Impact of near work on perceived stress according to working hours: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey VI (2013-2015)

A Cross-Sectional Study of the Perceived Stress, Well-Being and Their Relations with Work-Related Behaviours among Hong Kong School Leaders during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The health and well-being of school leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic have been largely neglected compared to the health and well-being of students and teachers. This study assessed the magnitude of perceived stress and well-being and the associated factors, including number of working hours, work-related sense of coherence (work-SoC), perceived stress, self-endangering work behaviour, secondary burnout symptoms, and satisfaction with work, among school leaders in Hong Kong, China during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional, survey-based study collected demographic data and mental health measurements from 259 eligible school leaders in Hong Kong from April 2021 to February 2022. Pearson's correlation analyses, multilinear regression models, and independent-samples Student's t-tests were performed. The findings revealed that school leaders' perceived stress was negatively correlated with their well-being (r = -0.544, p < 0.01) and work-related SoC (r = -0.327, p < 0.01) but positively correlated with their extensification of work (r = 0.473, p < 0.01), exhaustion related to work situations (r = 0.559, p < 0.01), and psychosomatic complaints (r = 0.439, p < 0.01). In a model that adjusted for gender and age, student leaders with higher subjective well-being scores had a lower level of perceived stress (B = -0.031; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.59, -0.02; p = 0.034), whereas leaders in schools with a larger student population had a higher level of perceived stress (B = 0.002; 95% CI, 0.000, 0.003; p = 0.030). School leaders with a higher likelihood of performing the self-endangering work behaviour of 'intensification of work' had higher perceived stress levels (B = 1.497; 95% CI, 0.717, 2.278; p < 0.001). School leaders with a higher work-related SoC (B = 4.20; 95% CI, 1.290, 7.106; p = 0.005) had a higher level of well-being. School leaders with higher levels of perceived stress (B = -0.734; 95% CI, -1.423, -0.044; p = 0.037), a higher likelihood of performing the self-endangering work behaviour of 'extensification of work' (B = -4.846; 95% CI, -8.543, -1.149; p = 0.010), and a higher score for exhaustion related to work (B = -10.449; 95% CI, -13.864, -7.033; p = 0.000) showed lower levels of well-being. The finding of a high incidence of stress among school leadership justifies the need for more societal attention to the well-being of school leaders in Hong Kong. It is important that policies and initiatives are designed to enhance the well-being of school leaders and that they are supported in leading the management of schools and coping with stress in school settings.

Perceived Stress at Work and Associated Factors among E-Waste Workers in French-Speaking West Africa

Perceived stress at work is an important risk factor that affects the mental and physical health of workers. This study aims to determine the prevalence and factors associated with perceived stress in the informal electronic and electrical equipment waste processing sector in French-speaking West Africa. From 14 to 21 November 2019, a cross-sectional survey was carried out among e-waste workers in five countries in the French-speaking West African region, and participants were selected by stratified random sampling. Participants were interviewed on socio-demographic variables and characteristics related to e-waste management activities using a questionnaire incorporating Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (10-item version). Factors associated with perceived stress were determined by multivariate logistic regression. A total of 740 e-waste workers were interviewed. The mean age of the workers was 34.59 ± 11.65 years, with extremes of 14 and 74 years. Most of the interviewees were repairers (43.11%). The prevalence of perceived stress among the e-waste workers was 76.76%. Insufficient income, number of working days per week, perceived violence at work, and the interference of work with family responsibilities or leisure were the risk factors that were the most associated with perceived stress. The high prevalence of perceived stress and its associated factors call for consideration and improvement of the working conditions of e-waste workers.

Association between Near Work Time and Depression among Workers in South Korea

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between near work time and depression.

METHODS

Data of 1,551 workers aged 19-49 years from the sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were examined. The Patient Health Questionaire-9 scores were used to screen for depression. Participants who scored a total of 10 or above, which is suggestive of the presence of depression, were classified as the depression group; the rest were classified as normal. The correlation between daily near work time and depression was analyzed using multivariate logistic analysis after adjusting for other sociodemographic and health behavior-related variables.

RESULTS

Multivariate logistic analysis found that workers with 3 or more hours of near work were more likely to report depression compared to the reference group who had 2 or fewer hours per day of near work (adjusted odds ratio, 2.471; 95% confidence interval, 1.062-5.747).

CONCLUSION

Longer near work time was associated with depression among South Korea's workers. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce near work time to prevent depression.