Association among Working Hours, Occupational Stress, and Presenteeism among Wage Workers: Results from the Second Korean Working Conditions Survey

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was to identify the association between presenteeism and long working hours, shiftwork, and occupational stress using representative national survey data on Korean workers. METHODS: We analyzed data from the second Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS), which was conducted in 2010, in which a total of 6,220 wage workers were analyzed. The study population included the economically active population aged above 15 years, and living in the Republic of Korea. We used the chi-squared test and multivariate logistic regression to test the statistical association between presenteeism and working hours, shiftwork, and occupational stress. RESULTS: Approximately 19% of the workers experienced presenteeism during the previous 12 months. Women had higher rates of presenteeism than men. We found a statistically significant dose-response relationship between working hours and presenteeism. Shift workers had a slightly higher rate of presenteeism than non-shift workers, but the difference was not statistically significant. Occupational stress, such as high job demand, lack of rewards, and inadequate social support, had a significant association with presenteeism. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that long working hours and occupational stress are significantly related to presenteeism.

The relationship between working condition factors and well-being

OBJECTIVES: Working conditions can exert influence on the physical, mental, and even social health of workers. Well-being is an appropriate index for the evaluation of a person's overall health. This paper investigated the association between various working conditions and worker's well-being. METHODS: Data from 10,019 interviews were collected from the second wave of the Korean Working Conditions Survey (2010) conducted by the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency between June and October 2010. The data from 5,995 employed workers were examined in this study. Well-being was measured through the WHO Five Well-Being Index (1998 version). Sociodemographic and working conditions were analyzed. Adjusted odds ratios for well-being were calculated with adjusted sociodemographic factors, working condition factors, or both. RESULTS: Workers' well-being was significantly higher when they were satisfied with their working conditions (OR = 1.656, 95% CI = 1.454-1.885), when their actual working hours were the same as their anticipated working hours (OR = 1.366, 95% CI: 1.120-1.666) or exceeding less than 10 hours (OR = 1.245, 95% CI: 1.004-1.543), and when their employment was stable (OR = 1.269, 95% CI: 1.098-1.467). CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the association between working condition factors and well-being in workers.

Association between Workplace Risk Factor Exposure and Sleep Disturbance: Analysis of the 2nd Korean Working Conditions Survey

OBJECTIVES: Sleep is essential for human beings to live and work properly. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between occupational exposures to workplace risk factors and sleep disturbance in Korean workers. METHODS: The data were drawn from the second Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS); a total of 7,112 paid workers were analyzed. The independent variables were occupational exposures such as physical, chemical, biological, and psychosocial risk factor in the workplace, and psychosocial risk factor was divided into five categories (job demand, job control, social support, job insecurity, lack of reward). We estimated the relationship between various occupational exposures and sleep disturbance using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The results showed that people who exposed to physical, chemical, biological, and psychosocial (high job demand, inadequate social support, lack of reward) risk factors were more likely to increase the risk of sleep disturbance. Furthermore, after adjusting for general and occupational characteristics, we found significant positive associations between exposures to physical (odds ratios [OR] 1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-2.07) and psychosocial (high job demand (OR 2.93, 95% CI 2.16-3.98), inadequate social support (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.14-2.15), lack of reward (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.08-1.96)) risk factors and sleep disturbance. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that occupational exposures to physical and psychosocial workplace risk factors are significantly related to sleep disturbance.

Association between Long Working Hours and Suicidal Ideation / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between long working hours and suicidal ideation. METHODS: Data based on the fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Health and Nutrition Examination Survey_(2007~2009) pertaining to a total of 4,539 full-time workers were analyzed. Working hours were divided into four groups (60 hours/week). The relationship between working hours and suicidal ideation was then analyzed after adjusting for general and occupational characteristics using a multivariate logistic regression model. RESULTS: Working 40-51 hours/week showed the lowest suicidal ideation(9.5%), whereas working 52~59 hours/week, over 60 hours/week and less than 40 hours/week showed suicidal ideations of 14.8%, 15.7% and 17.2% respectively. Even after adjusting for general and occupational characteristics, employees working 40~51 hours/week had the lowest suicidal ideation. Working 52~59 hour/week, over 60 hours/week and less than 40 hours/week showed an odds ratios of 1.413(p-value: 0.058), 1.380(p-value: 0.020) and 1.164(p-value: 0.358) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that working long hours, especially over 60 hours per week, is related to suicidal ideation.