The association between long working hours and work-related musculoskeletal symptoms of Korean wage workers: data from the fourth Korean working conditions survey (a cross-sectional study)
10.1186/s40557-018-0278-0
- Author:
Jae Gwang LEE
1
;
Guang Hwi KIM
;
Sung Won JUNG
;
Sang Woo KIM
;
June Hee LEE
;
Kyung Jae LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea. leekj@schmc.ac.kr.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Long working hours;
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs);
Korean working conditions survey (KWCS)
- MeSH:
Female;
Humans;
Logistic Models;
Lower Extremity;
Male;
Methods;
Odds Ratio;
Posture;
Prevalence;
Psychology;
Salaries and Fringe Benefits;
Upper Extremity
- From:Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
2018;30(1):67-
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: It has been reported that long working hours are hazardous to the workers’ health. Especially, work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) have been considered as one of the significant health issues in workplace. The objective of this study was to identify the association between long working hours and work-related musculoskeletal symptoms. METHODS: The analysis was conducted using data from the Fourth Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS). Subjects of this study were 24,783 wage workers and divided into three groups according to the weekly working hours, which were ≤ 40, 41–52 and > 52 h. The relationship between long working hours and work-related musculoskeletal symptoms was analyzed by multivariate logistic regression method after adjusting for general, occupational characteristics including specific working motions or postures and psychosocial factors. RESULTS: Approximately 18.4% of subjects worked more than 52 h per week and 26.4 and 16.4% of male subjects and 33.0 and 23.4% of female subjects experienced work-related upper and lower limb pains, respectively, over the last 12 months. Moreover, the prevalence of upper and lower limb pain was increased in both genders as the weekly working hours increased. The odds ratios (ORs) of upper limb pain for those working 41–52 h and more than 52 h per week when adjusted for general, occupational characteristics including specific motions or postures and psychosocial factors were 1.36 and 1.40 for male workers and 1.26 and 1.66 for female workers compared to the reference group, respectively. Furthermore, ORs of lower limb pain for the same weekly working hour groups were 1.26 and 1.47 for male workers and 1.20 and 1.47 for female workers, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Long working hours were significantly related to work-related musculoskeletal symptoms in Korean wage workers and appropriate interventions should be implemented to reduce long working hours that can negatively affect workers’ health.
