Occupational stress changes and new-onset depression among male Korean manufacturing workers

Jiho Kim; Hwan-Cheol Kim; Minsun Kim; Seong-Cheol Yang; Shin-Goo Park; Jong-Han Leem; Dong-Wook Lee

doi:10.35371/aoem.2023.35.e33

Occupational stress changes and new-onset depression among male Korean manufacturing workers

Ann Occup Environ Med. 2023 Aug 17:35:e33. doi: 10.35371/aoem.2023.35.e33. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Jiho Kim¹, Hwan-Cheol Kim^{1

2}, Minsun Kim¹, Seong-Cheol Yang^{1

2}, Shin-Goo Park^{1

2}, Jong-Han Leem^{1

2}, Dong-Wook Lee¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Inha University Hospital, Incheon, Korea.
² Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, Inha University, Incheon, Korea.

Abstract

Background: Studies on the association between occupational stress and depression have been frequently reported. However, the cross-sectional designs of studies limited insight into causal associations. In this study, we investigated the longitudinal association between occupational stress and new-onset depression among employees in a single manufacturing plant.

Methods: The annual health checkup data of employees at a manufacturing plant in Korea were collected. A total of 1,837 male employees without depression who completed a health checkup during two consecutive years were included. Occupational stress was measured using a short form of the Korea Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS-SF), and depression was assessed using a Patient Health Questionnaire-2. The association between occupational stress change over the two years and newly developed depression was investigated using two logistic regression models.

Results: Across all sub-factors of KOSS-SF, employees who reported increased occupational stress had a higher risk of new-onset depression. Newly developed depression was significantly associated with job demand (odds ratio [OR]: 4.34; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.37-7.96), job insecurity (OR: 3.21; 95% CI: 1.89-5.48), occupational climate (OR: 3.18; 95% CI: 1.91-5.31), lack of reward (OR: 2.28; 95% CI: 1.26-4.12), interpersonal conflict (OR: 2.14; 95% CI: 1.18-3.86), insufficient job control (OR: 1.93; 95% CI: 1.05-3.56), and the organizational system (OR: 1.84; 95% CI: 1.01-3.36).

Conclusions: For every sub-factor of the KOSS-SF, occupational stress increase and persistent high stress were associated with the risk of developing new-onset depression. Among the seven sub-factors, job demand had the most significant effect. Our results show that occupational stress should be managed to promote employee mental healthcare.

Keywords: Depression; KOSS; Occupational stress.