Nemoto Y, Sakurai R, Matsunaga H, Hasebe M, Fujiwara Y. Examining health risk behaviors of self-employed and employed workers in Japan: a cross-sectional study.
Public Health 2022;
211:149-156. [PMID:
36115138 DOI:
10.1016/j.puhe.2022.07.021]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
Self-employed workers have a higher risk for adverse health outcomes than employed workers. However, the differences in health risk behaviors by employment status are largely unknown. This study examined differences in health risk behaviors between self-employed and employed (permanent/non-permanent) workers by sex and age (20-59 years, 60-79 years).
STUDY DESIGN
This was a cross-sectional study involving community-dwelling adults living in urban cities in Japan.
METHODS
In 2019, we conducted a mail survey in Wako city, Saitama, and Fuchu city, Tokyo. In total, 30,315 adults aged ≥18 years were randomly selected, and 14,185 completed the survey (response rate: 46.8%). The participants for analysis were 8538 workers. Health risk behaviors included physical inactivity (<150 min/wk of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity), prolonged sitting (>480 min/d), high-frequency drinking (≥3 d/wk), tobacco use (current smoker), and overweight (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2). We also calculated the total number of health risk behaviors.
RESULTS
Self-employed workers had more health risk behaviors than permanent and non-permanent employees, with this difference more significant among younger males. In younger males, compared with self-employment, permanent employment was associated with less tobacco use, and non-permanent employment was associated with less physical inactivity, prolonged sitting, high-frequency drinking, and overweight. In younger females, non-permanent employment was associated with less prolonged sitting and overweight than self-employment. In older males and females, the prevalence of physical inactivity was lower in non-permanent employed than in self-employed workers.
CONCLUSIONS
Promoting health behaviors among self-employed may be beneficial for reducing health inequalities between self-employed and employed workers.
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