Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Research Article

Anxiety symptoms and occupational stress among young Korean female manufacturing workers: Kang Ho Lee, Chang Ho Chae, Young Ouk Kim, Jun Seok Son, Ja-Hyun Kim, Chan Woo Kim, Hyoung Ouk Park, Jun Ho Lee, Young Saeng Jung; Ann Occup Environ Med 2015;27:24. Published online November 14, 2015; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40557-015-0075-y

Background

The prevalence of anxiety disorders has been increasing in South Korea, with recent studies reporting anxiety disorders as the most common mental disorder among all South Korean females. Anxiety disorders, which are independent risk factors of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, are significantly correlated with productivity loss, high medical costs, impaired work performance, and frequent worker absence, and thus are potentially serious problems affecting the health of South Korean female workers. In previous studies, anxiety disorders were shown to have a significant correlation with occupational stress. This study seeks to examine the prevalence of anxiety symptoms as well as the relationship between occupational stress and anxiety symptoms among South Korean female manufacturing workers.

Methods

A structured self-reported questionnaire was administered to 1,141 female workers at an electrical appliance manufacturing plant. The questionnaire collected data on general characteristics, health behaviors, sleep quality, job characteristics (shift work, shift work schedule, and job tenure), occupational stress, and anxiety symptoms. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, occupational stress with the Korean Occupational Stress Scale-Short Form (KOSS-SF), and anxiety symptoms with the Korean version of the Beck Anxiety Inventory. A chi square test was conducted to determine the distribution differences in anxiety symptoms based on general characteristics, health behaviors, job characteristics, and sleep quality. A linear-by-linear association test was used to determine the distribution differences between anxietysymptoms and the levels of occupational stress. Last, logistic regression analysis was used in order to determine the association between occupational stress and anxiety symptoms.

Results

The prevalence of anxiety symptoms was 15.2 %. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis that adjusted for sleep quality and general characteristics, a significantassociation was found for those with anxiety disorders; the odds ratios (OR) were significantly higher the greater the total KOSS-SF score (moderate-risk group OR=2.85, 95 % CI=1.79–4.56; high-risk group OR=5.34, 95 % CI=3.59–7.96). In addition, excluding insufficient job control, all other KOSS-SF subscales were significantly associated with anxiety symptoms, and a relatively high OR was seen in the high-risk group for job demand (OR=3.19, 95 % CI=2.27–4.49), job insecurity (OR=4.52, 95 % CI=2.86–7.13), and occupational culture (OR=4.52, 95 % CI=2.90–7.04).

Conclusion

There was a significant association between anxiety symptoms and occupational stress stemming from the psychosocial work environment among these South Korean female manufacturing workers. Future longitudinal studies are needed to examine the association between the occupational stress caused by the psychosocial work environment and the incidence of anxiety disorders and anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, intervention programs that aim to address the prevalence of anxiety symptoms and improve the psychosocial work environment, especially for younger female manufacturing workers, are needed.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

The relationship between human error and occupational stress of commissioning workers in nuclear power plants: the mediating effects of anxiety
Yuan Kuang, Shuicheng Tian, Guangli Li, Dejun Zhao, Tao Qing
Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology.2024; 61(8): 1126. CrossRef
Sleep quality and sleep-related issues in industrial workers: a global meta-analysis
Sohrab Amiri
International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics.2023; 29(1): 154. CrossRef
Sleep, chronotype, and quality of life of shift duty workers in tertiary care center of Saurashtra
NiravB Chanpa, BhavinkumarN Kadavala, Parveen Kumar, DhruvkumarS Patel, NiranjanL Patel, DeepakS Tiwari
Journal of SAARC Psychiatric Federation.2023; 1(1): 29. CrossRef
Psychosocial work factors affecting mental health of young workers: a systematic review
Malte van Veen, Karen M. Oude Hengel, Roosmarijn M. C. Schelvis, Paulien M. Bongers, Johannes C. F. Ket, Allard J. van der Beek, Cécile R. L. Boot
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health.2023; 96(1): 57. CrossRef
Work motivation associated with depression: The role of job burnout and mental resilience
Xueping Meng, Dong Yang
Current Psychology.2023; 42(23): 19584. CrossRef
How Job Stress and Psychological Adaptation Predicting Interpersonal Needs Among Female Migrant Manufacturing Workers in China: A Structural Equation Model
Rongxi Wang, Xiaoyue Yu, Hui Chen, Fan Hu, Chen Xu, Yujie Liu, Shangbin Liu, Lian Jin, Ming Li, Yong Cai
Safety and Health at Work.2023; 14(2): 222. CrossRef
Factors associated with symptoms of poor mental health among women factory workers in China’s supply chain
K. K. Sznajder, S. D. Harlow, J. Wang, L. Tso, Y. Ashagre, C. Han
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health.2022; 95(6): 1209. CrossRef
Online Religious Involvement, Spiritual Support, Depression, and Anxiety during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Jieun Yoo
Religions.2022; 13(11): 1052. CrossRef
COVID-19 and mental health: Anxiety disorders among immigrants due to COVID-19 outbreak in South Korea
Shiva Raj Acharya, Deog Hwan Moon, Jin Ho Chun, Yong Chul Shin
The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine.2022; 57(4): 323. CrossRef
The effectiveness of workplace health promotion program in reducing work-related depression, anxiety and stress among manufacturing workers in Malaysia: mixed-model intervention
Ahmad Fairuz Mohamed, Marzuki Isahak, Mohd Zaki Awg Isa, Rusli Nordin
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health.2022; 95(5): 1113. CrossRef
Correlation between Occupational Stress and Coronary Heart Disease in Northwestern China: A Case Study of Xinjiang
Wu-Hong Lu, Wen-Qian Zhang, Fei Sun, Ya-Ting Gao, Yun-Juan Zhao, Ji-Wen Liu, Yi-Tong Ma, Muhuyati, Peng Bao
BioMed Research International.2021; 2021: 1. CrossRef
Prevalence of somatic and psychiatric morbidity across occupations in Switzerland and its correlation with suicide mortality: results from the Swiss National Cohort (1990–2014)
M. Schmid, L. Michaud, N. Bovio, I. Guseva Canu, Matthias Egger, Adrian Spoerri, Marcel Zwahlen, Milo Puhan, Matthias Bopp, Martin Röösli, Michel Oris, Murielle Bochud
BMC Psychiatry.2020;[Epub] CrossRef
Protective and risk factors for depressive mood and anxiety against occupational stress: examining temperament character and coping strategy among civil servants
Hye Ri Kim, Sun Mi Kim, Doug Hyun Han, Young Sik Lee
Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health.2020; 75(6): 346. CrossRef
Cross-Sectional Survey on the Relationship Between Occupational Stress, Hormone Levels, and the Sleep Quality of Oilfield Workers in Xinjiang, China
Xue Li, Xiaoyan Gao, Jiwen Liu
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2019; 16(18): 3316. CrossRef
The association between serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels and job-related stress among female nurses
Seunghyeon Cho, Won-Ju Park, Wonyang Kang, Hyeong-Min Lim, Ji-Sung Ahn, Dae-Young Lim, Jai-Dong Moon
Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.2019;[Epub] CrossRef
Psychological Health Problems Among Adolescent Workers and Associated Factors in Istanbul, Turkey
Ozlem Koseoglu Ornek, Melek Nihal Esin
Safety and Health at Work.2018; 9(1): 101. CrossRef
Association between Emotional Symptoms and Job Demands in an Asian Electronics Factory
Wei-Lieh Huang, Yue Leon Guo, Pau-Chung Chen, Jui Wang, Po-Ching Chu
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2017; 14(9): 1085. CrossRef
Depressive Symptom and Related Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study of Korean Female Workers Working at Traditional Markets
Won Ju Hwang, Jin Ah Kim, Sally H. Rankin
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2017; 14(12): 1465. CrossRef
Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Problem Areas in Diabetes scale (SG‐PAID‐C) among high‐risk polypharmacy patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes in Singapore
Melanie Yee Lee Siaw, Bik‐Wai Bilvick Tai, Joyce Yu‐Chia Lee
Journal of Diabetes Investigation.2017; 8(2): 235. CrossRef
Computer-based versus in-person interventions for preventing and reducing stress in workers
Anootnara Talkul Kuster, Therese K Dalsbø, Bao Yen Luong Thanh, Arnav Agarwal, Quentin V Durand-Moreau, Ingvild Kirkehei
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.2017;[Epub] CrossRef
The Effects of an Online Mind-Body Training Program on Stress, Coping Strategies, Emotional Intelligence, Resilience and Psychological State
Ye-Ha Jung, Tae Min Ha, Chang Young Oh, UI Soon Lee, Joon Hwan Jang, Jungwon Kim, Jae-Oh Park, Do-Hyung Kang, Eugene V Aidman
PLOS ONE.2016; 11(8): e0159841. CrossRef

258 View
3 Download
21 Web of Science
21 Crossref

First
Prev
Page of 1
Next
Last

Search