Korean J Occup Environ Med.  2012 Dec;24(4):339-346.

Association between Long Working Hours and Suicidal Ideation

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Inha University Hospital, Korea. stressdr@naver.com

Abstract


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 (<40 hours/week, 40~51 hours/week, 52~60 hours/week, >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.

Keyword

Work hour; Suicidal ideation; Suicide

MeSH Terms

Korea
Logistic Models
Odds Ratio
Suicidal Ideation
Suicide

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