Trends in Occupational Skin Disease among Korean Workers (2006—
2017): Insights Into Declining Prevalence and Demographic Shifts
Dublin Core
Title
Trends in Occupational Skin Disease among Korean Workers (2006—
2017): Insights Into Declining Prevalence and Demographic Shifts
2017): Insights Into Declining Prevalence and Demographic Shifts
Subject
epidemiology
Korean working conditions survey
occupational dermatitis
occupational skin disease
prevalence trend
Korean working conditions survey
occupational dermatitis
occupational skin disease
prevalence trend
Description
Occupational skin diseases (OSDs) are among the most common work-related illnesses and
impose a significant socioeconomic burden. While improvements in workplace environments have been
noted in the Republic of Korea over the past two decades, research investigating long-term trends in
OSD prevalence remains limited.
Methods: This study analyzed the 2006—2017 Republic of Korea Working Conditions Survey (KWCS)
data to examine temporal trends in self-reported 1-year prevalence of OSDs among Korean workers.
OSD was identified based on self-reported skin symptoms and perceived work-relatedness. Sociodemographic, occupational characteristics, and hazardous factor exposure were assessed using
descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and Pearson’s correlation.
Results: The self-reported 1-year prevalence of OSD significantly declined from 5.03% in 2006 to 0.67%
in 2017 (p < 0.001). Demographically, the proportion of older workers (≥60 years) among OSD cases
increased. OSD remained concentrated in small-scale workplaces and personal protective equipment
(PPE)-required occupations. Notably, 1-year OSD prevalence declined among those using PPE and
workers informed on occupational safety and health. Industrial shifts were observed, with a growing
proportion of cases in primary sectors such as agriculture and forestry, while prevalence declined in
manufacturing and construction. Despite these trends, the proportion of OSD cases exposed to high and
low temperatures and chemical skin contact increased over time.
Conclusion: Despite self-reported OSD’s overall decline in the Republic of Korea, emerging challenges
like increased exposure in vulnerable groups and shifts to higher-risk industries persist. Our findings
underscore the need for targeted prevention, continuous monitoring, and robust research to address
evolving occupational skin health
impose a significant socioeconomic burden. While improvements in workplace environments have been
noted in the Republic of Korea over the past two decades, research investigating long-term trends in
OSD prevalence remains limited.
Methods: This study analyzed the 2006—2017 Republic of Korea Working Conditions Survey (KWCS)
data to examine temporal trends in self-reported 1-year prevalence of OSDs among Korean workers.
OSD was identified based on self-reported skin symptoms and perceived work-relatedness. Sociodemographic, occupational characteristics, and hazardous factor exposure were assessed using
descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and Pearson’s correlation.
Results: The self-reported 1-year prevalence of OSD significantly declined from 5.03% in 2006 to 0.67%
in 2017 (p < 0.001). Demographically, the proportion of older workers (≥60 years) among OSD cases
increased. OSD remained concentrated in small-scale workplaces and personal protective equipment
(PPE)-required occupations. Notably, 1-year OSD prevalence declined among those using PPE and
workers informed on occupational safety and health. Industrial shifts were observed, with a growing
proportion of cases in primary sectors such as agriculture and forestry, while prevalence declined in
manufacturing and construction. Despite these trends, the proportion of OSD cases exposed to high and
low temperatures and chemical skin contact increased over time.
Conclusion: Despite self-reported OSD’s overall decline in the Republic of Korea, emerging challenges
like increased exposure in vulnerable groups and shifts to higher-risk industries persist. Our findings
underscore the need for targeted prevention, continuous monitoring, and robust research to address
evolving occupational skin health
Creator
Jong-Sun Park 1,q, Eun-Kee Park 2,q, Hee-Kyoo Kim 3
, Gil-Soon Choi 3,*
, Gil-Soon Choi 3,*
Source
https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com/287282/1-s2.0-S2093791125X00056/1-s2.0-S2093791125000630/main.pdf?X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEM%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FwEaCXVzLWVhc3QtMSJIMEYCIQCFHLeoOItBdsBIqlPuo%2BprSIVdr9TD8n6LsICdABVuQQIhAJy%2BGtw5zL2UDQ5%2BJhZkaf7if1bOgWN6MAhBUlskINjYKrwFCJj%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FwEQBRoMMDU5MDAzNTQ2ODY1IgyScpAqymsuuLI7g1YqkAXzYEwVZxE9GTJz4olzZm2uG%2BIwz4KPtJMn57taKIXQr4U53jqXNw4B19vN8tXXgdHJtOlDIKSOhW4bBHXWzZ5L8olVIkAk5h6q7ZLO1VB6MdcOEb9VTvFrUVyEVUEQuzrpZCsud1JRW0auJNQ2z5G%2BEj7qzYixlSOqiNN6WYPR0G5wphe8uimPbZMvMxy4LvqiLQ4njbBGdmPmcqt2vIPJZ1hk4VQOZ5fPGSGqn4OaoBsmGCCZwceliVGLS2ZBILLlTbm4c2wk%2FjvG4FwxF4TTqMi6i%2BxZEtVuaEB8l3rLJqaWXGXY4pO5u%2FsKF6UeKtT6geJbrERKb1%2FRIPYkHq4%2B34WVMIUpxXQWtDH%2BQfTfOENXWaw5h%2FjwZ2Ko7ZRSIJ1m0fxoG%2BJT%2FwFJAyKGAtrog%2BnaEYbmxK0fAfCY85Q%2BNi5rfv5%2F2Rx9PM%2FK4Rpxay7%2B2wBrCpRMqDXkgLS4SRCqhhtsq3sPSZbmeie%2FVxt%2FpPY05SoXh7SI1qSmgMBhnnHdWo%2FWdWGlnv%2FIpKQT5Z5fyaH6dH78PmrfMCuoEkDWRxkgOiDpZb0U3sdFpM6NFupfpDUjW2WfTZASZpyd38G4623y8RjTCo3XzOq5IG5AcWkAWeG30FMe0Y52GuB3GavIf047aN7rvNLpqhh%2F4PYlgoM65DxArGyswkXXFzqw%2BWKwhVtD7FulZRtD%2FvDKR1C49yhwSk599XxhjB6ygXazxVobpyXCdTt6lWiXJAItRlT%2FLoWnd%2F6Tx9TjlmDalFsAqnXpfYfrshLMCDXl4GVvGU7CmkjGr%2BinhF0UxSZWfYI7AohTdFn%2Bpsn6iJFwIBZ6ZBL6SzFh8inzHeMVre476HMLXDDSvn5OJ8JwPSDqxDDLj5rNBjqwAaXHAAAEKpwOiZHGhi%2BnaJM%2FrSNMlSvGrl5zbqGjmQQ55dfOG%2BfFiiV4uxEpzSyp7%2BpOQ027H2xAW%2F1soYdhzpTrRlSpYZy3jCMCF1U2obCU%2FUao2mtcE6wZ1z0WTsqiZkU02P9Y2P81nr3LWQ8DGFu%2BZLOnzI88lxY9KKQeQmzCNb1Ngyoo5YTCrqyxGIbPZPmKspnG2vdkyyRRQPqDi7khE93WIPobWDBAZ%2FRiuij2&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20260303T081017Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAQ3PHCVTYSXIOS5FW%2F20260303%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=08b7b45b5185ee5f8550a93152c0bd8c0d4aa7e2b07d1f70e8c6e3317bfcdde5&hash=61ed5fdf11fcc23f7c26777e4823525b2bae9a16e453b3bc1079fb6d7439ad2c&host=68042c943591013ac2b2430a89b270f6af2c76d8dfd086a07176afe7c76c2c61&pii=S2093791125000630&tid=spdf-8085b645-1f50-46f4-8579-e4d4618bbaac&sid=2ded17629244b949e60afc0450ecf4110ca9gxrqa&type=client&tsoh=d3d3LnNjaWVuY2VkaXJlY3QuY29t&rh=d3d3LnNjaWVuY2VkaXJlY3QuY29t&ua=0b015e065155535e06&rr=9d6729f289e26d12&cc=id
Publisher
1Organization & Budget Department, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, Ulsan, Republic of Korea 2Department of Preventive Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea 3Department of Internal Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea
Date
23 September 2025
Contributor
Fajar Bagus Wijanarko
Format
pdf
Language
english
Type
text
Files
Citation
Jong-Sun Park 1,q, Eun-Kee Park 2,q, Hee-Kyoo Kim 3
, Gil-Soon Choi 3,*, “Trends in Occupational Skin Disease among Korean Workers (2006—
2017): Insights Into Declining Prevalence and Demographic Shifts,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 11, 2026, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/12031.
2017): Insights Into Declining Prevalence and Demographic Shifts,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 11, 2026, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/12031.