[ 1 9 1] Enviro nme ntal Manage me nt
and He alth 8 / 5 [1997] 1 9 1 –1 9 2 © MCB Unive rs ity Pre s s [ISSN 0956-6163]
Psychosocial issues
Kazutaka Kogi
Ins titute fo r Sc ie nc e o f Labo ur, Kawas aki, Japan
Tsuyoshi Kawakami
Ins titute fo r Sc ie nc e o f Labo ur, Kawas aki, Japan
Introduction
P sych osocia l a sp ect s of occu p a t ion a l h ea lt h in t h e As ia -P a cifi c r e gion a r e in cr ea sin gly im p or t a n t a s in d u st r ia liza t ion p r oceed s in m a n y cou n t r ies in t h e Asia -P a cifi c. A n u m b er of fa ct or s r ela t in g t o occu p a t ion a l st r es s a r e a r is in g r eq u ir in g s olu t ion s in t h e loca l con -t ex-t . F ir s -t , loca l p eop le m ay fi n d i-t d ifficu l-t -t o a d ju st t h e t r a d it ion a l wor k in g life t o t h e m od -er n ized job t a sk s w h ich a r e oft en fr a gm en t ed a n d m a ch in ep a ced . N ew p r od u ct ion t ech -n ologies a -n d wor k sy s t em s a p p lied i-n -n ew ly em er gin g fa ct or ies m ay ca u s e st r es s for wor k er s. E ven a clea n a n d or d er ly wor k en v ir on -m en t -m ay in cr ea se t h e s t r es s of n ew wor k er s w h o a r e u s ed t o t h e t r a d it ion a l life s t y les. Secon d , it h a s b een w id ely k n ow n t h a t n ew ly in t r od u ced wor k sch ed u les su ch a s n igh t a n d sh ift wor k a n d over t im e wor k cou ld a dver s ely a ffect t h e fa m ily a n d s ocia l life of t h e wor k -er s. T h ir d , t h e in cr ea sin g op -er a t ion of m u lt i-n a t ioi-n a l com p a i-n ies h a s p r od u ced d iffer ei-n t cr os s-cu lt u r a l wor k en v ir on m en t s w h er e p eop le w h o h ave d iffer en t cu lt u r es a n d n or m s wor k t oget h er. T h is is com b in ed w it h t h e in t er a ct ion of n ew p r od u ct ion t ech n ologies w it h t h e p sych ologica l, s t r es s -en h a n cin g m ilieu of t h e loca l p eop le. Res ea r ch for es t a b -lis h in g cop in g st r a t e gies wor k a ble a s t o cu l-t u r a l fr icl-t ion s in l-t h es e cr os s-cu ll-t u r a l wor k en v ir on m en t s is t h u s u r gen t ly n eed ed .
Stress
Ch ava lit s a k u lch a i et a l. com p a r ed t h e p s ych o-s ocia l a o-s p ect o-s of fem a le wor k er o-s in a t ext ile fa ct or y a n d a p h a r m a ceu t ica l fa ct or y in T h a ila n d [1]. T h e st u dy s h ow ed t h a t t h e p h a r m a -ceu t ica l wor k er s h a d en cou n t er ed m or e m on ot on y a n d is ola t ion b eca u s e of t h e wor k con t en t , w h ile t h e t ext ile wor k er s h a d m or e la ck of con t r ol a n d s elf-r ea liza t ion . A m u lt ip le r e gr es s ion a n a ly sis r evea led t h a t t h e m u s cu -losk elet a l d iscom for t s of t h e t wo gr ou p s of wor k er s w er e r ela t ed t o t h eir p s ych osocia l in t er a ct ion s s u ch a s wor k con t en t , s ou r ce of p s ych o-s ocia l r ew a r d s a n d h om e s it u a t ion s. Kh a leq u e et a l[2]. in ves t iga t ed t h e effect s of p ollu t ed wor k in g con d it ion s on t h e q u a lit y of life of wor k er s in Ba n gla d es h a n d fou n d t h a t
t h e p ollu t ed wor k en v ir on m en t cou ld in cr ea se t h e a dver se p sych ologica l effect s of wor k er s’ v iew s on t h eir h ea lt h a n d w ell-b ein g of t h e wor k er s. T h e s t u dy com p a r ed t h e p sy -ch ologica l com p la in t s b et w een a p ollu t ed in d u st r y a n d a n on -p ollu t ed in d u st r y. T h e r esu lt s s h ow ed t h a t t h e wor k er s of t h e p ol-lu t ed in d u st r y su ffer ed m or e fr om h ea lt h p r oblem s a n d w er e les s sa t isfi ed w it h t h eir q u a lit y of life t h a n t h os e of t h e n on -p ollu t ed in d u st r y.
La m et a l. st u d ied t h e m en t a l h ea lt h a n d wor k st r es s in office wor k er s in H on g Kon g. Fem a les w er e m or e d issa t isfi ed w it h t h eir wor k en v ir on m en t . T h ey su gges t ed t h a t sa t isfa ct or y wor k con t ext a n d good wor k en v ir on -m en t w er e -m or e i-m p or t a n t for -m ost -m a les w h ile v u ln er a b ilit y of cop in g a b ilit ies w a s m or e im p or t a n t for fem a le wor k er s.
T h e m a ss h y st er ia e p id em ic t h a t occu r r ed in Sin ga p or e in 1973 is of p a r t icu la r in t er -est [4]. T h e ou t b r ea k occu r r ed a m on g som e fem a le wor k er s in a la r ge t elev ision a ssem bly fa ct or y. Clin ica lly, t wo t y p es of ca ses w er e ob ser ved : “s eizu r e”: ca ses w h o w en t in t o a v iolen t st r u ggle, sw in gin g t h e u p p er lim b s a n d k ick in g a b ou t ; a n d “fr igh t en ed ”: ca ses w h o com p la in ed of d izzin ess, n u m b n ess a n d fa in t n ess a n d d evelop ed a st a t e of a n xiet y. A sim ila r e p id em ic w a s a lso k n ow n in Ma lay sia a n d T h a ila n d . It is sa id t h a t b ot h cu lt u r a l fa ct or s a n d occu p a t ion a l fa ct or s m u st p lay a n im p or t a n t p a r t in t h e ca u se of su ch m a ss h y st er ia . It sh ou ld b e n ot ed t h a t m a ss h y st e-r ia h a s occu e-r e-r ed in a ssem bly -lin e sit u a t ion s, w h er e t h e wor k is m on ot on ou s a n d r e p et it ive a n d s h ou ld b e d iffer en t fr om t h e t r a d it ion a l wor k st y les fa m ilia r t o m ost of t h e wor k er s. As p r even t ive m ea su r es, t h e a u t h or st r essed t h e im p or t a n ce of t h e em p loyer s’ a t t en t ion t o t h e p sych ologica l m ilieu of t h eir wor k er s in a d d it ion t o p h y sica l or ch em ica l fa ct or s of t h e wor k en v ir on m en t .
Overtime work and absenteeism
An im p or t a n t st u dy on t h e r ela t ion sh ip b et w een over t im e wor k a n d a b sen t eeism w a s r e p or t ed fr om t h e Kla n g Va lley, Ma lay sia [5]. T h is r esea r ch w a s a im ed a t exa m in in g t h e p r eva len ce of sick n ess a b sen t eeism a m on g
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Kazutaka Ko gi and Ts uyo s hi Kawakami Curre nt re se arc h – Psyc ho so c ial issue s
Enviro nme ntal Manage me nt and He alth
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gover n m en t a l, s em gover n m en t a l a n d p r i-va t e com p a n ies. T h e r es u lt s s h ow ed t h a t t h e p r iva t e com p a n ies h a d h igh er r a t es of a b sen t eeism a n d s ign ifi ca n t ly in cr ea sed wor k los t t im e p er cen t a ges. Fem a les a ls o h a d sign ifi -ca n t ly h igh er s ick n ess a b sen ce r a t es in va r i-ou s wor k p la ces. It w a s n ot ed t h a t over t im e wor k w a s a ss ocia t ed m a r k ed ly w it h h igh er a b sen t eeis m in p r iva t e com p a n ies.
Kh a i con d u ct ed a t im ebu d get q u est ion n a ir e s t u dy on m a le sh ift wor k er s in a m ot or -cycle fa ct or y in T h a ila n d [6]. T h e r es ea r ch r evea led t h a t t h e over t im e wor k a n d wor k in g on t wo con t in u ou s s h ift s w er e com m on a m on g t h e s t u d ied wor k er s. Com p a r ed w it h t h e d ay wor k er s in t h e sa m e wor k p la ce, com -p la in t s of t h es e s h ift wor k er s con cer n in g t h e in con ven ien ce of a t t en d in g t h e s ocia l a ct iv i-t ies a n d i-t h e fa m ily -gei-t -i-t ogei-t h er, a s w ell a s ir r e gu la r s lee p a n d m ea l t im es, w er e h igh er.
Cultural dif ferences
Acceler a t ed u s e of im p or t ed or t r a n s fer r ed t ech n ologies n eed s in cr ea sin g a t t en t ion a b ou t t h e effect s of cr os s-cu lt u r a l d iffer en ces w h en t h e loca l p eop le a p p ly t h es e t ech n ologies [7]. It is p os sible t h a t p eop le h av in g d iffer en t cu lt u r a l b a ck gr ou n d s m ay h ave a d iffer -en t u n d er s t a n d in g of t h e s a m e sign s a n d in st r u ct ion s in t h eir wor k p la ces. Cou r t n ey [8] st u d ied t h e d iffer en ce of t h e p op u la t ion colou r s t er eot y p es b et w een Ch in ese a n d Am er ica n p eop le. T h e r es u lt s s h ow ed t h a t for con ce p t s s u ch a s go, off a n d s t op, t h e Ch in ese su b ject s d id n ot y ield su ch clea r cu t a s s ocia -t ion s a s -t h os e fou n d w i-t h US s u b jec-t s. E sp e-cia lly, t h e r ed colou r for d a n ger w a s n ot s o clea r for t h e Ch in es e p eop le. H e su gges t ed t h a t t h is m igh t b e b eca u s e r ed for Ch in ese p eop le m ea n s h a p p in es s a n d p r os p er it y.
As m a n y m u lt in a t ion a l com p a n ies est a b -lis h t h eir fa ct or ies in t h e Asia -P a cifi c, m or e a t t en t ion s h ou ld b e p a id t o t h e p sych o-s ocia l effect s of t h e cr os scu lt u r a l wor k en v ir on -m en t e-m er gin g in t h e -m u lt i-n a t ion a ls. Oh a sh i d es cr ib ed cr os s-cu lt u r a l fr ict ion s a m on g J a p a n ese a n d F ilip in o cr ew m em b er s on ocea n -goin g “fl a g of con ven ien ce” vess els [9]. T h e sa m e a u t h or n ot ed t h e im p or t a n t r oles of “p lay in gt oget h er ” s u ch a s p lay -in g ca r d s a n d s p or t s, or h old -in g b ir t h d ay p a r t ies for ea sin g t h e t en sion a n d b r ea k in g
t h e p s ych ologica l b a r r ier s in t h e cr oss-cu l-t u r a l wor k en v ir on m en l-t [10].
T h er e a r e n u m er ou s ot h er s t u d ies on p sy -ch ologica l fa ct or s a t wor k . It is im p or t a n t t o lea r n fr om en t er p r is e-level a n t i-st r ess p r ogr a m m es, in clu d in g in t er ven t ion s by occu p a t ion a l h ea lt h t ea m s, a n d fr om va r iou s exa m -p les of co-p in g st r a t e gies b ein g u n d er t a k en by m a n y wor k er s.
Refer ences
1 Ch ava lit s a k u lch a i, P. a n d Sh a h n ava z, H ., “St r es s a t wor k a n d life sit u a t ion a m on g fem a le in d u s t r ia l wor k er s : a p sych osocia l s t u dy r ela t ed t o m u s cu los k elet a l d isor d er s ”, in Won gp h a n ich , M. et a l. (E d s ), R esea rch Persp ec-tiv es in Occu p a tion a l H ea lth a n d E rgon om ics in A sia a n d Oth er Cou n tr ies, 1991, p p. 511-24. 2 Kh a leq u e, A. a n d E lia s, M.S., “In d u st r ia l p ollu
-t ion a n d q u a li-t y of life of wor k er s in Ba n gla d esh ”, J ou r n a l of H u m a n E rgolog y. Vol. 24, 1995, p p. 13-23.
3 La m , T.H ., On g, S.G., Won g, C.M., Lee, P.W.H . a n d Kleeven s, J .W.L., “Men t a l h ea lt h a n d wor k s t r es s in office wor k er s in H on g Kon g”, J ou r -n a l of Occu p a tio-n a l M ed ici-n e, Vol. 27, 1985, p p. 199-205.
4 P h oon , W.O., “P sych ogen ic (M a ss) illn ess or h y s t er ia , e p id em ic”, in E n cyclop a ed ia of Occu p a tion a l H ea lth a n d S a fety, 3r d ed ., In t er n a -t ion a l La b ou r Office, Gen eva , 1993, p p. 1800-02. 5 In d r a n , S.K., Ra m p a l, K.G. a n d Om a r, A.,
“Ab s en t eeis m in t h e wor k for ce, Kla n g Va lley, M a lay s ia – P r elim in a r y Re p or t ”, A sia -Pa cifi c J ou r n a l of Pu blic H ea lth , Vol. 8, 1995, p p. 109-13. 6 Kh a i, T.T., “F a ct or s r ela t ed t o t h e d is t u r b a n ce
in life a n d wor k of sh ift wor k er s in a m ot or cy -cle fa ct or y ”, T h e T h esis B ook for th e M a ster of Pr im a r y H ea lth Ca re M a n a gem en t in M a h id ol Un iv ersity, 1995, T h a ila n d .
7 Kogi, K. a n d Sen , R.N., “T h ir d Wor ld er gon om -ics ”, In ter n a tion a l R ev iew s of E rgon om -ics. Vol. 1, 1987, p p. 77-118.
8 Cou r t n ey, A.J ., “Ch in ese p op u la t ion st er eo-t y p es : color a ss ocia eo-t ion s ”, H u m a n Fa ceo-tors, Vol. 28, 1986, p p. 97-9.
9 Oh a sh i, N., “Cr oss cu lt u r a l con fl ict s in over s ea s wor k in g sit u a t ion s in Asia ”, in Pr oceed -in gs of th e In ter n a tion a l S ym p osiu m on E rgon om ics in Dev elop in g Cou n tr ies, J a k a r t a , 18-21, In t er n a t ion a l La b ou r Office, Gen eva , 1985.
