Dong-Wook Lee
Seoul National University · 医療専門職
研究室紹介
Professor Dong-Wook Lee's research lab focuses on environmental and occupational health, with a strong emphasis on the impacts of environmental exposures—such as microplastics, phthalates, and long working hours—on human health. The lab investigates the biological and behavioral mechanisms linking these exposures to chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and mental health conditions like depression. A key research direction involves assessing health-related productivity loss and lifestyle factors in working populations, particularly in the Korean context. The lab employs a multidisciplinary approach combining epidemiology, biomonitoring, and health risk assessment to inform public health policy.
Research Overview
Research Output Trend
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Selected Papers
15Recent studies have indicated potential health risks associated with microplastics (MPs) exposure, including alterations in blood coagulation homeostasis. This cross-sectional study aimed to quantitatively examine MPs in human blood and assess their association with coagulation markers. We recruited 36 healthy adults, collected whole blood samples, and analyzed MPs using Fourier-transform infrared (µ-FTIR) spectroscopy. Lifestyle factors related to MP exposure were assessed, such as the use of p
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between working hours and lifestyle behaviors using data from a large nationally representative panel survey. METHODS: We used the Korea Health Panel Study (KHPS) data from 2011 to 2014. Weekly working hours and lifestyle risk factors were assessed by questionnaires. Comparing to the reference group, the weekly working hours were 40 h per week, odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for smoking status, alcohol consumption status, and
This study aimed to investigate the degree of health-related productivity loss (HRPL) for common health conditions. A total of 4197 workers participated in a web-based questionnaire survey from January to February 2020. HRPL was measured using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire, and a difference in HRPL was calculated for each common health condition. The burden of productivity loss due to each health condition was calculated by the product of the difference in HRPL scor
Positive spillover in WLB showed a U-shaped association with depression. The degrees of positive and negative spillover in WLB among Korean women employees at baseline were associated with new incidence of depressive mood within 2 years. To prevent depression of female workers, more discrete and differentiated policies on how to maintain healthy WLB are required.
Long working hours are significantly associated with the risks of CHD and stroke, estimated by Jee's health risk-appraisal model. This study suggests the need for proper management of working hours to reduce CHD risk and stroke risk in the Korean population.
Phthalates are well-known endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Many detrimental health effects of phthalates were investigated, but studies on the association of phthalates with obesity in children showed inconsistent results. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to clarify whether prenatal and postnatal exposures to phthalates are associated with physical growth disturbances in children. We performed the systematic review and meta-analysis following the PRISMA 2020 statement
Bacterial biofilm residing in the oral cavity is closely related to the initiation and persistence of various dental diseases. Previously, we reported the anti-biofilm activity of Lactobacillus plantarum lipoteichoic acid (Lp.LTA) on a representative dental cariogenic pathogen, Streptococcus mutans . Since LTA structure varies in a bacterial strain-specific manner, LTAs from various L. plantarum strains may have differential anti-biofilm activity due to their distinct molecular structures. In th
Objectives We studied the association between long working hours and decreased kidney function, which was determined using estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), among the working population in South Korea. Methods We analysed nationally representative cross-sectional data for 20 851 Korean workers ≥20 years of age. A negative binomial regression model was used to test differences in the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 ) among workers divided into groups a
OBJECTIVES: We aimed to explore the association between long working hours and health-related productivity loss (HRPL), due to either sickness, absenteeism or presenteeism, stratified by household income level. METHODS: From January 2020 to February 2020, data were collected using a web-based questionnaire. A total of 4197 participants were randomly selected using the convenience sampling method. The nonparametric association between weekly working hours and HRPL was determined. Subsequently, a