Research in Community and Public Health Nursing (지역사회간호학회지)

Korean Academy of Community Health Nursing (한국지역사회간호학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Is Nonstandard Employment Hazardous to Workers' Health Status? A Focus on Special Employment in South Korea

  • Park, Bohyun (Department of Nursing, Changwon National University) ;
  • Elizabeth, Tarlov (College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, Center of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare, Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital) ;
  • Park, Chang Gi (College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago)
  • Received : 2020.04.17
  • Accepted : 2020.10.05
  • Published : 2020.12.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Purpose: Workers in special employment relationship (WSERs) are workers in nonstandard employment arrangements who lack worker protection accorded in standard employment arrangements. This study aimed to describe self-rated health (SRH) and depressive symptoms (DS) among Korean WSERs in comparison to regular wage workers (RWW) and identify associations between working conditions and those outcomes. Methods: In this study, secondary data analysis using the 5th Korean Working Conditions Survey was used. The sample totaled 29,120, including 1,538 WSERs and 27,564 RWWs. Sociodemographic and work-related characteristics were employed as explanatory variables and SRH and DS as dependent variables. Using multiple logistic regression, the determinants of fair/poor SRH and DS were identified. Results: The prevalence rates for fair/poor SRH and DS in WSERs were 25.2% and 28.3%, respectively, and 20.7% and 25.0% in RWWs, respectively. Compared to RWWs, WSERs had 31% (aOR=1.31, 95% CI=1.14~1.49) and 20% (aOR=1.20, 95% CI=1.06~1.36) higher odds of SRH and DS, respectively. Some factors, such as a lack of rest guarantee and sickness presenteeism, had a larger influence in the WSER than in the RWW group. Conclusion: Compared to RWWs, WSERs reported having poorer working conditions and were more likely to report poor general and mental health. Therefore, in Korea, public health policymakers should consider measures to protect the working conditions and health of WSERs, a growing segment of the working population. The study produced new epidemiological evidence regarding the relationships between employment arrangements and health.

Keywords

References

  1. Euwals R, Hogerbrugge M. Explaining the growth of part-time employment: Factors of supply and demand. In Labour. 2006;20 (3):533-557. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9914.2006.00352.x
  2. International Labour Organization. Non-standard employment around the world. Understanding challenges, shaping prospects [Internet]. Geneva, Swiss: International Labor Office; 2016 November. [Cited 2019 December 1]. Available from: http://www.ilo.org/global/publications/books/WCMS_534326/lang--en/index.htm Accessed 31 July 2019
  3. Yoon A. A critical review on the application of the industrial accident compensation insurance act for independent workers. Labor Law Review. 2012;33:47-91.
  4. Korean Statistical Information System. Number and percentage of wage workers by gender/employment type [Internet]. Daejeon: Korean Statistical Information System. 2019 [cited 2020 January 04]. Available from: http://kosis.kr/statisticsList/statisticsListIndex.do?menuId=M_01_01&vwcd=MT_ZTITLE&parmTabId=M_01_01#SelectStatsBoxDiv
  5. Kivimaki M, Vahtera J, Virtanen M, Elovainio M, Pentti J, Ferrie JE. Temporary employment and risk of overall and cause-specific mortality. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2003;158(7):663-668. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwg185
  6. Ronnblad T, Gronholm E, Jonsson J, Koranyi I, Orellana C, Kreshpaj B, et al. Precarious employment and mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health. 2019;45(5): 429-443 https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.3797
  7. Virtanen M, Kivimaki M, Joensuu M, Virtanen P, Elovainio M, Vahtera J. Temporary employment and health: A review. International Journal of Epidemiology. 2005;34(3):610-622. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyi024
  8. Lee H. The industrial accident compensation insurance act - Focusing on the improvement of law & institutions on "Economically Dependent Worker". Korean Journal of Labor Studies. 2015;21(1):257-303. https://doi.org/10.17005/kals.2015.21.1.257
  9. Park B, Jo Y, Oh S. Health problems and coping of workers under special employment relationships: Home-visit tutors, in-surance salespersons, and credit card recruiters. Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing. 2019;28(4):208-220. https://doi.org/10.5807/kjohn.2019.28.4.208
  10. Shin S, Byeon SH. The analysis of risk exposure and ill health symptom by difference depending on the special type of employment. Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. 2018;28(3):319-329. https://doi.org/10.15269/JKSOEH.2018.28.3.319
  11. Cho Y. A review on article 125 of the industrial accident compensation insurance act - Focusing on precedents and legislation bills. Social Security Law Review. 2016;5(2):237-278.
  12. Park C, Whang D, Kim K. Job types diversification trend and Industrial Insurance, Policy Report. Sejong: Korea Labor Institute; 2016 December. Report No.: 2016-04.
  13. Bailis DS, Segall A, Chipperfield JG. Two views of self-rated general health status. Social Science of Medicine. 2003;56(2): 203-217. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0277-9536(02)00020-5
  14. Van Aerden K, Gadeyne S, Vanroelen C. Is any job better than no job at all? Studying the relations between employment types, unemployment and subjective health in Belgium. Archives of Public Health. 2017;75(1):55. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-017-0225-5
  15. Jylha M. What is self-rated health and why does it predict mortality? Towards a unified conceptual model. Social Science of Medicine. 2009;69(3):307-316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.05.013
  16. DeSalvo KB, Bloser N, Reynolds K, He J, Muntner P. Mortality prediction with a single general self-rated health question. A meta-analysis. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2006;21(3): 267-275. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1497.2005.00291.x
  17. Van Aerden K, Puig-Barrachina V, Bosmans K, Vanroelen C. How does employment quality relate to health and job satisfaction in Europe? A typological approach. Social Science & Medicine. 2016;158:132-140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.04.017
  18. Cho SS, Paek D, Kang MY. Influence of combined exposure to perceived risk at work and unstable employment on self-rated health: A comparison of two cross-sectional surveys in Europe and Korea. BMJ Open. 2020;10(1):e032380. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032380
  19. Kim T, von dem Knesebeck O. Perceived job insecurity, unemployment and depressive symptoms: a systematic review and metaanalysis of prospective observational studies. International Archives of Occupational Environmental Health. 2016;89:561-573. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-015-1107-1
  20. Virtanen M, Jokela M, Madsen IE, Magnusson Hanson LL, Lallukka T, Nyberg ST, et al. Long working hours and depressive symptoms: systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies and unpublished individual participant data. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health. 2018; 44(3):239-250. https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.3712
  21. WHO. Mastering depression in primary care / the depcare project [Internet]. Stockholm, Sweden: World Health Organization regional office for Europe; 1998. [cited 2019 July 31] Available from: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/130750/E60246.pdf
  22. Krieger T, Zimmermann J, Huffziger S, Ubl B, Diener C, Kuehner C, et al. Measuring depression with a well-being index: Further evidence for the validity of the WHO Well-Being Index (WHO-5) as a measure of the severity of depression. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2014;156(1):240-244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2013.12.015
  23. Kim JY, Lee J, Muntaner C, Kim SS. Who is working while sick? Nonstandard employment and its association with absenteeism and presenteeism in South Korea. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. 2016;89(7):1095-1101. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-016-1146-2
  24. Kwon K, Park J, Lee K, Cho Y. Association between employment status and self-rated health: Korean working conditions survey. Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2016;28(1):43. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40557-016-0126-z
  25. Emerson E, Hattona C, Robertsona J, Baines S. The association between non-standard employment, job insecurity and health among British adults with and without intellectual impairments: Cohort study. SSM - Population Health. 2018;4:197-205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2018.02.003
  26. Canivet C, Bodin T, Emmelin M, Toivanen S, Moghaddassi M, Ostergren PO. Precarious employment is a risk factor for poor mental health in young individuals in Sweden: A cohort study with multiple follow-ups. BMC Public Health. 2016;16:687. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3358-5
  27. Julia M, Belvis F, Vives A, Tarafa G, Benach J. Informal employees in the European Union: Working conditions, employment precariousness and health. Journal of Public Health (Oxf). 2018;41(2):e141-e151. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdy111
  28. Skagen K, Collin AM. Consequences of sickness presenteeism on health and wellbeing over time: A systematic review. Social Science & Medicine. 2016;161:169-177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.06.005
  29. Jeon SH, Leem JH, Park SG, Heo YS, Lee BJ, Moon SH, et al. Association among working hours, occupational stress, and presenteeism among wage workers: Results from the second Korean Working Conditions Survey. Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2014;26(1):6. https://doi.org/10.1186/2052-4374-26-6
  30. Bak S. South Koreans work second-longest hours in OECD for below average pay. The Korea Herald. 2017 Aug 17.