Although long working hours have been suspected to be a risk factor for depressive symptoms (DS), it is not well understood the conditions under which long working hours are associated with it. This ...study investigated the moderating effect of job satisfaction on the relationship between working hours and DS. A total of 2,375 full-time non-shift day workers (73% men), aged 18-79 (mean 45) years, in 296 small- and medium-scale businesses were surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire evaluating working hours, job satisfaction, DS and covariates. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D) was used to assess DS. Risk of DS (CES-D ≥ 16) by working hours, job satisfaction, and both combined was estimated by multivariable logistic regression analysis. Compared to participants working 6-8 hrs/day, those working 12+ hrs/day had significantly higher odds of DS (adjusted odds ratio aOR 1.49), while participants with low satisfaction, as opposed to high satisfaction, had increased odds of DS (aOR 1.81). Furthermore, compared to those working 6-8 hrs/day with high satisfaction (reference group), participants working 6-8 hrs/day, > 8 to 10 hrs/day, and > 10 hrs/day combined with low satisfaction had dose-response increase of DS (aOR 1.48, 2.21 and 2.31, respectively,
< 0.05), whereas those working > 8 to 10 hrs/day and > 10 hrs/day combined with high satisfaction had not (aOR 0.93 and 1.39, respectively,
> 0.10). The results suggest that long working hours are associated with increased risk of DS only under reduced job satisfaction condition, which highlights the importance of improving job satisfaction, particularly among those working excessive hours.
Depression due to long work hours and sleep deprivation is a major occupational health concern. The extent to which work hours and sleep are associated with depression was investigated in employees ...of small- and medium-scale businesses in the Japanese city of Yashio, Saitama, and in the Ohta ward of Tokyo, a suburb of Tokyo, controlling for various potential confounders.
In this cross-sectional study, a total of 2,643 full-time employees (1,928 men and 715 women), aged 18-79 years (mean = 45 years), in 296 small- and medium-scale businesses were surveyed from August 2002 to December 2002 using a self-administered questionnaire evaluating work hours, sleep status, and covariates including sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors, health behaviors, biological factors, medication usage, and occupational factors. Depression was assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Prevalence of depression by work hours, sleep status, and covariates was analyzed by χ² test. Risk of depression by work hours, sleep status, and both combined was estimated by multivariate logistic regression analysis.
Participants working > 10 hours per day, sleeping < 6 hours per day, and reporting insufficient sleep were, respectively, 37%, 43%, and 97% more likely to be depressed than those working 6 to 8 hours per day, sleeping 6 to < 8 hours per day, and reporting sufficient sleep (P < .05). Participants working > 10 hours per day or > 8 to 10 hours per day with < 6 hours per day of sleep showed a 41%-169% higher prevalence of depression versus those working 6 to 8 hours per day with 6+ hours per day of sleep (P < .05). Participants reporting insufficient sleep in 3 work-hour categories (6 to 8, > 8 to 10, and > 10 hours per day) showed a 62%-179% increase in the prevalence of depression versus those working 6 to 8 hours per day and reporting sufficient sleep (P < .05). No significant effects on depression were found for subjects in any work-hour category with 6+ hours of sleep or with subjective sufficient sleep.
Depression associated with long work hours is primarily a result of sleep deprivation. Greater attention should be paid to management of sleep deprivation to prevent workplace depression.
Summary
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of long work hours and poor sleep characteristics on workplace injury. A total of 1891 male employees, aged 18–79 years (mean 45 years), ...in 296 small‐ and medium‐scale businesses in a suburb of Tokyo were surveyed by means of a self‐administered questionnaire during August–December 2002. Work hours and sleep characteristics, including daily sleep hours, subjective sleep sufficiency, sleep quality and easiness to wake up in the morning, were evaluated. Information on workplace injury in the past 1‐year period was self‐reported. The risk of workplace injury associated with work hours and poor sleep was estimated using multivariate logistic regression with odds ratio (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals as measures of associations. Compared with those working 6–8 h day−1 with good sleep characteristics, positive interactive effects for workplace injury were found between long work hours (>8–10 h day−1 or >10 h day−1) and short sleep duration (<6 h) adjusted OR (aOR), 1.27–1.54, subjective insufficient sleep (aOR, 1.94–1.99), sleep poorly at night (aOR, 2.23–2.49) and difficulty waking up in the morning (aOR, 1.56–1.59). Long work hours (aOR, 1.31–1.48), subjective insufficient sleep (aOR, 1.49) and sleeping poorly at night (aOR, 1.72) were also independently associated with workplace injury. This study suggests that long work hours coupled with poor sleep characteristics are synergistically associated with increased risk of workplace injury. Greater attention should be paid to manage/treat poor sleep and reduce excessive work hours to improve safety at the workplace.
Objectives
The extent to which work hours and sleep are associated with self-rated health (SRH) was investigated in full-time employees of small- and medium-scale businesses (SMBs) in a suburb of ...Tokyo.
Methods
A total of 2,579 employees (1,887 men and 692 women), aged 18–79 (mean 45) years, in 296 SMBs were surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire from August to December 2002. Work hours, sleep, and SRH were evaluated.
Results
Compared with those working 6–8 h/day, participants working >8 to 10 h/day and >10 h/day had significantly higher odds of suboptimal SRH adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.36 and 1.87, respectively. Similarly, compared with those sleeping 6+ h/day and sufficient sleep, participants with short sleep (<6 h/day) and insufficient sleep had increased odds of suboptimal SRH (aOR 1.65 and aOR 2.03, respectively). Combinations of the longest work hours with short sleep (aOR 3.30) or insufficient sleep (aOR 3.40) exerted synergistic negative associations on SRH.
Conclusions
This study suggests that long work hours and poor sleep and its combination are associated with suboptimal SRH.
Previously, we reported that the participatory workplace intervention was effective in reducing stress-related inflammatory markers among 31 Japanese female nurses. During the analysis, we recognized ...that our intervention might have increased prosocial behaviors like giving social support to others in some participants. Based on this assumption, we ran a secondary analysis, which examined the effect of giving social support on inflammatory markers, autonomic nervous activity (ANA), and perceived job stress (PJS) before and after the intervention. A group of participants who had increased scores on giving social support (n=13) showed significant decreases in interferon-γ, interleukin-6, and interleukin-12/23p40 after the intervention. Another group of those who had decreased/unchanged in the scores (n=17) did not show changes in these markers. Regarding ANA and PJS, no significant changes were observed in both groups. This study presented insight that giving social support at work may provide health benefits towards employees themselves, via decreasing inflammation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, teleworking became the new workplace norm, creating a new challenge for workplace communication. This study investigated the association between source-specific ...workplace social support and psychological distress among Japanese teleworkers and nonteleworkers.
A total of 15,045 workers were extracted from a cross-sectional web-based survey that assessed psychological distress, workplace social support from supervisors and coworkers. After grouping participants into four groups based on their positions (managers, staff members) and teleworking arrangements (teleworking, nonteleworking), multiple logistic regression analyses were performed separately.
Teleworkers with less supervisor support demonstrated the highest risk of psychological distress (adjusted odds ratio = 2.55, P = 0.024).
Insufficient supervisor support for teleworking staff members may be a key occupational risk factor for psychological distress in the postpandemic future.
Although participatory workplace improvement programs are known to provide favorable effects on high stress occupations like nursing, no studies have confirmed its effect using biomarkers. The aim of ...this study was to determine whether a participatory workplace improvement program would decrease stress-related symptoms as evaluated by biomarkers and self-reported stress among hospital nurses. Three actions to alleviate job stress, which were determined through focus group interviews and voting, were undertaken for two months. A total of 31 female Japanese nurses underwent measurement of inflammatory markers, autonomic nervous activity (ANA), and perceived job stress (PJS) at three-time points; before the program (T1), within a week after the completion of the program (T2), and three months after the program (T3). A series of inflammatory markers (Interferon-γ, Interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-12/23p40) decreased significantly at T2, and IL-12/23p40 and IL-15 significantly decreased at T3 compared to T1, while ANA and PJS remained unchanged. Our participatory program exerted beneficial effects in reducing inflammatory responses, but not for ANA and PJS. Further investigations with a better study design, i.e., a randomized controlled trial, and a larger sample size are warranted to determine what exerted beneficial effects on inflammatory markers and why other outcomes remained unchanged.
Background
Drivers of heavy and tractor‐trailer trucks accounted for 56% of all production and nonsupervisory employees in the truck transportation industry in 2011. There are limited data for ...illness and injury in long‐haul truck drivers, which prompted a targeted national survey.
Methods
Interviewers collected data during 2010 from 1,670 long‐haul truck drivers at 32 truck stops across the 48 contiguous United States that were used to compute prevalence estimates for self‐reported health conditions and risk factors.
Results
Obesity (69% vs. 31%, P < 0.01) and current smoking (51% vs. 19%, P < 0.01) were twice as prevalent in long‐haul truck drivers as in the 2010 U.S. adult working population. Sixty‐one percent reported having two or more of the risk factors: hypertension, obesity, smoking, high cholesterol, no physical activity, 6 or fewer hours of sleep per 24‐hr period.
Conclusion
Survey findings suggest a need for targeted interventions and continued surveillance for long‐haul truck drivers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 57:615–626, 2014. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
A meta‐analysis showed that telecommuters' relationships with colleagues suffered if they worked remotely more than 2.5 days each week. 5 Again, a survey in Taiwan revealed that respondents who had ...been kept isolated during SARS outbreak had a significantly higher depressive level. 4 Along with social isolation, blurring of boundaries between work and personal life is a significant challenge for telecommuters and employers. There are several suggestions of immediate strategies to protect mental health from psychological (eg coping, relaxation), physiological (eg sleep, nutrition), behavioral (eg physical activities), and social (eg communication) aspects. ...longer term strategies should be considered to promote psychosocial well‐being, including those based on positive mechanistically based components. 7 For instance, problem‐focused coping can be helpful to maintain personal control over the situation, and the creation of positive (even minor) events in daily life provides momentary respite from chronic stress.
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