Weekly Working Hours and Mental Health Status in Different Occupations: Evidence From the 2015 to 2016 California Health Interview Survey

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this paper was to identify shapes of the curves between weekly working hours (WWH) and mental health status (MHS) and determine WWH for the best MHS in 13 occupations.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study applied public data of the 2015 to 2016 California Health Interview Survey. Restricted cubic spline regression was used to determine non-linear trends.

RESULTS

A statistically significant nearly V-shaped curve was demonstrated between WWH and MHS in total population, men and management, business and finance occupations. WWH for the best MHS were 42, 45, and 46 hours, respectively.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest MHS be susceptible to WWH in total population, men and management, business and finance occupations. WWH for the best MHS for relevant populations could provide evidence for better work hours regulations in California.

Disparities in Health Care Utilization Between Asian Immigrant Women and Non-Hispanic White Women in the United States

Background: Asians accounted for 30% of all U.S. immigrants in 2014, of which 53% were women. Foreign-born Asian immigrant (FBAI) women experience difficulties in obtaining timely and needed health care due to multifaceted barriers. This study examined factors influencing health service utilization among FBAI women compared with native-born (non-Hispanic) White American (NBWA) women. Materials and Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted using the 2014-2015 California Health Interview Survey. Guided by a modified version of Andersen's behavioral model of health service utilization, FBAI women aged 18 to 64 (n = 1,021) were compared with NBWA women of the same ages (n = 7,086). Outcome variables included having at least one doctor's visit in the past year and having an emergency room (ER) visit in the past year. Analyses included descriptive statistics, t-tests, chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regressions. Results: FBAI women were significantly less likely to have at least one doctor's visit in the past year and were less likely to have a usual source of care than NBWA women. Significant predictors of having at least one doctor's visit for FBAI women were having high school education, having a usual source of care, having medical insurance, and having a chronic disease. The only significant predictor of having an ER visit for FBAI women was having a chronic disease. Conclusions: Health care providers must be aware of lower levels of health service utilization among FBAI women than NBWA women regardless of whether or not the FBAI women have chronic conditions. It is important to educate these women on the importance of regular health care visits.