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Depressive symptoms and self-reported occupational injury in small and medium-sized companies

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Abstract

Objectives

This survey was designed to determine whether depressive symptoms had an effect on the risk of self-reported occupational injury in South Korea.

Methods

We conducted a prospective follow-up survey of workers at 44 small- to medium-sized companies classified into manufacturing or service businesses; 1,350 questionnaires were used in the final analysis. The first survey requested information regarding personal characteristics, work characteristics, and depressive symptoms (CES-D); the second survey queried participants in the first survey about self-reported occupational injuries (including minor scratches or cuts) experienced in the previous 4 months. Risk ratios (RRs) were calculated through Poisson regression analysis. The number of occupational injuries during the previous 4 months served as the dependent variable, and depressive symptoms served as the independent variable.

Results

After adjustment for demographic factors, the RRs were 1.75 (95% CI: 1.41–2.18) and 2.68 (95% CI: 1.98–3.64) in male and female, respectively. Additional adjustment for work-related variables did not alter the RR considerably in females (2.65; 95% CI: 1.95–3.59). Among the male workers, however, the RR was not significant (1.21; 95% CI: 0.95–1.55). On the other hand, when the analysis was limited to blue-collar workers, after adjustment for demographic and work-related factors, the RRs remained significant in both genders (male: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.03–1.74; female: 2.04; 95% CI: 1.41–2.95).

Conclusions

We found that the risk of self-reported occupational injury experience was higher in workers who reported depressive symptoms. Additional study using objective data is required to confirm our results.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Inha University Research Grant.

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Correspondence to Shin-Goo Park.

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Kim, HC., Park, SG., Min, KB. et al. Depressive symptoms and self-reported occupational injury in small and medium-sized companies. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 82, 715–721 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-008-0365-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-008-0365-6

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