Suyoung Kwon

Suyoung Kwon is an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing at George Mason University. She has experience as an occupational health nurse in U.S. manufacturing companies in South Korea and holds certifications in ergonomics and industrial hygiene. She earned her Ph.D. in Nursing Science and Nursing Science Statistics from the University of Washington, where she specialized in research on musculoskeletal disorders among workers in both the manufacturing and health care industries.

Before joining GMU, she was a National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) Fellow and a Health and Aging Policy Fellow at the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Her research focuses on occupational health, including working conditions related to musculoskeletal disorders, access to paid sick leave, employment of people with disabilities, the health care workforce, workforce-related policies, and social determinants of health.

Research Interests

Occupational health encompassing working conditions related to musculoskeletal disorders or access to paid sick leave; employment of people with disabilities; the health care workforce; workforce-related policy; and social determinants of health.

Selected Publications

• Kwon, S., & Lee, S. J. (2023). Underreporting of work-related low back pain among registered nurses: A mixed method study. American journal of industrial medicine, 66(11), 952–964. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.23530
• Kwon, S., de Castro AB, Herting JR, Lee SJ, Johnson K, Bao S. (2023) Job satisfaction and job security as moderators in the relationships among job demands, musculoskeletal symptoms, and work performance. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 96(4), 607–619. doi: 10.1007/s00420-023-01955-y.
• Kwon, S., Lee, S. J., Bao, S., de Castro, A. B., Herting, J. R., & Johnson, K. (2023). Interaction between physical demands and job strain on musculoskeletal symptoms and work performance. Ergonomics, 66(1), 34–48.https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2022.2055153'
• Nam, S., Kwon, S., & Lee, S. J. (2022). Differences in employment, job characteristics, and work-related perceptions by sociodemographic factors among registered nurses of diverse race/ethnicity. Nursing outlook, 70(5), 737–748. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2022.05.014
• 'Byun, E., McCurry, S. M., Kim, B., Kwon, S., & Thompson, H. J. (2022). Sleep Disturbance and Self-management in Adults With Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Qualitative Study. Clinical nursing research, 31(4), 632–638. https://doi.org/10.1177/10547738211064036
• Kwon, S., Lee, S. J., de Castro, A. B., Herting, J. R., Bao, S., & Johnson, K. (2021). Identifying an Optimal Cut-Off Point for Musculoskeletal Pain in the Upper Extremities to Prevent Lowered Work Performance. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine, 63(11), 985–991. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0000000000002292

Professional Affiliations

• Member, American Board for Occupational Health Nurses
• Member, American Association for Occupational Health Nurses

Degrees

• PhD, Nursing (Nursing Science Statistics), University of Washington
• MPH, Industrial and Community Health Nursing, The Catholic University of Korea 
• BSN, Nursing Science, Kyungpook National University