Epidemiol Health.
2025;47(1):e2025044. 10.4178/epih.e2025044.
Association between psychosocial safety climate and depression risk among Korean workers
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Public Health, Graduate School, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
- 2Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan, Korea
- 3Psychosocial Safety Climate Global Observatory, Centre for Workplace Excellence, Justice & Society, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
- 4Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
- KMID: 2572572
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2025044
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
Psychosocial safety climate (PSC) reflects an organization’s commitment to safeguarding workers’ psychological health and safety. While international evidence links low PSC to poor mental health outcomes, its association with depression has not been well established in Korea. This study aimed to examine the relationship between PSC and depression among Korean workers, utilizing a large-scale, population-based survey.
METHODS
We analyzed data from 5,337 wage employees who participated in the fifth wave of the Korean Work, Sleep, and Health Study. Depression was measured using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire, and PSC was assessed with a validated 4-item scale. Participants were classified into low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups based on their PSC scores. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to estimate the association between PSC and depression, with stratified analyses performed according to gender, age, and occupational characteristics.
RESULTS
The prevalence of depression increased as PSC scores decreased. Compared to the low-risk group, the intermediate-risk and high-risk PSC groups exhibited 1.19 times and 2.69 times higher risks of depression, respectively, suggesting a clear exposure-response relationship. Stratified analyses indicated that associations were stronger among individuals without union representation or access to occupational health and safety resources.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings underscore the critical role of PSC in workplace mental health. Promoting a high PSC may help reduce depression risk and support mental well-being among workers. Interventions considering vulnerable subgroups are warranted to create psychologically safer work environments in Korea.
- Full Text Links
-
- Actions
-
Cited
- CITED
-
- Close
- Share
-
- Similar articles
-
- Safety Climate and Occupational Stress According to Occupational Accidents Experience and Employment Type in Shipbuilding Industry of Korea
- Investigating the Impact of Prolonged Exposure to Low Psychosocial Safety Climate on Serious Depressive Symptoms
- From Safety Climate to Life Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Job Stress and Job Satisfaction
- Status of Psychosocial Safety Climate in the Korean Workforce: A Nationwide Survey
- The Influence of Safety Climate, Safety Leadership, Workload, and Accident Experiences on Risk Perception: A Study of Korean Manufacturing Workers
