Associations among Employment Status, Health Behaviors, and Mental Health in a Representative Sample of South Koreans

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to compare the health behaviors, general health, and mental health of South Korean employees according to their employment status, and to examine how these associations vary across genders using the latest Korean National Examination Health and Nutrition Survey data. Logistic regression analyses were performed using employment status—permanent job, temporary job, and unemployed—as predictor variables and health-related variables as the outcome variables. Results indicated that temporary workers and the unemployed have higher odds of poor mental health regardless of gender. On the other hand, only male permanent workers were found to have a higher risk of problematic drinking compared to precarious workers and the unemployed. Meanwhile, only women showed a higher risk of current smoking in the temporary job and unemployed groups compared with permanent employees. Regarding general health, women, not men, in the temporary job group reported poorer general health (i.e., low health-related quality of life and higher self-perceived poor health) than those in other groups. These findings suggest that the development and implementation of intervention services, as well as organizational actions, need to consider differential impacts of unfavorable employment status on health issues according to gender.

The Effect of Changes in Employment on Health of Work-Related Injured Workers: A Longitudinal Perspectives

“…In addition, as a result of longitudinally confirming the effect of employment status on overall health status, it was found that unemployment worsened overall health status. The association between employment status and overall health status is consistent with the results of previous studies [ 18 , 19 , 20 ]. Studies on employment status, health, and quality of life of people with multiple neurological disorders show that those with certain disabilities have more experience with job loss, which results in deterioration of health status and deterioration in quality of life [ 18 ].…”

Inclusive Communication Model Supporting the Employment Cycle of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…Employment is an integral part of life that provides individuals with a sense of financial security [ 1 ], determines self-esteem and social recognition [ 2 ], and has an impact on one’s wellbeing [ 3 ]. We now observe an expanding literature on the benefits of creating employment opportunities for people with disabilities [ 4 , 5 , 6 ], yet such individuals still experience a disproportionately high level of job insecurity, underemployment, and unemployment compared to workers without disabilities [ 7 ].…”

Editors’ Comments on the Special Issue “Social Determinants of Mental Health”

“…They observed significant differences between participants who did and did not hold a job for six months or more in terms of the clinical characteristics of psychotic symptoms, global functioning, and interpersonal functioning; the vocational characteristics of the type of employment, income, and work hours; theory of mind as related to social cognition; and hostility and blame attribution perceptions. Finally, the last paper analysed how the employment situation can influence the mental health of Korean employees [ 30 ], concluding that precariousness and temporary employment affect mental health more than stable employment. Additionally, stressed women have an increased habit of smoking.…”