Current Situation and Issue of Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance

Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) has a history of about 50 yr, and is the oldest social insurance system in Korea. After more than 20 times of revision improvements in benefits, its contents and claim systems have been upgraded. It became the protector of injured workers and their families, and at the same time became the system which could cope with both financial burden of employers and their responsibilities. However, there are some issues to be reformed to upgrade the IACI: 1) the problems in the approval system of occupational diseases, 2) quality improvement of workers' compensation medical care, 3) vocational rehabilitation and return to work, 4) workers' compensation premiums and out-of-pocket money of injured workers, 5) issues in application of IACI. Growth of IACI cannot be achieved by an effort of an individual. Efforts by workers, owners, and government, in addition to physicians and welfare professionals toward the same goal are required for the next level improvement of IACI

Development of Korean Academy of Medical Sciences Guideline Rating the Physical Impairment; Kidney, Bladder, Urethra, Male and Female Reproductive Systems (Preliminary Report)

For the evaluation of the kidney impairment, serum creatinine concentrations or glomerular filtration rates are mainly used, and the conditions of solitary or transplanted kidney and chronic dialysis are also taken into the considerations. Some symptoms and signs of the chronic renal disability in spite of adequate treatment add one additional grade. For evaluating bladder and urethral impairment, the criteria include voiding symptoms and signs. The patients with urinary diversions have impairment grades depending on the alteration of upper urinary tract function. For penile impairment, the degrees are evaluated using the international index of erectile function, nocturnal penile tumescence and color doppler ultrasonography. For evaluating impairment of other male reproductive organs, functional and anatomical changes of these organs, analysis of the semen or hormones and the state of solitary testis are used as the criteria. For evaluating impairment of female reproductive organs, pregnancy potential, requirement of continuous treatment and the ability of sexual intercourse are used. Also, degree of impairment is modified according to the ages in evaluating female reproductive systems. We have tried to make this evaluation system objective, scientific, and convenient, but still find it leaving much to be desired

Cost-Benefit Analysis of Haemophilus Influenzae Type B Immunization in Korea

An economic evaluation of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) immunization was conducted to examine whether Hib immunization should be included in the Korea's national immunization program. The costs and benefits included direct and indirect values and an estimation of the economic efficiency. We determined that a universal Hib immunization program in Korea would prevent 17 deaths and 280 invasive Hib cases. When we assumed the one Hib immunization cost as 26,000 won, the national Hib immunization would cost 34.6 billion won. Costs for various Hib diseases were estimated at 26.8 billion won (11.8 billion won from direct costs and 14.9 billion won from indirect costs). A benefit-cost ratio of 0.77 showed that the economic efficiency of the integration of Hib immunization in Korea is low because of the low incidence rate of Hib disease and high price of vaccine. However, if the Hib immunization cost decrease to less than 20,000 won, a benefit-cost ratio increase to 1.0 and above, integrating Hib immunization into the national immunization program with economic efficiency can be considered

Hearing effects from intermittent and continuous noise exposure in a study of Korean factory workers and firefighters

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>South Korea and surrounding countries in East Asia are believed to have the highest proportion in the world of high frequency hearing loss due to occupational noise exposure, yet there has been limited information published in international journals, and limited information for control of noise in local workplaces beyond strategies from western countries. We exploit medical surveillance information from two worker groups to enhance local knowledge about noise-induced hearing loss and explore the possible importance of shift work to risk.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Four-years of hearing data were evaluated for 81 male farm machine factory workers and 371 male firefighters who had successfully completed a health examination and questionnaires for the duration of the study period. The averages of hearing thresholds at 2, 3, and 4 kHz were used as the primary end-point for comparison. Repeat measure analysis adjusted for age, exposure duration and smoking status was used to measure the difference in hearing threshold between the two groups.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Noise levels were measured in the factory at a mean of 82 dBA, with a range of 66-97. No concurrent measurements were taken for the firefighters, but historic comparison values showed a wider range but a similar mean of 76-79 dBA. Although losses during follow-up were negligible, the factory workers had significantly (<it>P </it>< 0.0001) more hearing loss at the baseline of the study than the firefighters in both ears at 2, 3, and 4 kHz, adjusted for age, duration of employment and smoking status. Among those with 10 years of employment, mean losses at these frequencies among the factory workers fell into the impairment range (> 25 dB loss). Firefighters also showed increased losses associated with longer exposure duration, but these were significantly less marked. Losses at lower frequencies (< or = 1 kHz) were negligible in both groups.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Korean work environments with continuous noise exposure in the measured range should consider implementation of a hearing conservation program. Further evaluation of hearing loss in workers exposed to irregular or intermittent high noise levels, such as firefighters, is also warranted.</p

Occupational Infection in Korea

Occupational infection is a human disease caused by work-associated exposure to microbial agents through human and environmental contact. According to the literature, occupational infection was the third leading cause of occupational disease (861 cases, 8.0%), and health care, agricultural, forestry, and fishery workers were risk groups in Korea. In addition, most high-risk groups have not been protected by workers' compensation, which could lead to underestimation of the exact spectrum and magnitude of the problem, and may also result in a lack of development and implementation of occupational infection management. Through a review of national guidelines and documentations on prevention and control of occupational infection, a management strategy would promote adherence to worker safety regulations if it is explicit with regard to the agent and mode of infection in each of the high-risk groups