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Korean Journal of Epidemiology 1995;17(2): 225-234.
The Comparison of the Somatization and Hypochondriacal Trends Between Labor Workers and Managerial Workers.
Chul Lee, Hee Sook Park, Won Chul Lee, Kwang Ho Meng
This study was designed to investigate the difference of somatization and hypochondriacal trends between labor workers and managerial workers. The subjects consisted of 302 workers who were employed at 13 small scale industries in a city of Kyung Kee province. Data collection was done from February 25, 1993 to March 10, 1993. Symptom Check List-90-Somatization(SCL) and Illness Attitude Scale(IAS) which are composed of self-report questionnares were used as measuring instruments. The results were as follows: 1. Mean scores of SCL-90-R-Somatization in labor workers were significantly higher than those in managerial workers and there were significant differences in 7 subscales (pain in heart or chest, nausea of upset stomach, muscle soreness, trouble breathing, hot or cold spells, numbness, lump sensation in throat between to two groups. 2. There was no significant difference in mean scores of illness attitude Scales between labor workers and managerial workers. However, among the subscale of IAS mean scores of "hypochondriacal beliefs" and "effects of symptom" in labor workers, the mean scores of IAS in labor workers were significantly higher than those in managerial workers. 3. When compared by educational level, middle school graduates and college graduates of labor workers showed significantly higher mean scores of SCL than those of managerial workers. 4. When compared by employment duration, labor workers who worked less than 5 years showed significantly higher mean of SCL and IAS than those of managerial workers. 5. There were no significant differences in mean scores of SCL and IAS between the levels of subjectively evaluated environmental conditions by the workers themselves of the illumination, organic solvent, noise and dust.


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