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Laza R, Lustrea A, Lazureanu VE, Marinescu AR, Nicolescu N, Herlo A, Cut TG, Porosnicu TM, Papava I, Romosan RS, Romosan AM, Bondrescu M, Dimeny CZ, Nica-Bacaiteanu CB, Andor M, Dehelean L. Untangling the Professional Web: Understanding the Impact of Work-Related Factors on the Mental Health of Healthcare Professionals During the Late Stages of Covid-19 Pandemic. J Multidiscip Healthc 2023; 16:2391-2404. [PMID: 37609050 PMCID: PMC10441651 DOI: 10.2147/jmdh.s424563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic has determined an extraordinary challenge to healthcare systems worldwide. The extraordinary circumstances, characterized by elevated stress levels, prolonged working hours, new medical procedures, media attention, and high population expectations, have created an extremely stressful situation for healthcare professionals. This period has offered a unique opportunity to examine the medical system and the responses of healthcare practitioners to stress. This research aimed to identify the work-related factors that significantly impact the mental health of healthcare professionals. Patients and Methods Three mental health variables were assessed: anxiety, depression and stress. The work-related factors considered were professional degree, type of medical unit (COVID or non-COVID), the number of hours spent at work in a single shift, type of shifts, monthly on-call frequency, and number of COVID-19 treated patients per month. In the spring of 2022, three inventories and a demographic survey were distributed and completed online by 300 healthcare professionals from Timisoara's public hospitals in Romania. Results Among the respondents, 47.7% reported mild symptoms of anxiety, 65.3% reported moderate levels of stress, and 33% of the participants reported mild symptoms of depression. The intensity of anxious, depressive, and stress symptoms varied significantly depending on the professional degree, number of on-calls per month, the type of medical unit where the participants worked, and the number of SARS CoV-2 patients treated in the previous month. Conclusion Current data underlines the urgency of implementing effective strategies to reduce the stress and anxiety of medical practitioners who work with COVID-19 patients. Possible interventions encompass a variety of approaches, such as improving working conditions, reducing working hours where possible, increasing access to mental health services, and promoting team-building activities to enhance social support among colleagues. Digital mental health interventions, including online counseling and stress management programs, have also shown promise in these challenging times. Sustaining the mental health of medical practitioners is vital to support the continued provision of first-rate care to patients and to build a resilient healthcare workforce capable of navigating future health crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruxandra Laza
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Anca Lustrea
- Department of Educational Sciences, University Clinic of Therapies and Psycho-Pedagogical Counseling, West University of Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Voichita Elena Lazureanu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Adelina Raluca Marinescu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Narcisa Nicolescu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Alexandra Herlo
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Talida Georgiana Cut
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
- Doctoral School Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
- Center for Ethics in Human Genetic Identifications, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Tamara Mirela Porosnicu
- Doctoral School Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
- Intensive Care Unit, Victor Babes Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases and Pneumophtisiology Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Ion Papava
- Department of Neurosciences-Psychiatry, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Radu Stefan Romosan
- Department of Neurosciences-Psychiatry, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Ana-Maria Romosan
- Department of Neurosciences-Psychiatry, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Mariana Bondrescu
- Doctoral School Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania
- Department of Neurosciences-Psychiatry, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Cristian Zoltan Dimeny
- Department of Psychiatry, Timis County Emergency Clinical Hospital Pius Brinzeu, Timisoara, Romania
| | | | - Minodora Andor
- Department of Medical Semiology II, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania
- Multidisciplinary Heart Research Center, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Liana Dehelean
- Department of Neurosciences-Psychiatry, Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania
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Wiesli TX, Przepiorka W. Does Living in a Protected Area Reduce Resource Use and Promote Life Satisfaction? Survey Results from and Around Three Regional Nature Parks in Switzerland. SOCIAL INDICATORS RESEARCH 2023; 169:341-364. [PMID: 37649831 PMCID: PMC10462571 DOI: 10.1007/s11205-023-03164-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Regional nature parks in Switzerland are, for the most part, protected areas that aim to promote sustainable development and residents' well-being. In recent years, research on regional nature parks and comparable protected areas has focused on questions regarding local populations' acceptance of such areas, their governance, and their economic effects. However, we know surprisingly little about the impact of protected areas on environmental resource use and life satisfaction, two essential ingredients of sustainable regional development. In this study, we survey people living in and around three regional nature parks in Switzerland on their resource use and life satisfaction (gross sample n = 3358). We propose a novel measurement of resource use based on vignettes describing different lifestyles, which we validate against the carbon footprint obtained for a subsample of our respondents. With these indicators, using multiple regression analyses, we test several hypotheses derived from the literature on the relationship between resource use and life satisfaction in and around protected areas. Contrary to our expectations, we do not find differences in resource use or life satisfaction, or the relationship between resource use and life satisfaction, across park and non-park regions. We discuss potential explanations for our findings and their implications for nature park authorities and future study designs. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11205-023-03164-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thea Xenia Wiesli
- Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Physical activity (PA) influences the risk of depression associated with long working hours. J Affect Disord 2023; 321:227-233. [PMID: 36334760 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.10.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Growing evidences showed that long working hours is associated with depression epidemic, but few studies investigate whether physical activity (PA) could modify the risk of depression associated with long working hours, which was the purpose of the present study. METHODS A cross-sectional data obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015-2018. According to the criteria of International Labour Organization, long working hours was defined as >40 h/wk. The Nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to identify depression. Binary logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were used to estimate the associations between long working hours and depression, furthermore to estimate the association of PA. RESULTS 5958 participants were included in the study. The results indicated that 3074 (51.6 %) of participants worked >40 h/wk. The prevalence of depression was 7.7 %. Logistic regression analysis indicated a positive association between long working hours and depression [OR = 1.738, 95 CI (1.427, 2.117)], and the results were still robust after controlling other confounding factors. RCS models indicated that the high intensity PA group had the lowest risk of depression, followed by low intensity PA group and no PA group. CONCLUSION Long working hours probably be associated with depression, while PA can modify the risk to some degree.
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Relationships Among Pay-for-Performance, Work Stressors, and Depression in Sales Workers: A Structural Equation Model Analysis. J Occup Environ Med 2022; 64:1018-1024. [PMID: 35902366 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000002627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine whether pay-for-performance (PFP) affects depression via work stressors. METHODS This study used data from self-administered questionnaires obtained from 1160 sales workers, and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (covariance structure analysis). Models included "long hour labor condition (LHLC)," which consisted of the number of working hours, hours worked per month, service overtime, and increase or decrease in working hours; seven work stressors; and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. RESULTS According to the final model (CFI = 0.950, RMSEA = 0.035), PFP worsened LHLC (standardized total effect [STE] = 0.357) and improved job control (STE = 0.108), and although slightly, exacerbated depression via other work stressors (STE = 0.051). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest the need for measures to avoid prolonged overwork to prevent worsening of employee mental health when introducing or implementing PFP.
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Park JW, Kang MY, Kim JI, Hwang J, Choi SS, Cho SS. Influence of coexposure to long working hours and ergonomic risk factors on musculoskeletal symptoms: an interaction analysis. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e055186. [PMID: 35568498 PMCID: PMC9109086 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-055186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study explores the interaction between ergonomic risk factors and long working hours on musculoskeletal symptoms by additive and multiplicative scales. DESIGN We used the data of the fifth Korean Working Condition Survey (KWCS). The KWCS is a cross-sectional study. SETTING To represent the entire Korean working population, the probability proportion stratified cluster sampling method was used. The face-to-face interview was carried out with a structured questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES To assess the combined effect of ergonomic risk factors and long working hours on musculoskeletal symptoms, the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) and the ratio of ORs were calculated using multiple survey-weighted logistic analysis and postestimation commands. RESULTS The OR for musculoskeletal symptoms was 1.75 (95% CI 1.28 to 1.39) for exposure to long working hours, 3.49 (95% CI 3.06 to 3.99) for exposure to ergonomic risk factors and 5.07 (95% CI 4.33 to 5.93) for coexposure to long working hours and ergonomic risk factors. The RERI was 0.82 (95% CI 0.11 to 1.53) and the ratio of ORs was 0.83 (95% CI 0.50 to 1.14) CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that coexposure to both ergonomic risk factors and long working hours has a supra-additive interaction effect on musculoskeletal symptoms. Regulations on working hours and workplace interventions might reduce the musculoskeletal diseases of workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong Woo Park
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea
| | - Mo-Yeol Kang
- Department of Occupational and Environment Medicine, Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jung Il Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea
| | - JongHyun Hwang
- Department of Occupational and Environment Medicine, Dong-A University Hospital, Busan, South Korea
| | - Seong-Soo Choi
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Seong-Sik Cho
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea
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Health and occupation: the limits to older adults' work hours. AGEING & SOCIETY 2022. [DOI: 10.1017/s0144686x22000411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
More people are working into older age, raising questions about how many hours they can work before their health becomes compromised. This paper models work-hour tipping points for mental health and vitality among older Australian workers aged 50–70 years. We use longitudinal data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, 2005–2016 (about 44,900 observations), and bootstrapping Three Stage Least Squares (3SLS) estimation techniques to adjust for reverse and reciprocal relationships between wages, work hours and health. Our approach corrects for heteroscedasticity in the system equation error terms, and we estimate models on the relatively healthy older adults who have remained employed into older age. Among these older workers we observe weekly thresholds of 39–40 hours beyond which mental health and vitality decline. This average, however, hides variability in work-hour limits linked to overall health and occupation. Thus, weekly tipping points for blue- and pink-collar jobs are 7–9 hours lower compared to white-collar jobs, and even wider gaps (11 hours) are apparent for workers with poorer physical functioning, which becomes common as people age. Our modelling reveals that age is not the biggest limiting factor for how many hours older adults can work, rather their health and the types of jobs are critical, and likely widen the gap in who ages successfully or not.
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Doan T, LaBond C, Banwell C, Timmins P, Butterworth P, Strazdins L. Unencumbered and still unequal? Work hour - Health tipping points and gender inequality among older, employed Australian couples. SSM Popul Health 2022; 18:101121. [PMID: 35607355 PMCID: PMC9123274 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Could working into older age offer women an opportunity to ‘catch up’ their careers and redress their financial disadvantage in retirement? This is a period of relative ‘unencumbrance’ from childrearing, potentially freeing women's time for more paid work. Here, we examine whether women aged 50 to 70 are able to increase their workhours, and what happens to their mental health, vitality and wealth. We used a representative household-based panel of employed older Australians (the HILDA survey). The longitudinal bootstrapped 3SLS estimation technique adjusted for reciprocal relationships between wages, workhours, and health, modelled in the context of domestic work time. We found that, relative to their same-aged male counterparts, older women spent 10 h more each week on domestic work, and 9 h less on work that earned income. When women sought to add more paid hours on top of their unpaid hours, their mental health and vitality were impaired. Men were typically able to maintain their workhours and health advantage by spending fewer hours each week on domestic work. Unable to work longer without trading-off their health, and paid less per hour if they did so, our analysis questions whether working into older age offers women a road out of inequality and disadvantage. Does working into older age offer women an opportunity to ‘catch up’ with menthanks to ‘unencumbrance’ from childrearing? We examine whether women aged 50 to 70 are able to increase their workhours, and what happens to their mental health and vitality. Older women spent 10 h more each week on domestic work, and 9 h less on work that earned income. When adding more paid hours on top of their unpaid hours, older women's mental health and vitality were impaired. Our analysis questions whether working into older age offers women a road out of inequality and disadvantage.
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Han S, Ko Y, Moon JE, Cho YS. Working hours are closely associated with depressive mood and suicidal ideation in Korean adults: a nationwide cross-sectional study. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23102. [PMID: 34845294 PMCID: PMC8630033 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02574-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Long working hours have been presumed to negatively influence health. However, evidence is lacking regarding any associations of working hours with depressive mood or suicidal ideation. We investigated the relationships of working hours with depressive mood and suicidal ideation in a representative sample of the Korean general population. We analyzed data collected by the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys VI and VII (2013–2018). Depressive mood and suicidal ideation were identified through self-reporting. We divided participants into four groups according to weekly working hours: 30–40, 41–50, 51–60, and > 60 h/week. Sampling weights were applied to obtain estimates for the general Korean population. We analyzed 14,625 participants, of whom 5383 (36.8%), 4656 (31.8%), 2553 (17.5%), and 2033 (13.9%) worked 30–40, 41–50, 51–60, and > 60 h/week, respectively. In these groups, 3.6%, 4.4%, 5.2%, and 6.3% of the participants reported depressive mood, while 1.8%, 1.9%, 2.2%, and 3.6% reported suicidal ideation. In multiple regression analyses, compared with the 30–40 h/week group, the adjusted odds ratios of the 41–50, 51–60, and > 60 h/week groups for depressive mood were 1.35 (1.08–1.69), 1.5 (1.14–1.97), and 1.6 (1.19–2.14). A similar trend was evident for suicidal ideation (odds ratios 1.16 [0.82–1.63], 1.48 [0.99–2.21], and 2.29 [1.53–3.42]). Long working hours are significantly associated with depressive mood and suicidal ideation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangsoo Han
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, 170 Jomaru-ro, Bucheon, 14584, Republic of Korea
| | - Yujin Ko
- Department of Psychiatry, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, 170 Jomaru-ro, Bucheon, 14584, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Eun Moon
- Department of Biostatistics, Clinical Trial Center, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, 170 Jomaru-ro, Bucheon, 14584, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Soon Cho
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, 170 Jomaru-ro, Bucheon, 14584, Republic of Korea.
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Jeong NR, Lee SH, Kim YJ, Lee JG, Yi YH, Tak YJ, Hwang HR, Kim GL, Lee SY, Cho YH, Park EJ, Lee YI, Choi JI. Association between Near Work Time and Depression among Workers in South Korea. Korean J Fam Med 2021; 42:390-394. [PMID: 34607415 PMCID: PMC8490170 DOI: 10.4082/kjfm.20.0217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between near work time and depression. METHODS Data of 1,551 workers aged 19-49 years from the sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were examined. The Patient Health Questionaire-9 scores were used to screen for depression. Participants who scored a total of 10 or above, which is suggestive of the presence of depression, were classified as the depression group; the rest were classified as normal. The correlation between daily near work time and depression was analyzed using multivariate logistic analysis after adjusting for other sociodemographic and health behavior-related variables. RESULTS Multivariate logistic analysis found that workers with 3 or more hours of near work were more likely to report depression compared to the reference group who had 2 or fewer hours per day of near work (adjusted odds ratio, 2.471; 95% confidence interval, 1.062-5.747). CONCLUSION Longer near work time was associated with depression among South Korea's workers. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce near work time to prevent depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Rae Jeong
- Department of Family Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea
| | - Seung Hun Lee
- Department of Family Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea
| | - Yun Jin Kim
- Department of Family Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea
- Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea
| | - Jeong Gyu Lee
- Department of Family Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea
- Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea
| | - Yu Hyeon Yi
- Department of Family Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea
- Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea
| | - Yougn Jin Tak
- Department of Family Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea
- Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea
| | - Hye Rim Hwang
- Department of Family Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea
| | - Gyu Lee Kim
- Department of Family Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea
| | - Sang Yeoub Lee
- Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea
- Department of Family Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Korea
| | - Young Hye Cho
- Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea
- Department of Family Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Korea
| | - Eun Ju Park
- Department of Family Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Korea
| | - Young In Lee
- Department of Family Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Korea
| | - Jung In Choi
- Department of Family Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Korea
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Lee E, Kim Y, Lee H. Association between depression or sleep problems and working time mismatch among Korean workers. Perspect Psychiatr Care 2021; 57:1331-1339. [PMID: 33230877 DOI: 10.1111/ppc.12694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed to investigate the relationship between South Korean workers' working time mismatches and their depression and sleep disorders. DESIGN AND METHODS This study used raw data from the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS), which sampled 50,205 workers. FINDINGS The risk of occurrence of sleep problems among workers was shown to be proportional to actual working time. The risk of occurrence of depression increased along with the degree of working time mismatch. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS To improve the health and welfare of workers, making a policy and labor culture that relieve working time mismatch is important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunmi Lee
- Department of Nursing, Hoseo University, Asan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Yujeong Kim
- College of Nursing, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Haeyoung Lee
- Red Cross College of Nursing, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Long working hours and depressive symptoms: moderation by gender, income, and job status. J Affect Disord 2021; 286:99-107. [PMID: 33714177 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long working hours can be a risk factor for poor mental health; however, little is known about the potential factors moderating their relation. This study investigates the association between working hours and depressive symptoms, and explores the potential moderating effect of gender, income level, and job status on this association using a nationally representative sample of working population in South Korea. METHODS Data of 7,082 workers aged 19 years or above were obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES) conducted in 2014, 2016, and 2018 in South Korea. Working hours were categorized into 35-39, 40, 41-52, 53-68, and ≥69 hours/week. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). RESULTS Individuals working ≥69 hours/week were more likely to have moderate to severe depressive symptoms compared to those working 40 hours/week. The association between longer working hours and depressive symptoms was especially prominent in female workers, standard wage workers, and workers with low income levels. We observed significant partial mediation pathways between working hours and PHQ-9 scores through both perceived usual stress level and self-rated health in the total sample. LIMITATIONS The cross-sectional design of the study limits causal interpretation of the findings. CONCLUSION Working longer than the legal upper limit of 52 hours/week puts workers at a greater risk for depression. Females, low-income workers, and wage workers are more vulnerable to the negative consequences of long working hours on mental health.
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Mayama M, Sekine M, Onodera Y, Suemitsu T, Maeda Y, Nakano K, Sugita Y, Ogura J, Ohsuga T, Kodera C, Murakami T, Kido M, Suzuki Y, Shibata A, Nishijima K, Umazume T, Nakagawa S, Unno N, Komatsu H, Shozu M, Enomoto T, Watari H. Attitudes toward overtime work and self-training: A survey on obstetricians and gynecologists in Japan. J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2021; 47:1666-1674. [PMID: 33691346 DOI: 10.1111/jog.14735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AIM The Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan proposed a regulation of overtime work as a reform in work style. However, the regulation may deteriorate the quality of medical services due to the reduction in training time. Thus, the study aimed to reveal perceptions in terms of generation gaps in views on self-training and overtime work, among members of the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (JSOG). METHODS A web-based, self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted among members of the JSOG. In total, 1256 respondents were included in the analysis. Data were collected on age, sex, experience as a medical doctor, location of workplace, work style, the type of main workplace, and number of full-time doctors in the main workplace. The study examined the attitudes of the respondents toward overtime work and self-training. The respondents were categorized based on experience as a medical doctor. RESULTS According to years of experience, 112 (8.9%), 226 (18.0%), 383 (30.5%), 535 (42.6%) doctors have been working for ≤5, 6-10, 11-19, and ≥ 20 years, respectively. Although 54.5% of doctors with ≤5 years of experience expected the regulation on working hours to improve the quality of medical services, those with ≥20 years of experience expressed potential deterioration. After adjusting for covariates, more years of experience were significantly related with the expectation of deterioration in the quality of medical services. CONCLUSIONS The study revealed a generation gap in the views about self-training and overtime work among obstetricians and gynecologists in Japan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michinori Mayama
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Masayuki Sekine
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
| | - Yohei Onodera
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Tokumasa Suemitsu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kameda Medical Center, Kamogawa, Japan
| | - Yuto Maeda
- Center for Maternal-Fetal, Neonatal and Reproductive Medicine, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazutoshi Nakano
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan
| | - Yosuke Sugita
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jumpei Ogura
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takuma Ohsuga
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Chisato Kodera
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Takashi Murakami
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Michiko Kido
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Japanese Red Cross Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukio Suzuki
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Ayako Shibata
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yodogawa Christian Hospital, Osaka, Japan
| | - Koji Nishijima
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
| | - Takeshi Umazume
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Nakagawa
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Nobuya Unno
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Komatsu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tottori University School of Medicine, Yonago, Japan
| | - Makio Shozu
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takayuki Enomoto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
| | - Hidemichi Watari
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
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Inoue Y, Yamamoto S, Stickley A, Kuwahara K, Miyamoto T, Nakagawa T, Honda T, Imai T, Nishihara A, Kabe I, Mizoue T, Dohi S. Overtime Work and the Incidence of Long-term Sickness Absence Due to Mental Disorders: A Prospective Cohort Study. J Epidemiol 2021; 32:283-289. [PMID: 33518590 PMCID: PMC9086305 DOI: 10.2188/jea.je20200382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Methods Results Conclusion
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Andrew Stickley
- Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry
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Lee WT, Lim SS, Kim J, Yun S, Yoon JH, Won JU. Work Schedule Irregularity and the Risk of Work-Related Injury among Korean Manual Workers. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17207617. [PMID: 33086683 PMCID: PMC7589804 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17207617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Work schedules comprise various variables and generate health and safety outcomes, including work-related injury, which causes socioeconomic problems, such as productivity loss and damage to worker health. We investigated the association between work schedule irregularity and the incidence of work-related injury among South Korean manual workers using data from the 5th Korean Working Conditions Survey. In total, 18,330 manual workers were included. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to understand the association between work schedule and work-related injury and the influence of sufficient safety information and work schedule on work-related injury. We calculated the influence of an irregular work schedule on occupational injury after controlling for personal and work environment-related factors. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for work-related injury was 1.66 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32–2.09) for an irregular work schedule. The interaction had an additive effect when the work schedule was irregular, even when sufficient safety information was provided. Manual workers had a higher incidence of injury (2.1%). Even in adjusted analyses, work schedule irregularity conferred greater risks of work injury, particularly when not working the same number of days weekly (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.21–1.90). Policymakers and health professionals need to consider the impact of work schedule irregularity on worker safety and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Won-Tae Lee
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea; (W.-T.L.); (S.-S.L.); (J.K.); (S.Y.)
- The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea;
| | - Sung-Shil Lim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea; (W.-T.L.); (S.-S.L.); (J.K.); (S.Y.)
- The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea;
| | - Jihyun Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea; (W.-T.L.); (S.-S.L.); (J.K.); (S.Y.)
| | - Sehyun Yun
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea; (W.-T.L.); (S.-S.L.); (J.K.); (S.Y.)
- The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea;
| | - Jin-Ha Yoon
- The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea;
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea
| | - Jong-Uk Won
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea; (W.-T.L.); (S.-S.L.); (J.K.); (S.Y.)
- The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Korea;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-2-2228-1579
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Long Hours' Effects on Work-Life Balance and Satisfaction. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 2019:5046934. [PMID: 31341900 PMCID: PMC6612405 DOI: 10.1155/2019/5046934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Purpose In this study, we examined whether the associations between working hours, job satisfaction, and work-life balance are mediated by occupational stress. In addition, we tested whether perceived time control helps moderate the effects of working hours and occupational stress. Methodology Questionnaires were administered to 369 respondents working in the high-tech and banking industries. Analyses were then conducted on the data. Findings The analysis revealed significant correlations between long working hours and both occupational stress and work-life balance, as well as between occupational stress and both work-life balance and job satisfaction. In addition, the relationship between working hours and occupational stress exhibited a significantly positive interaction with perceived time control. Value The results indicate the importance of giving workers greater control over working hours. We therefore recommend that labor laws should be revised as necessary to prevent excessive working hours and enhance work-time flexibility.
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Wong K, Chan AHS, Ngan SC. The Effect of Long Working Hours and Overtime on Occupational Health: A Meta-Analysis of Evidence from 1998 to 2018. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:E2102. [PMID: 31200573 PMCID: PMC6617405 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16122102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2019] [Revised: 06/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
There has been no subsequent meta-analysis examining the effects of long working hours on health or occupational health since 1997. Therefore, this paper aims to conduct a meta-analysis covering studies after 1997 for a comparison. A total of 243 published records were extracted from electronic databases. The effects were measured by five conditions, namely, physiological health (PH), mental health (MH), health behaviours (HB), related health (RH), and nonspecified health (NH). The overall odds ratio between long working hours and occupational health was 1.245 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.195-1.298). The condition of related health constituted the highest odds ratio value (1.465, 95% CI: 1.332-1.611). The potential moderators were study method, cut-point for long weekly working hours, and country of origin. Long working hours were shown to adversely affect the occupational health of workers. The management on safeguarding the occupational health of workers working long hours should be reinforced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kapo Wong
- Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Alan H S Chan
- Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - S C Ngan
- Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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17
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Depressive Symptoms among Industrial Workers in Vietnam and Correlated Factors: A Multi-Site Survey. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16091642. [PMID: 31083499 PMCID: PMC6539422 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16091642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Depressive disorders have been found to be a significant health issue among industrial workers, resulting from work-related factors and causing serious burdens for the workers as well as their employers. Literature on mental health problems of Vietnamese industrial workers has been limited, despite the rapid foreign investment-fueled industrialization process of the country. This study aimed to fill the gap in literature by examining the prevalence of depressive disorders and their potential associated factors among a cohort of Vietnamese industrial workers. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 3 industrial areas in Hanoi and Bac Ninh. A total of 289 workers agreed to participate in the study. Generalized linear mixed models were applied to identify associated factors with depression status of respondents. 38.6% of participants reported suffering depression. Factors found to be positively associated with the possibility of having depression and higher PHQ9 score were long working hours, suffering more health problems, and health hazards exposure at work. Meanwhile, being females, having more children, living with parents, engaging in smoking, and being local workers were found to correlate with lower likelihood of being depressed. The findings suggested the importance of regular health screening, work safety assurance, and social support outside of workplace on the mental health of the workers.
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Kim H, Jang TW, Kim HR, Lee S. Evaluation for Fatigue and Accident Risk of Korean Commercial Bus Drivers. TOHOKU J EXP MED 2018; 246:191-197. [PMID: 30487372 DOI: 10.1620/tjem.246.191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Many Korean bus drivers work long hours, which causes fatigue and increased risk of accidents during driving. Their fatigue due to long working hours may cause a significant accident accompanied by injuries of the general population. The present study aimed to evaluate the fatigue and accident risk in Korean commercial bus drivers. The subjects were 16 city and express bus drivers with various work schedules: 2 shifts (2 shifts in a day), WR (duty-off), W2R (duty-duty-off), and W4R2 (duty-duty-duty-duty-off-off). We measured the subjects' heart rate in their workplace during their work and calculated relative heart rate (RHR) and maximum acceptable work time (MAWT), the maximum amount of time for which workers can sustain their workload without physical fatigue. Fatigue and risk index, which is a tool for assessing the risk from fatigue in the safety critical workers, was calculated using the subjects' work schedule. RHR ranged from 9.7 to 21.8% and MAWT was shorter than each subject's actual work hours. Fatigue (45.2-54.4) and risk indices (1.8) were high in WR schedule, which were higher than recommended value (30-35 for fatigue index and < 1.6 for risk index). According to these findings, Korean bus drivers worked long hours beyond their physical abilities, and the fatigue and risk indices were high, especially in WR schedule. It is necessary to prepare the policies to reduce the fatigue and accident risk in the Korean bus drivers including regulation for bus drivers' driving time restriction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hogil Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine
| | - Tae-Won Jang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine
| | - Hyoung-Ryoul Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea
| | - Seyoung Lee
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea
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Lee JG, Kim GH, Jung SW, Kim SW, Lee JH, Lee KJ. The association between long working hours and work-related musculoskeletal symptoms of Korean wage workers: data from the fourth Korean working conditions survey (a cross-sectional study). Ann Occup Environ Med 2018; 30:67. [PMID: 30524733 PMCID: PMC6276142 DOI: 10.1186/s40557-018-0278-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background It has been reported that long working hours are hazardous to the workers’ health. Especially, work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) have been considered as one of the significant health issues in workplace. The objective of this study was to identify the association between long working hours and work-related musculoskeletal symptoms. Methods The analysis was conducted using data from the Fourth Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS). Subjects of this study were 24,783 wage workers and divided into three groups according to the weekly working hours, which were ≤ 40, 41–52 and > 52 h. The relationship between long working hours and work-related musculoskeletal symptoms was analyzed by multivariate logistic regression method after adjusting for general, occupational characteristics including specific working motions or postures and psychosocial factors. Results Approximately 18.4% of subjects worked more than 52 h per week and 26.4 and 16.4% of male subjects and 33.0 and 23.4% of female subjects experienced work-related upper and lower limb pains, respectively, over the last 12 months. Moreover, the prevalence of upper and lower limb pain was increased in both genders as the weekly working hours increased. The odds ratios (ORs) of upper limb pain for those working 41–52 h and more than 52 h per week when adjusted for general, occupational characteristics including specific motions or postures and psychosocial factors were 1.36 and 1.40 for male workers and 1.26 and 1.66 for female workers compared to the reference group, respectively. Furthermore, ORs of lower limb pain for the same weekly working hour groups were 1.26 and 1.47 for male workers and 1.20 and 1.47 for female workers, respectively. Conclusions Long working hours were significantly related to work-related musculoskeletal symptoms in Korean wage workers and appropriate interventions should be implemented to reduce long working hours that can negatively affect workers’ health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae-Gwang Lee
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Guang Hwi Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sung Won Jung
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sang Woo Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - June-Hee Lee
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Kyung-Jae Lee
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
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20
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Wan WH, Antonucci TC, Birditt KS, Smith J. Work-Hour Trajectories and Depressive Symptoms among Midlife and Older Married Couples. WORK, AGING AND RETIREMENT 2018; 4:108-122. [PMID: 29610672 PMCID: PMC5877471 DOI: 10.1093/workar/wax028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Life course theories highlight the importance of understanding psychological health of aging individuals in context. Work and marriage are influential contexts in later life that are increasingly relevant because both spouses of many households work and individuals are delaying retirement. Although there is extensive literature on predictors of depressive symptoms, incorporating life course histories of work and social contexts has been a critical omission in the aging and health field. This study identifies couples' work trajectories as a function of husband's and wife's weekly work hours and examines the link between couple work-hour trajectory membership and individual depressive symptoms. Data are from 1641 married couples who participated in the 1998-2012 waves (ages 51-89) of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Findings revealed six distinct subgroups of work-hour trajectories among couples and that membership in these subgroups was associated with depressive symptoms. Retiring husbands with wives who continued to work and wives who worked minimally throughout the years (regardless of whether their husbands worked or retired) reported more depressive symptoms than other subgroups. These results suggest that work trajectories themselves, beyond current health status, may carry differential psychological health risk. Moreover, several sociodemographic and life course factors in 1998 were significant predictors of trajectory membership. These findings provide insight into midlife factors that may influence work trajectories (and the potential health risk) through to older adulthood. They suggest that a life course examination of work and social contexts is needed for a greater understanding of individual and couple health development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wylie H Wan
- Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Road - L606, Portland, OR 97239
| | - Toni C Antonucci
- University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research, 426 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1248
- University of Michigan, Department of Psychology, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Kira S Birditt
- University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research, 426 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1248
| | - Jacqui Smith
- University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research, 426 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1248
- University of Michigan, Department of Psychology, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
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21
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Ahn S. Working hours and depressive symptoms over 7 years: evidence from a Korean panel study. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2017; 91:273-283. [PMID: 29138936 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-017-1278-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aims to examine how working hours influence depressive symptoms and the association between working hours and depressive symptoms differently across genders. METHOD The sample consists of salaried workers aged 25-64 years who participated in two consecutive waves of the seven-wave Korean Welfare Panel Study (2007-2013) (n = 6813 individuals, 27,986 observations) which is a survey of a nationally representative sample of the South Korean population. I apply logit regression and fixed-effects logit regression to examine the causal relation between (intra-)individual changes of working hours and depressive symptoms over a 7-year period. RESULTS Results from logit model and fixed-effects logit model show that less than 30 h of work per week and more than 60 h of work per week are associated with significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms. Sex-stratified analyses reveal that women who worked over 60 h per week were at increased risk of showing depressive symptoms compared with women who worked 30-40 h per week. No significant increase in depressive symptoms was seen in men who worked more than 60 h per week. However, men working less than 30 h per week are more likely to report higher levels of depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that work arrangement affects the mental health of men and women differently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seoyeon Ahn
- National Pension Research Institute, 180 Giji-ro, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do, Korea.
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22
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Nakata A. Long working hours, job satisfaction, and depressive symptoms: a community-based cross-sectional study among Japanese employees in small- and medium-scale businesses. Oncotarget 2017; 8:53041-53052. [PMID: 28881792 PMCID: PMC5581091 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.18084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Although long working hours have been suspected to be a risk factor for depressive symptoms (DS), it is not well understood the conditions under which long working hours are associated with it. This study investigated the moderating effect of job satisfaction on the relationship between working hours and DS. A total of 2,375 full-time non-shift day workers (73% men), aged 18-79 (mean 45) years, in 296 small- and medium-scale businesses were surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire evaluating working hours, job satisfaction, DS and covariates. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D) was used to assess DS. Risk of DS (CES-D ≥ 16) by working hours, job satisfaction, and both combined was estimated by multivariable logistic regression analysis. Compared to participants working 6-8 hrs/day, those working 12+ hrs/day had significantly higher odds of DS (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.49), while participants with low satisfaction, as opposed to high satisfaction, had increased odds of DS (aOR 1.81). Furthermore, compared to those working 6-8 hrs/day with high satisfaction (reference group), participants working 6-8 hrs/day, > 8 to 10 hrs/day, and > 10 hrs/day combined with low satisfaction had dose-response increase of DS (aOR 1.48, 2.21 and 2.31, respectively, p < 0.05), whereas those working > 8 to 10 hrs/day and > 10 hrs/day combined with high satisfaction had not (aOR 0.93 and 1.39, respectively, p > 0.10). The results suggest that long working hours are associated with increased risk of DS only under reduced job satisfaction condition, which highlights the importance of improving job satisfaction, particularly among those working excessive hours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akinori Nakata
- School of Health Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
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Park JW, Park JS, Kim S, Park M, Choi H, Lim S. The association between long working hours and hearing impairment in noise unexposed workers: data from the 5th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES 2010-2012). Ann Occup Environ Med 2016; 28:55. [PMID: 27761267 PMCID: PMC5054599 DOI: 10.1186/s40557-016-0140-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study is aimed at finding out the relationship between long working hours, one of major job stress elements, and hearing impairment in unexposed workers to occupational and environmental noise. METHODS This study was performed on 1628 regular, full-time wage workers between the age of 25-64 who indicated in the survey of having no experience of exposure to noise, normal otoscopic findings, and not suffering from diabetes based on the data from the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES 2010-2012). The average working hours per week was categorized into 40 h and lower group, more than 40 to 48 h group, more than 48 to 60 h group, and more than 60 h group. The groups were defined as suffering from low or high frequencies hearing impairment if the average hearing threshold for 0.5, 1, 2 kHz or 3, 4, 6 kHz in both ears exceeds 25 dB based on the pure tone audiometry. The association between average weekly working hours and hearing impairment was analyzed using logistic regression after gender stratification. RESULTS The prevalences of low and high frequencies hearing impairment in male workers were 4.3 and 28.6 %, respectively, which were much higher than female's prevalence of 2.7 and 11.1 %. For male workers, no significant association was found between average weekly working hours and low and high frequencies hearing impairment. For female workers, odds ratios (OR) of low and high frequencies hearing impairment were 4.22 (95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.09-16.27) and 4.49 (95 % CI 1.73-11.67), respectively, after controlling for several related factors, such as, age, Body Mass Index (BMI), socio-economic status, health-related behavioral, and occupational characteristics variables, in the final model in the group working more than 60 h compared to the group working 40 h and lower. In addition, a dose-response relationship was observed that ORs of low and high frequencies hearing impairment were increased according to increasing average weekly working hours. CONCLUSIONS The association between long working hours and hearing impairment in both low and high frequencies was significant in Korean female workers with a dose-response relationship. Therefore, the law to change the culture of long working hours should be enacted in order to protect the workers' health and improve the quality of life in Korean workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Woo Park
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jin-Soo Park
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seyoung Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Minkyu Park
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyunrim Choi
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea ; Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sinye Lim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Kyung Hee University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea ; Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
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Van Aerden K, Puig-Barrachina V, Bosmans K, Vanroelen C. How does employment quality relate to health and job satisfaction in Europe? A typological approach. Soc Sci Med 2016; 158:132-40. [PMID: 27135543 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2015] [Revised: 03/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/15/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The changing nature of employment in recent decades, due to an increased emphasis on flexibility and competitiveness in European labour markets, compels the need to assess the consequences of contemporary employment situations for workers. This article aims to study the relation between the quality of employment and the health and well-being of European workers, using data from the 2010 European Working Conditions Survey. A typology of employment arrangements, mapping out employment quality in the European labour force, is constructed by means of a Latent Class Cluster Analysis. This innovative approach shows that it is possible to condense multiple factors characterising the employment situation into five job types: Standard Employment Relationship-like (SER-like), instrumental, precarious unsustainable, precarious intensive and portfolio jobs. Binary logistic regression analyses show that, controlling for other work quality characteristics, this employment quality typology is related to self-perceived job satisfaction, general health and mental health. Precarious intensive jobs are associated with the worst and SER-like jobs with the best health and well-being situation. The findings presented in this study indicate that, among European wage workers, flexible and de-standardised employment tends to be related to lower job satisfaction, general health and mental health. The quality of employment is thus identified as an important social determinant of health (inequalities) in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Van Aerden
- Interface Demography, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 5, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Vanessa Puig-Barrachina
- Interface Demography, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 5, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Health Information Systems Unit, Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Pl. Lesseps 1, 08023 Barcelona, Spain; Health Inequalities Research Group (GREDS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Plaça de la Mercè 10-12, 08002 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Kim Bosmans
- Interface Demography, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 5, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Christophe Vanroelen
- Interface Demography, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 5, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; Health Inequalities Research Group (GREDS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Plaça de la Mercè 10-12, 08002 Barcelona, Spain.
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Kim JH, Yoon J, Kim SS. Association between Long Working Hours and Depressive Symptoms among Interns and Residents in South Korea-2014 Korea Interns & Residents Survey. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.15269/jksoeh.2015.25.2.236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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26
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Milner A, Smith P, LaMontagne AD. Working hours and mental health in Australia: evidence from an Australian population-based cohort, 2001-2012. Occup Environ Med 2015; 72:573-9. [PMID: 26101295 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2014-102791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2014] [Accepted: 05/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This paper assesses the impact of working less than or more than standard full-time hours on mental health, as well as possible differences in this relationship by gender and skill level. METHODS The study design was a longitudinal cohort with 12 annual waves of data collection over the period 2001-2012, yielding a sample of 90,637 observations from 18,420 people. Fixed effects within-person regression was used to control for time invariant confounding. The Mental Component Summary of the Short Form 36 (SF-36) measure was used as the primary outcome measure. Working hours over the preceding year was measured in five categories with standard full-time hours (35-40 h/week) as the reference. RESULTS Results indicated that when respondents were working 49-59 h (-0.52, 95% CI -0.74 to -0.29, p<0.001) and 60 h or more (-0.47, 95% CI -0.77 to -0.16, p=0.003) they had worse mental health than when they were working 35-40 h/week (reference). The difference in mental health when working 49-59 h was greater for women than for men. There were greater declines in mental health in relation to longer working hours among persons in higher compared to lower occupational skill levels. CONCLUSIONS Study results suggest the need for employers and governments to regulate working hours to reduce the burden of mental ill health in the working population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Milner
- Population Health Strategic Research Centre, School of Health & Social Development, Deakin University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia The McCaughey Vichealth Centre for Community Wellbeing, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, the University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter Smith
- Institute for Work & Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Victoria, Australia Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - A D LaMontagne
- Population Health Strategic Research Centre, School of Health & Social Development, Deakin University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia The McCaughey Vichealth Centre for Community Wellbeing, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, the University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Is sickness presenteeism a risk factor for depression? A Danish 2-year follow-up study. J Occup Environ Med 2015; 56:595-603. [PMID: 24854252 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000000177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the prospective association between sickness presenteeism (SP), that is, working while ill, and the onset of depression. METHODS We carried out a two-wave (2006 to 2008) questionnaire-based study among 1271 employees from 60 Danish workplaces. Sickness presenteeism was assessed by asking participants to report the number of days that they went to work despite illness in the preceding year. RESULTS Multivariate logistic regression revealed that, after controlling for several health-related variables and other relevant confounders, reporting 8 or more days of SP was associated with an increased risk of depression among initially nondepressed participants (odds ratio, 2.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.06 to 5.64). No significant sex-related differences were observed in this relationship. CONCLUSION Adding to previous evidence on the health effects of SP, this study suggests that working while ill may also be a significant risk factor for the development of depression.
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Jang TW, Kim HR, Lee HE, Myong JP, Koo JW, Ye BJ, Won JU. Overwork and cerebrocardiovascular disease in Korean adult workers. J Occup Health 2014; 57:51-7. [PMID: 25410266 DOI: 10.1539/joh.14-0086-oa] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Long work hours and overwork may increase the cardiovascular load of workers. But long work hours and overwork are not the same. Cardiovascular overload from working is dependent on the physical demand of the work and the worker's physical fitness, as well as the working hours. This cross-sectional study was designed to identify the association between overwork and cerebrocardiovascular disease, taking into account the physical demand of work, physical fitness, and work hours. METHODS Study data were obtained from surveillance of occupational cerebrocardiovascular disease. Questionnaire surveys including general and work-related characteristics were conducted. Maximum acceptable work time was estimated using the physical work demand and physical fitness of the subjects. The overwork index, which was the ratio of maximum acceptable work time and actual work hours of the subjects, was calculated. RESULTS In the workers with a moderate or high physical demand of work, the adjusted odds ratios for overwork indexes of 1.01-1.20, 1.21-1.50, and >1.50 were 2.679 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.025-6.999), 3.124 (95% CI 1.111-8.783), and 4.331 (95% CI 1.719-10.908), respectively. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that the risk of cerebrocardiovascular disease might be high in the workers with long working hours, high physical demand of work, and poor physical fitness engaged in work with a moderate to high physical work demand. Work hours should be accommodated according to the worker's physical fitness and the physical demand of work, and this could lower the risk of cerebrocardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae-Won Jang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea
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