Abstract
The aim of this study was to discover ways to improve the functionality of health consultations by occupational physicians. A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted for 497 workers of a manufacturing plant. A standard partial regression coefficient was computed by multiple linear regression analysis, with the workers' perceived helpfulness of health consultations by occupational physicians as the dependent variable, and the basic attributes of subjects, occupational physicians' dedication, overtime hours, fatigue accumulation, and privacy protection as independent variables. Workers who felt that occupational physicians were dedicated and privacy protection was observed tended to feel that health consultations by occupational physicians were helpful. Blue-collar workers and workers without a family physician also felt that health consultations by occupational physicians were helpful. For health consultations by occupational physicians to work effectively, it is necessary to help workers realize the occupational physicians' dedication and to convey to the workers the absolute assurance of their privacy protection. It is also necessary to convey the importance of providing health consultations by occupational physicians for blue-collar workers and workers without a family physician.
