Studies conducted so far on the link between commute time and mental health among Koreans remain insufficient. In this study, we attempted to identify the relationship between commute time and subjective mental health using the 6^th Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS).

Self-reported commute time was divided into four groups: ≤ 30 (group 1), 30–60 (group 2), 60–120 (group 3), and > 120 minutes (group 4). Subjective depression was defined as a score of 50 points or less on the WHO-5 well-being index. Subjective anxiety and fatigue were defined as answering ‘yes’ to the questionnaire on whether they had experienced it over the past year. The analysis of variance, t-test, and χ² test was used to analyze the differences among the characteristics of the study participants according to commute time, depression, anxiety, and fatigue. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for depression, anxiety, and fatigue according to commute time were calculated using multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for sex, age, monthly income, occupation, company size, weekly working hours, and shift work status.

Long commute times showed increased ORs and graded increasing trends for depression, anxiety, and fatigue. The ORs for depression increased significantly in group 2 (1.06 [1.01–1.11]), group 3 (1.23 [1.13–1.33]), and group 4 (1.31 [1.09–1.57]) compared to group 1 (reference). The ORs for anxiety increased significantly in group 2 (1.17 [1.06–1.29]), group 3 (1.43 [1.23–1.65]) and group 4 (1.89 [1.42–2.53]). The ORs for fatigue increased significantly in group 2 (1.09 [1.04–1.15]), group 3 (1.32 [1.21–1.43]), and group 4 (1.51 [1.25–1.82]).

This study highlights that the risk of depression, anxiety, and fatigue increases with commute time.