 5, 2015
Workplace Health & Safety
January 2015
Measures Incidence of Work-Related Injury or Illness The initial survey assessed incidence of work-related injury or illness within the last year using five dichotomous yes/no questions. Respondents were asked to indicate whether they had experienced (a) debilitating illness or injury due to work, (b) motor vehicle accident during work, (c) lost work time due to injury or illness, (d) lost work time due to occupational chemical exposures, or (e) musculoskeletal pain (e.g., neck, shoulders, hands, knees, or back) that required frequent resting or health care treatment. The researchers categorized these workers as having WII if the respondent experienced any type of the five above situations.
Personal Characteristics Personal characteristics included gender, age, education, occupation, income, and health status. Perceived health status was categorized by four responses; the responses were grouped into a dichotomous variable: very good and good = 0 (good), poor and very poor = 1 (poor).
Work Organization and Psychosocial Demands Work organization and psychosocial demands included job satisfaction (e.g., current work environment, work hours, and job conditions), chief executive officer (CEO) and co-worker safety awareness, health and safety information, and personal protective equipment (PPE) provision. The initial survey asked how satisfied respondents were with the current work environment, work hours, and job conditions by a categorical variable (very unsatisfied, not satisfied, satisfied, or very satisfied). Responses were then grouped into a dichotomous variable: very unsatisfied and not satisfied as unsatisfactory; satisfied and very satisfied as satisfactory. The safety awareness of CEOs and co-workers was assessed by a categorical variable (very high, high, low, or very low), and responses were grouped into a dichotomous variable: very high and high as high; low and very low as low. Provision of health and safety information was measured by a categorical variable (not at all, poor, good, or very well), and responses were grouped into a dichotomous variable: good and very well as yes; not at all and poor as no. PPE provision was measured by three responses: no, regular basis, or as needed.
Exposure to Physical and Chemical Hazards Respondents were asked how long they were exposed to 10 types of physical and chemical hazards, including vibration, noise, high temperatures, low temperatures, dust or gas, chemicals, awkward postures, repetitive movements, enclosed spaces, and dangerous machines or equipment. Responses were measured on a 7-point scale (1 = no exposure, 7 = all the time). The scores of all items were averaged and then grouped into high and low groups using the median values.
Acculturation Acculturation was measured by length of stay and Korean language proficiency. Respondents were asked how fluently
they could speak and understand Korean, and responses were grouped in fluency categories of “minimum” (e.g., need interpreter or simple conversation), “medium” (50% to 60% comprehension), and “fluent” (speaks fluently and comprehends most everything).
Data Analysis The data were analyzed using PASW Statistics 18. Differences between with and without WII groups were assessed using the two-tailed t-test and chi-square test. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of incurring WII. To assess the diagnostic (explanatory) performance of the four identified factors, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed and the areas under the ROC curves (AUROCs) were calculated.
Results Comparison of Characteristics Between NonWork-Related Injury and Illness (Non-WII) and Work-Related Injury and Illness (WII) Most respondents were male (63.8%) and over 40 years old (65.9%). The majority was employed in manufacturing (44.7%) or construction (24.7%). Of the total participants, 85.6% reported that their monthly income was between US$1,000 and US$1,999. The majority reported their health status as good (83.3%) and felt they had sufficient safety training (72.8%). The majority of participants (83.3%) thought that they had a high level of safety awareness. A similar number of participants reported that their CEOs (77.2%) and co-workers (76.5%) had high levels of safety awareness. About 39.3% of participants reported possessing job-related health and safety information, and 54.1% reported that PPE had been provided on an as-needed basis. The participants reported an average of 2.26 (± 0.90) physical and chemical hazards exposures. Their mean length of stay in Korea was 50.49 months (± 39.35), and most respondents (68.9%) reported they were fluent in Korean. Among the 486 participants, 83 (17.1%) reported experiencing WII during the past year. A comparison of workers with and without WII showed significant differences in gender (p = .006), age (p = .014), income (p = .001), health status (p < .001), safety training (p = .010), job satisfaction (p < .001), co-worker safety awareness (p = .006), health and safety information (p = .033), level of hazard exposure (p = .001), and length of stay (p = .022; Table 1).
Factors Associated With WorkRelated Injuries and Illnesses In logistic analysis, Korean-Chinese migrant workers who perceived their health status was poor were found to be 3.83 times more likely to experience WII (95% CI [2.01, 7.30], p < .001). Workers who were not satisfied with their jobs were 1.90 times more likely to experience WII (95% CI [1.07, 3.38],
20 Downloaded from whs.sagepub.com at Bobst Library, New York University on June 5, 2015
Workplace Health & Safety
vol. 63 ■ no. 1
Table 1. Comparisons of Characteristics Between Non-Work-Related Injury and Illness (Non-WII) and Work-Related Injury and Illness Group Total
Non-WII
WII
(n = 403)
(n = 83)
N (%)
M ± SD/N (%)
M ± SD/N (%)
χ2 or t
310 (63.8) 176 (36.2) 56 (11.5) 110 (22.6) 117 (24.1) 203 (41.8) 25 (5.2) 150 (31.1) 276 (57.3) 31 (6.4) 36 (7.4)
246 (61.0) 157 (39.0) 52 (12.9) 95 (23.6) 100 (24.8) 156 (38.7) 22 (5.5) 125 (31.3) 226 (56.6) 26 (6.5) 34 (8.4)
64 (77.1) 19 (22.9) 4 (4.8) 15 (18.1) 17 (20.5) 47 (56.6) 3 (3.6) 25 (30.1) 50 (60.2) 5 (6.0) 2 (2.4)
7.69
71 (14.6) 217 (44.7) 120 (24.7) 42 (8.6) 44 (9.1) 276 (56.8) 140 (28.8) 26 (5.3) 81 (16.7) 405 (83.3) 81 (16.7) 405 (83.3) 132 (27.2) 354 (72.8)
60 (14.9) 180 (44.7) 91 (22.6) 38 (9.4) 42 (10.4) 238 (59.1) 105 (26.1) 18 (4.5) 50 (12.4) 353 (87.6) 67 (16.6) 336 (83.4) 119 (29.5) 284 (70.5)
11 (13.3) 37 (44.6) 29 (34.9) 4 (4.8) 2 (2.4) 38 (45.8) 35 (42.2) 8 (9.8) 31 (37.3) 52 (62.7) 14 (16.9) 69 (83.1) 13 (15.7) 70 (84.3)
144 (29.6) 342 (70.4) 111 (22.8) 375 (77.2) 107 (22.0)
102 (25.3) 301 (74.7) 86 (21.3) 317 (78.7) 79 (19.9)
42 (50.6) 41 (49.4) 25 (30.1) 58 (69.9) 28 (33.7)
172 (76.5) 295 (60.7)
317 (80.1) 236 (58.6)
55 (66.3) 59 (71.1)
191 (39.3) 127 (26.2) 95 (19.6) 262 (54.1)
167 (41.4) 109 (27.2) 81 (20.2) 211 (52.6)
24 (28.9) 18 (21.7) 14 (16.9) 51 (61.4)
2.26 ± 0.90
2.19 ± 0.88
2.57 ± 0.93
−3.47
.001
50.49 ± 39.35 53 (10.9) 98 (20.2) 335 (68.9)
48.48 ± 38.38 44 (10.9) 85 (21.1) 274 (68.0)
60.27 ± 42.70 9 (10.8) 13 (15.7) 61 (73.5)
−2.33 1.31
.022 .520
Variables Personal characteristics Gender Age Education Type of job
Categories
Male Female 20~29 30~39 40~49 ≥50 Elementary Middle school High school Above college Domestic or caring staff Restaurant worker Manufacturing worker Construction worker Misc
WHSXXX10.1177/2165079914565350Workplace Health & SafetyWorkplace Health & Safety
Workplace Health & Safety
January 2015
ARTICLE
Multiple Risk Factors for Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses in Korean-Chinese Migrant Workers Hyeonkyeong Lee, PhD1, Duckhee Chae, PhD, RN2, Kwan Hyung Yi, PhD3, Soye Im, BSN1, and Sung Hye Cho, MSN1
Abstract: Korean-Chinese currently represent the largest group of migrant workers in Korea. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of risk factors on the occurrence of work-related injuries and illnesses (WII). Data for 486 Korean-Chinese migrant workers were drawn from the 2010 Migrant Workers’ Health and Safety Survey in Korea. Logistic regression was used to identify the association between WII and multiple risk factors. Individual health status (OR = 3.83, 95% CI [2.01, 7.30]), safety training (OR = 0.39, 95% CI [0.18, 0.85]), job satisfaction (OR = 1.90, 95% CI [1.07, 3.38]), physical and chemical hazard exposure (OR = 1.05, 95% CI [1.02, 1.08]), and length of stay (OR = 1.01, 95% CI [1.00, 1.01]) were identified as risk factors for WII. The findings suggest the need for a comprehensive approach to assess WII risk factors, including personal, work organization and psychosocial demands, and acculturation in Korean-Chinese migrant workers.
Keywords: acculturation, migrant workers, risk factor, work-related injury and illness
T
he number of foreign-born migrant workers in Korea has grown dramatically over the last 10 years and comprised 3.2% of the total working population in 2012 (Statistics Korea, 2012a). The number of migrant workers has increased the number of workers’ compensation claims, with a 2.5-fold increase in claims between 2005 and 2011 (Korea Worker’s Compensation Welfare Service, 2011). The majority (87.9%) of foreign-born migrant workers in Korea are employed in the manufacturing sector, followed by the agriculture, construction, and service sectors (Statistics Korea, 2012b). Due to the job tasks of manufacturing workers, the most commonly reported injuries were falls and fractures (Korea Worker’s Compensation Welfare Service, 2012). Compared with native-born workers, the occupational risks for migrant workers are higher because of
their unsafe working environments. Their jobs are likely to be labeled “3D”: difficult, dirty, and dangerous. Migrant workers are exposed to physical and chemical hazards, such as uncomfortable postures which induce pain and excessive physical loading, repetitive movement, noise, hazardous chemicals (i.e., fumes, particles, gases), and heat (Yi, Cho, You, & Ahn, 2010). Korean-Chinese (commonly called Chosun-Jok) is currently the largest group of migrant workers in Korea, accounting for roughly 45% of migrant workers in 2012 (Statistics Korea, 2012a). They are Chinese citizens of Korean descent living in China; by and large, their Korean ancestors moved from Korea to China at the end of the 1700s because of severe famine (Choi, 2006). The migration of Korean-Chinese back to Korea to earn money has increased since migrant workers were permitted employment as industrial trainees by the industrial trainee program for foreigninvested firms in 1991 and has recently been prompted by policies of the visitor employment system for foreign national Koreans (Kee, 2009). Despite the increasing Korean-Chinese migrant population and their substandard working environments, no systematic investigation of risk factors for occupational injury and illness has been completed. This study was guided by the conceptual framework, Multiple Risk Factors for Workplace Injuries and Illnesses (MRFWII; Dembe, Erickson, & Delbos, 2004). This framework presents a complex interplay among multiple risk factors (i.e., personal characteristics, exposure to physical and chemical hazards, work organization, and psychosocial demands) and the occurrence of work-related injuries and illnesses (WII) in a broader social, economic, and cultural context. A review of 48 studies on occupational risk factors supports the MRFWII framework (Ahonen, Benavides, & Benach, 2007). As part of the social, economic, and cultural context, the acculturation factor was added to the framework in the current study. Acculturation, “a multidimensional process consisting of the confluence among heritage-cultural and receiving-cultural
DOI: 10.1177/2165079914565350. From 1Yonsei University College of Nursing, 2Chonnam National University, and 3Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute. Address correspondence to: Duckhee Chae, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor, College of Nursing, Chonnam National University, 160 Baekseo-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju, 501-840, South Korea; email: [email protected]/ [email protected]. For reprints and permissions queries, please visit SAGE’s Web site at http://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav. Copyright © 2015 The Author(s)
18 Downloaded from whs.sagepub.com at Bobst Library, New York University on June 5, 2015
Workplace Health & Safety
vol. 63 ■ no. 1
Probability of workplace injury and illness
Acculturation • Length of stay • Language fluency
Personal Characteristics • Gender • Age • Education • Type of job • Income • Health status • Self safety awareness • Safety training
Work organization & psychosocial demands • Job satisfaction • CEO safety awareness • Co-worker safety awareness • Health & Safety Information • PPE Provision
Exposure to physical and chemical hazards • Physical and chemical hazards
Figure 1. Conceptual framework of multiple risk factors for work-related injuries and illness in migrant workers. Adapted from the conceptual framework, Multiple Risk Factors for Workplace Injuries and Illnesses, in “Predictors of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses: National Survey Findings,” by A. E. Dembe, J. B. Erickson, and R. Delbos, 2004, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 1, pp. 542-550.
practices, values, and identifications” (Schwartz, Unger, Zamboanga, & Szapocznik, 2010), has been known to be a factor related to physical and mental health outcomes (Ahonen et al., 2007). Korean-Chinese migrants might have an advantage over migrants from other countries because their appearance is similar to that of native Koreans, and the majority of Korean-Chinese migrants have maintained their Korean cultural heritage while living in China. However, most Korean-Chinese migrant workers have low socioeconomic status and come to Korea for a specific purpose, to earn money. Because of this situation, they face issues with respect to their acculturation (e.g., discrimination and resistance from mainstream society), which are associated with the occurrence of WII (Lee, Ahn, Miller, Park, & Kim, 2012; Figure 1). The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of four factors: (a) personal characteristics, (b) exposure to
physical and chemical hazards, (c) work organization and psychosocial demands, and (d) acculturation with the occurrence of WII in Korean-Chinese migrant workers.
Method A secondary analysis of an existing dataset was conducted. Data for this study were drawn from the dataset of Migrant Workers’ Health and Safety Survey conducted by the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) from April 12 to May 31, 2010. This was the first national survey to assess migrant workers’ health and safety status. Using a proportional stratified sampling method, a total of 2,050 workers were selected from migrant workers living in Korea. Using a structured questionnaire, the survey data were collected through face-to-face interviews by trained survey enumerators. For this study, the researchers extracted all data about the 486 KoreanChinese migrant workers from the initial survey dataset. 19
Downloaded from whs.sagepub.com at Bobst Library, New York University on June 5, 2015
Workplace Health & Safety
January 2015
Measures Incidence of Work-Related Injury or Illness The initial survey assessed incidence of work-related injury or illness within the last year using five dichotomous yes/no questions. Respondents were asked to indicate whether they had experienced (a) debilitating illness or injury due to work, (b) motor vehicle accident during work, (c) lost work time due to injury or illness, (d) lost work time due to occupational chemical exposures, or (e) musculoskeletal pain (e.g., neck, shoulders, hands, knees, or back) that required frequent resting or health care treatment. The researchers categorized these workers as having WII if the respondent experienced any type of the five above situations.
Personal Characteristics Personal characteristics included gender, age, education, occupation, income, and health status. Perceived health status was categorized by four responses; the responses were grouped into a dichotomous variable: very good and good = 0 (good), poor and very poor = 1 (poor).
Work Organization and Psychosocial Demands Work organization and psychosocial demands included job satisfaction (e.g., current work environment, work hours, and job conditions), chief executive officer (CEO) and co-worker safety awareness, health and safety information, and personal protective equipment (PPE) provision. The initial survey asked how satisfied respondents were with the current work environment, work hours, and job conditions by a categorical variable (very unsatisfied, not satisfied, satisfied, or very satisfied). Responses were then grouped into a dichotomous variable: very unsatisfied and not satisfied as unsatisfactory; satisfied and very satisfied as satisfactory. The safety awareness of CEOs and co-workers was assessed by a categorical variable (very high, high, low, or very low), and responses were grouped into a dichotomous variable: very high and high as high; low and very low as low. Provision of health and safety information was measured by a categorical variable (not at all, poor, good, or very well), and responses were grouped into a dichotomous variable: good and very well as yes; not at all and poor as no. PPE provision was measured by three responses: no, regular basis, or as needed.
Exposure to Physical and Chemical Hazards Respondents were asked how long they were exposed to 10 types of physical and chemical hazards, including vibration, noise, high temperatures, low temperatures, dust or gas, chemicals, awkward postures, repetitive movements, enclosed spaces, and dangerous machines or equipment. Responses were measured on a 7-point scale (1 = no exposure, 7 = all the time). The scores of all items were averaged and then grouped into high and low groups using the median values.
Acculturation Acculturation was measured by length of stay and Korean language proficiency. Respondents were asked how fluently
they could speak and understand Korean, and responses were grouped in fluency categories of “minimum” (e.g., need interpreter or simple conversation), “medium” (50% to 60% comprehension), and “fluent” (speaks fluently and comprehends most everything).
Data Analysis The data were analyzed using PASW Statistics 18. Differences between with and without WII groups were assessed using the two-tailed t-test and chi-square test. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of incurring WII. To assess the diagnostic (explanatory) performance of the four identified factors, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed and the areas under the ROC curves (AUROCs) were calculated.
Results Comparison of Characteristics Between NonWork-Related Injury and Illness (Non-WII) and Work-Related Injury and Illness (WII) Most respondents were male (63.8%) and over 40 years old (65.9%). The majority was employed in manufacturing (44.7%) or construction (24.7%). Of the total participants, 85.6% reported that their monthly income was between US$1,000 and US$1,999. The majority reported their health status as good (83.3%) and felt they had sufficient safety training (72.8%). The majority of participants (83.3%) thought that they had a high level of safety awareness. A similar number of participants reported that their CEOs (77.2%) and co-workers (76.5%) had high levels of safety awareness. About 39.3% of participants reported possessing job-related health and safety information, and 54.1% reported that PPE had been provided on an as-needed basis. The participants reported an average of 2.26 (± 0.90) physical and chemical hazards exposures. Their mean length of stay in Korea was 50.49 months (± 39.35), and most respondents (68.9%) reported they were fluent in Korean. Among the 486 participants, 83 (17.1%) reported experiencing WII during the past year. A comparison of workers with and without WII showed significant differences in gender (p = .006), age (p = .014), income (p = .001), health status (p < .001), safety training (p = .010), job satisfaction (p < .001), co-worker safety awareness (p = .006), health and safety information (p = .033), level of hazard exposure (p = .001), and length of stay (p = .022; Table 1).
Factors Associated With WorkRelated Injuries and Illnesses In logistic analysis, Korean-Chinese migrant workers who perceived their health status was poor were found to be 3.83 times more likely to experience WII (95% CI [2.01, 7.30], p < .001). Workers who were not satisfied with their jobs were 1.90 times more likely to experience WII (95% CI [1.07, 3.38],
20 Downloaded from whs.sagepub.com at Bobst Library, New York University on June 5, 2015
Workplace Health & Safety
vol. 63 ■ no. 1
Table 1. Comparisons of Characteristics Between Non-Work-Related Injury and Illness (Non-WII) and Work-Related Injury and Illness Group Total
Non-WII
WII
(n = 403)
(n = 83)
N (%)
M ± SD/N (%)
M ± SD/N (%)
χ2 or t
310 (63.8) 176 (36.2) 56 (11.5) 110 (22.6) 117 (24.1) 203 (41.8) 25 (5.2) 150 (31.1) 276 (57.3) 31 (6.4) 36 (7.4)
246 (61.0) 157 (39.0) 52 (12.9) 95 (23.6) 100 (24.8) 156 (38.7) 22 (5.5) 125 (31.3) 226 (56.6) 26 (6.5) 34 (8.4)
64 (77.1) 19 (22.9) 4 (4.8) 15 (18.1) 17 (20.5) 47 (56.6) 3 (3.6) 25 (30.1) 50 (60.2) 5 (6.0) 2 (2.4)
7.69
71 (14.6) 217 (44.7) 120 (24.7) 42 (8.6) 44 (9.1) 276 (56.8) 140 (28.8) 26 (5.3) 81 (16.7) 405 (83.3) 81 (16.7) 405 (83.3) 132 (27.2) 354 (72.8)
60 (14.9) 180 (44.7) 91 (22.6) 38 (9.4) 42 (10.4) 238 (59.1) 105 (26.1) 18 (4.5) 50 (12.4) 353 (87.6) 67 (16.6) 336 (83.4) 119 (29.5) 284 (70.5)
11 (13.3) 37 (44.6) 29 (34.9) 4 (4.8) 2 (2.4) 38 (45.8) 35 (42.2) 8 (9.8) 31 (37.3) 52 (62.7) 14 (16.9) 69 (83.1) 13 (15.7) 70 (84.3)
144 (29.6) 342 (70.4) 111 (22.8) 375 (77.2) 107 (22.0)
102 (25.3) 301 (74.7) 86 (21.3) 317 (78.7) 79 (19.9)
42 (50.6) 41 (49.4) 25 (30.1) 58 (69.9) 28 (33.7)
172 (76.5) 295 (60.7)
317 (80.1) 236 (58.6)
55 (66.3) 59 (71.1)
191 (39.3) 127 (26.2) 95 (19.6) 262 (54.1)
167 (41.4) 109 (27.2) 81 (20.2) 211 (52.6)
24 (28.9) 18 (21.7) 14 (16.9) 51 (61.4)
2.26 ± 0.90
2.19 ± 0.88
2.57 ± 0.93
−3.47
.001
50.49 ± 39.35 53 (10.9) 98 (20.2) 335 (68.9)
48.48 ± 38.38 44 (10.9) 85 (21.1) 274 (68.0)
60.27 ± 42.70 9 (10.8) 13 (15.7) 61 (73.5)
−2.33 1.31
.022 .520
Variables Personal characteristics Gender Age Education Type of job
Categories
Male Female 20~29 30~39 40~49 ≥50 Elementary Middle school High school Above college Domestic or caring staff Restaurant worker Manufacturing worker Construction worker Misc
