earticle

영어

Objectives: This study aims to examine the impact of work-related stress experienced by public health center staff during the COVID-19 pandemic on their perception of organizational justice. Based on these findings, it seeks to provide policy implications for improving human resource management and organizational practices within local infectious disease response systems. Methods: An online survey was conducted in November 2023 among 1,167 employees who participated in COVID-19 response efforts at 16 district health centers in Busan, South Korea. A total of 587 valid responses were analyzed. Survey items included work-related stress related to COVID-19, burnout, perceived organizational justice, experiences of depression, perceived stress, and general demographic characteristics. Statistical analyses included t-tests, ANOVA, correlation analysis, and linear regression. Results: The average score of work-related stress among health center staff was 4.50 on a 5-point scale, indicating high stress levels. Major stress factors included workload disparities across job categories, frequent changes in guidelines, and excessive overtime. Work-related stress showed a significant positive correlation with perceived organizational justice (β=.338, p<.001). Burnout (β=.213, p<.01), age, years of service, and experiences of depression also significantly influenced perceptions of organizational justice. Conclusions: The excessive workload, perceived unfair task distribution, and lack of adequate compensation among frontline public health workers during the pandemic negatively affected their sense of organizational justice. To strengthen infectious disease response systems, it is necessary to establish specialized teams within public health centers, expand staffing, implement fair compensation systems, and provide psychological support. This study offers empirical evidence to inform policy and improve the management of public health personnel in crisis situations.