Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Original Article

Commuting time and musculoskeletal pain in the relationship with working time: a cross-sectional study: Hoje Ryu, Seong-Sik Cho, Jung Il Kim, Sun-Haeng Choi, Nathan Kim; Ann Occup Environ Med 2025;37:e4. Published online February 19, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/aoem.2025.37.e4

Abstract Abstract in Korean PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub: Background
Commuting is essential for working life; however, prolonged travel times can negatively affect health, particularly musculoskeletal pain. This study aims to examine the relationship between commuting time and musculoskeletal pain (back, upper extremity, and lower extremity pain), in the context of working time.
Methods
This cross-sectional study used data from the Sixth Korean Working Conditions Survey conducted in Korea between October 2020 and April 2021. Variables such as commuting time, weekly working hours, and shift work were assessed using the survey questions. Musculoskeletal pain was determined based on self-reported pains in the previous year. The covariates included demographics, employment status, ergonomic risks, and job stress. The association between commuting time and musculoskeletal pain stratified by weekly working hours or shift work was analyzed by survey-weighted logistic regression analysis.
Results
This study found a significant association between longer commuting times and increased prevalence of musculoskeletal pain, particularly back, upper extremity, and lower extremity pain. When commuting time was ≤60, 61–120, >120 minutes, the odds ratio was 1.00, 1.33 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16–1.52), and 2.41 (95% CI: 1.77–3.29) for back pain; 1.00, 1.29 (95% CI: 1.13–1.46), and 2.27 (95% CI: 1.71–3.00) for upper extremity pain; and 1.00, 1.24 (95% CI: 1.05–1.45), and 1.53 (95% CI: 1.13–2.08) for lower extremity pain, respectively. Furthermore, except for upper extremity pain, this trend was amplified when participants were concurrently exposed to long working hours, and for lower extremity pain, this trend was aggravated among shift workers.
Conclusions
Long commuting time may be a risk factor for musculoskeletal pain, and its’ effects could be aggravated when combined with long working hours or shift work. This study observed the detrimental impact of prolonged commuting on musculoskeletal health, particularly among employees with extended working hours or shift work.; 노동 시간 및 교대근무 여부에 따른 통근 시간과 근골격계 통증의 연관성
목적
통근 시간은 업무에 필수적인 요소이며 긴 통근 시간은 건강에 부정적인 영향을 미칠 수도 있다. 이 연구에서는 통근 시간과 근골격계 통증(허리, 상지 및 하지 통증)의 연관성을 노동 시간(장시간 노동 및 교대근무)을 고려하여 조사하였다.
방법
이 연구는 제6차 취업자근로환경조사의 자료를 이용하였다. 통근 시간, 주당 근무 시간, 교대근무 여부는 설문조사를 통해 조사하였다. 근골격계 통증은 지난 1년간 자가 보고된 건강 문제를 통해 평가하였다. 공변량에는 인구통계학적 요인, 고용 상태, 인간공학적 요인 및 직업 스트레스 요인이 포함되었다. 통근 시간과 근골격계 통증과의 연관성을 주당 근무시간 또는 교대근무 여부에 따라 계층화하여 다중 로지스틱 회귀분석을 이용하여 분석하였다.
결과
통근 시간이 60분 이하, 61~120분, 120분 이상일 때 요통에 대한 odds ratio는 1.00, 1.33(95% confidential interval [CI]: 1.16-1.52), 2.41(95% CI: 1.77-3.29); 상지 통증은 1.00, 1.29(95% CI: 1.13-1.46), 2.27(95% CI: 1.71-3.00); 하지 통증은 1.00, 1.24(95% CI: 1.05-1.45), 1.53(95% CI: 1.13-2.08)이었다. 또한 상지 통증을 제외하고는 장시간 노동을 병행하는 경우 오즈비가 증가하는 경향과 하지 통증의 경우 교대 근무자에서 증가되는 경향이 관찰되었다.
결론
긴 통근시간은 근골격계 통증의 위험 요인이 될 수 있으며, 장시간 노동이나 교대근무에 동시에 노출되면 해로운 영향이 증가될 수 있다. 본 연구의 결과는 긴 통근시간이 근골격계 건강에 해로운 영향을 미칠 수도 있다는 점을 보여주며, 특히 장시간 노동이나 교대근무를 하는 근로자 집단에서 그 영향이 커질 수 있음을 시사한다.

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Research Article

Female non-smokers’ environmental tobacco smoking exposure by public transportation mode: Seyoung Kim, Jin-Soo Park, Minkyu Park, Yeji Kim, Sinye Lim, Hye-Eun Lee; Ann Occup Environ Med 2018;30:24. Published online April 19, 2018; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40557-018-0239-7

Abstract PDF PubReader ePub

Background

This study aimed to analyze environmental tobacco smoking exposure in female nonsmokers by public transportation mode using representative data of Koreans.

Methods

Data from the Second Korean National Environmental Health Survey (2012–2014) were analyzed. Urine cotinine was analyzed by public transport behavior, secondhand smoke exposure, socioeconomic factors, and health-related factors. Participants were 1322 adult females; those with the top 75% urine cotinine concentrations were assigned to the high exposure group. A logistic regression analysis was performed considering appropriate weights and stratification according to the sample design of the Second Korean National Environmental Health Survey.

Results

The geometric mean of urine cotinine concentrations differed according to public transportation modes: subway (1.66 μg/g creatinine) bus (1.77 μg/g creatinine), and taxi (1.94 μg/g creatinine). The odds ratio [OR] was calculated for the high exposure group. The OR of the taxi (2.39; 95% confidence interval, 1.00–5.69) was statistically significantly higher than the subway value (reference), and marginally significant after adjusted with life style, sociodemographic factors and involuntary smoking frequency (2.42, 95% confidence interval, 0.97–6.04).

Conclusions

The odds ratio of passengers who mainly used taxis was marginally significantly higher than those of passengers who used subways and buses after adjusted with life style and sociodemographic factors. Implementation of supplementary measures and further studies on exposure to environmental tobacco smoking in taxis are warranted.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Changes in urinary cotinine concentrations in non-smoking adults from the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) II (2012–2014) after implementation of partial smoke-free regulations
Jeonghoon Kim, Kiyoung Lee
International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health.2020; 224: 113419. CrossRef

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