Association between workplace discrimination and depressive symptoms among firefighters in South Korea. Issue 9 (12th July 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lee, Nagyeong; Kim, Ji‐Hwan; Kim, Ja Young; Kim, Seung‐Sup
• Is Part Of: American journal of industrial medicine. Volume 61:Issue 9(2018)
• Page Start: 741
• Page End: 750
• Publication Date: 2018-07-12
• Subjects: depressive symptoms -- firefighters -- South Korea -- workplace discrimination; Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Médecine du travail -- Périodiques; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22876
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0271-3586

Abstract

Abstract : Background: Workplace discrimination is associated with poor mental health. However, there is a lack of studies examining the effects of discrimination on depressive symptoms among firefighters. Methods: We analyzed a national cross‐sectional survey of 6369 firefighters in South Korea. Workplace discrimination during the past year was measured and main reasons for the discriminatory experience (gender, birth region, age, education, field/office work, job division) were identified separately by gender and job division. Depressive symptoms during the previous week were measured by the CES‐D11. Results: Overall, 30.3% of firefighters experienced workplace discrimination and the main reasons for discrimination differed by gender and job division. Firefighters who experienced workplace discrimination had a higher likelihood of depressive symptoms than those who did not after adjusting for potential confounders (PR: 1.73; 95%CI: 1.55, 1.92). Conclusions: This finding suggests that experience of workplace discrimination could aggravate the mental health of firefighters who provide an important public service.