The association between perceived discrimination and depression/anxiety disorders among Korean workers: analysis of the third Korean Working Conditions Survey

Fear of the unknown: Experience of frontline healthcare workers with coping strategies used to face the COVID 19 pandemic

The COVID 19 pandemic presented various challenges among health care workers, one of them being the impact it has on mental health. The psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, insomnia and stress, all consequences of the pandemic cause psychopathological outcomes reverberating negatively on the emotional well-being of health care workers. This study aimed to explore the experience of frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic in a middle-income country in Latin America and to identify the coping mechanisms they used to face stressful situations during this time. A qualitative study based on an interpretative paradigm was conducted allowing to examine complex, ambiguous and emotionally loaded topics to explore in detail the experience of frontline HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through convenience sampling eleven frontline HCWs were recruited to participate in semi-structured interviews. An inductive analysis was done with four pre-established categories: the experience of HCWs during the attention of COVID-19 patients, the experience during their own infection, the experience during the work reintegration and the coping mechanisms used. Our results show that fear and uncertainty predominated throughout the attention of COVID-19 patients. Participants used both coping strategies based on problem-solving efforts, such as routine changes, and emotional management efforts, like social support or psychological counselling. The choice of coping strategies was influenced by their personal beliefs, past emotional experiences, and prior medical formation. These findings provide public and private institutions insight for creating effective policies, based on the HCWs' preferences, to promote their psychological well-being.

Performance-Based Pay System and Job Stress Related to Depression/Anxiety in Korea: Analysis of Korea Working Condition Survey

The adoption rate of performance-based pay systems has increased in recent years, and the adverse effects of systems have been emphasized. However, no study has analyzed the increase in the risk of depression/anxiety symptoms caused by the pay system in Korea. This study aimed to reveal the association between performance-based pay systems and symptoms of depression/anxiety, using data from the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey. Depressive/anxiety symptoms were assessed using "yes" or "no" questions regarding medical problems related to depression/anxiety. The performance-based pay system and job stress were estimated using self-response answers. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the association between performance-based pay systems, job stress, and symptoms of depression/anxiety using data from 27,793 participants. The performance-based pay system significantly increased the risk of the symptoms. Additionally, risk increments were calculated after grouping by pay system and job stress. Workers with two risk factors had the highest risk of symptoms of depression/anxiety for both sexes (male: OR 3.05; 95% CI 1.70-5.45; female: OR 2.15; 95% CI 1.32-3.50), implying synergistic effect of performance-based pay system and job stress on depression/anxiety symptoms. Based on these findings, policies should be established for early detection and protection against the risk of depression/anxiety.

The Association between Perceived Discrimination and Mental Health of Wage Workers with Disabilities: Findings from the Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled 2016–2018

Despite efforts to integrate society, persons with disabilities (PWD) still experience considerable discrimination. Therefore, this study examined the association between experiences of discrimination and stress/depressive symptoms in wage working PWD. This study used data from the Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled 2016–2018 in South Korea. This study included 1566 wage working PWD aged 15–64. The dependent variable was stress and depressive symptoms, and the independent variable was the experience of discrimination due to disability in daily life (Never, Rarely, Often, and Regularly) and the experience of discrimination at the workplace (0, 1, 2, ≥3). This study used a generalized estimating equations model to consider the repeated measurement data. Wage working PWD who experienced more discrimination in their daily life due to disability and at workplaces showed a higher odds ratio (OR) of stress and depressive symptoms than those who did not experience discrimination. As a result of the analysis including both discrimination experiences, those who always experienced discrimination due to disability in daily life had the highest OR to stress and depression (OR = 2.64, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.37–5.08; OR = 4.96, 95% CI: 2.58–9.56, respectively). According to the experience at workplaces, wage working PWD who faced discrimination by two factors (OR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.22–2.25) had the highest OR of stress, and those who experienced three or more factors had the highest OR of depressive symptoms (OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 0.83–2.11). Discrimination due to disability in daily life was more associated with the mental distress of working PWD than discrimination at workplaces. For the mental health of working PWD, not only policies or systems to eliminate discrimination in the workplace, but also overall social integration efforts based on improving awareness, are needed so that they do not experience discrimination in their daily life.

Effects of Wise Intervention on Perceived Discrimination Among College Students Returning Home From Wuhan During the COVID-19 Outbreak

At the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, college students returning home from Wuhan, Hubei Province, experienced various degrees of discrimination. This study first investigates perceived discrimination among college students returning home from Wuhan. Then, an experimental method is used to investigate the effectiveness of an intervention designed to reduce the perceived discrimination among those who returned to towns outside of Hubei Province. A total of 63 college students participated in the experiment. In the experimental group (N = 31), a wise intervention based on reading and writing was adopted to intervene in perceived discrimination among the participants. The results showed that the perceived discrimination among students returning from Wuhan to towns outside of Hubei Province was significantly higher than that among students returning to towns within Hubei Province. The wise intervention reduced the perceived discrimination in the experimental group but not in the control group. Further analysis found that perceived social support fully mediated the relationship between the intervention and perceived discrimination. These results provide insights on how the content of intervention (perceived social support) and the form of intervention (wise intervention) can prevent the occurrence of psychological problems in epidemic situations.

Depression Levels of State Functionaries: Empirical Evidence From China

This study aimed to explore the depression levels of those serving as state functionaries in China. We used data from the 2016 China Labor-force Dynamics Survey and the ordinary least squares model for the regression analysis. The results found: i) The degree of depression of state functionaries was found to be lower than that of other workers; that is, the overall depression index of state functionaries was 1.010 points lower, and the result was significant at the degree of 1%; ii) state functionaries had a lower degree of depression than workers in all other occupation groups; iii) older state functionaries had lower depression than their younger counterparts; iv) the degree of depression of state functionaries in the provinces involved in China's three major urban agglomerations was higher than that of those in other provinces; and v) the degree of depression of female state functionaries was lower than that their male peers. Thus, there is an association between serving as a state functionary in China and depression. State functionaries have lower levels of depression than other working groups. These levels were generally lower but varied according to age, sex, and province.

Psychosocial factors associated with symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder in general practitioners during the COVID-19 pandemic

Healthcare providers commonly experience symptoms of anxiety during public health crises and pandemics. The objective of the study was to identify the frequency of symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in general practitioners and to estimate the association with particular psychosocial and demographic factors. This is a cross-sectional study, where a total of 531 general practitioners completed an online form that contained sociodemographic variables, questions about fear and perceptions concerning medical work during the COVID-19 pandemic, 7-Item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), questionnaire on psychosomatic problems and Fear of COVID-19 Scale. The presence of symptoms of GAD was defined by a GAD-7 score of 10 or more points. Voluntary and anonymous participation, acceptance of terms, and informed consent were requested. A p value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Symptoms of GAD were identified in 4 out of 10 Colombian general practitioners; the following psychosocial and demographic factors were associated with a greater presence of these symptoms: female gender, social discrimination, anguish, job disappointment, nightmares, stress and other symptoms of fear regarding the pandemic. Conversely, feeling protected by the state or employer, being satisfied with their job as a physician, and trusting government measures and information were associated with a lower presence of symptoms of GAD. These findings highlight the importance of timely psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological interventions in these individuals. The authors suggest mental health providers should be deployed during times of crisis to decrease the risk of developing mental illness.

Association between workplace discrimination and depressive symptoms among firefighters in South Korea

BACKGROUND

Workplace discrimination is associated with poor mental health. However, there is a lack of studies examining the effects of discrimination on depressive symptoms among firefighters.

METHODS

We analyzed a national cross-sectional survey of 6369 firefighters in South Korea. Workplace discrimination during the past year was measured and main reasons for the discriminatory experience (gender, birth region, age, education, field/office work, job division) were identified separately by gender and job division. Depressive symptoms during the previous week were measured by the CES-D11.

RESULTS

Overall, 30.3% of firefighters experienced workplace discrimination and the main reasons for discrimination differed by gender and job division. Firefighters who experienced workplace discrimination had a higher likelihood of depressive symptoms than those who did not after adjusting for potential confounders (PR: 1.73; 95%CI: 1.55, 1.92).

CONCLUSIONS

This finding suggests that experience of workplace discrimination could aggravate the mental health of firefighters who provide an important public service.

Relationship of activities outside work to sleep and depression/anxiety disorders in Korean workers: the 4th Korean working condition survey

BACKGROUND

Sleep disorders and depression/anxiety disorders are long-standing and significant problem for mental health. Also there are already known so many negative health effect of these disorders. But there were few studies to examine the association between activities outside work and forementioned disorders. So this study aimed the association of those things by using the Republic of Korean data.

METHODS

Data from 32,232 wage workers were used in the 4th Korean Working Condition Survey. General and occupational characteristics, sleep disorders, depression/anxiety disorders and activities outside work are included in questionnaire. To find the relationship between activities outside work and sleep, depression/anxiety disorders, multivariate logistic regression analysis was used after adjusting for general and occupational characteristics.

RESULTS

We observed that volunteer activities increased the odds ratio of both sleep disorders and depression/anxiety disorders(Odds ratio[OR] = 1.35, 95% confidence interval[CI]: 1.03-1.78 and OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.29-1.84, respectively). And self-development activities increase the odds ratio of sleep disorders(OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.17-1.57). Gardening activities lowered the odds ratio of depression/anxiety disorders(OR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.59-0.94).

CONCLUSION

Some of activities outside work were related to sleep disorders and depression/anxiety disorders among Korean wage workers. Our results showed negative health effect of some kinds of activities outside work such as volunteering and self-devlopment compared to other studies that emphasized positive effect of those activities for health.

The association between perceived discriminations and well-being in Korean employed workers: the 4th Korean working conditions survey

Background

Around the globe, discrimination has emerged as a social issue requiring serious consideration. From the perspective of public health, the impact of discrimination on the health of affected individuals is a subject of great importance. On the other hand, subjective well-being is a key indicator of an individual’s physical, mental, and social health. The present study aims to analyze the relationship between Korean employed workers’ subjective health and their exposure to perceived discrimination.

Methods

The Fourth Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS, 2014) was conducted on a representative sample of the economically active population aged 15 years or older, who were either employees or self-employed at the time of interview. After removing inconsistent data, 32,984 employed workers were examined in this study. The data included general and occupational characteristics, perceived discrimination, and well-being. Well-being was measured through the WHO-Five index (1998 version). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between perceived discrimination and well-being.

Result

As a group, employed workers who were exposed to discrimination had a significantly higher likelihood of “poor well-being” than their counterparts who were not exposed to discrimination. More specifically, the workers exposed to age discrimination had an odds ratio(OR) of 1.51 (95% CI: 1.36–1.68), workers exposed to discrimination based on educational attainment had an OR of 1.43 (95% CI: 1.26–1.61), and workers exposed to discrimination based on employment type had an OR of 1.68 (95% CI: 1.48–1.91) with respect to poor well-being.

Furthermore, workers exposed to a greater number of discriminatory incidents were also at a higher risk of “poor well-being” than their counterparts who were exposed to fewer such incidents. More specifically, the workers with three exposures to discrimination had an OR of 2.60 (95% CI: 1.92–3.53), the workers with two such exposures had an OR of 1.69 (95% CI: 1.44–1.99), and the workers with one such exposure had an OR of 1.32 (95% CI: 1.20–1.45).

Conclusion

The present study found that discrimination based on age, educational attainment, or employment type put workers at a higher risk of “poor well-being,” and that the greater the exposure to discrimination, the higher the risk of poor well-being.