Dataset Information

Effect of long working hours and insomnia on depressive symptoms among employees of Chinese internet companies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In China, long working hours and insomnia are relatively common among internet company employees. Considering that both can affect mental health, we examined their independent and interaction effects on these employees' depressive symptoms (DS).

Methods

We analyzed data from the 2016 occupational health questionnaire survey conducted in 35 large-, medium-, and small-scale internet companies. Overall, 3589 full-time employees were recruited to evaluate the association among working hours, insomnia, and DS. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to assess DS. The association of DS (PHQ-9 ≥ 10) with working hours (≤40, 41-50, 51-60, and > 60 h/week), insomnia (with or without), and interaction of both was estimated using multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Results

Compared with the group working for ≤40 h/week, the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for DS among participants who worked for 41-50 h/week, 51-60 h/week, and > 60 h/week were 1.32 (1.11-1.56), 1.74 (1.35-2.24), and 2.54 (1.90-3.39), respectively. The ORs for DS among those with insomnia were 2.36 (2.04-2.74) after adjusting for general characteristics. The ORs for DS related to insomnia were similar [1.91 (1.46-2.50), 2.00 (1.61-2.50), respectively] in the participants who worked for < 50 h/week. However, among participants working for 51-60 h or > 60 h/week, the adjusted ORs for DS substantially increased to 4.62 (2.90-7.37) and 5.60 (3.36-9.33), respectively. Moreover, among the participants with insomnia, working overtime showed a greater association with DS.

Conclusions

We showed that long working hours and insomnia are independent factors associated with the prevalence of DS; furthermore, an interaction effect of long working hours and insomnia on DS was observed. For relieving DS in internet company employees, it is important to reduce insomnia.

SUBMITTER: Liu X

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8283851 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:ObjectiveMental disorders have been identified as a leading cause for reduced work ability in industrialized countries. Identification of workplace factors that can increase the work ability of employees with depressive symptoms from the Baby Boom generation is, therefore, highly relevant. This study thus aims to investigate whether changes in psychosocial working conditions can moderate the negative association between depressive symptoms and work ability.MethodsTwo waves with a 3-year time lag of the German lidA cohort study with 3609 participants born in 1959 and 1965 (aged 46 and 52 years at first wave) were analyzed. Self-report data about depressive symptoms at baseline and changes of working conditions from baseline to follow-up were used to calculate main and interaction effects on perceived work ability at follow-up. These analyses were controlled for baseline work ability and working conditions.ResultsDepressive symptoms were predictive for an unfavorable course of work ability from baseline to follow-up (B = - 0.173, 95% CI = - 0.219 to - 0.128). However, no interaction effect between depressive symptoms and psychosocial working conditions was found. Instead, independent from the level of depressive symptoms, a decrease in quantitative demands (B = - 0.279, 95% CI = - 0.326 to - 0.232) and increases in leadership quality (B = 0.242, 95% CI = 0.192-0.292) and development opportunities (B = 0.177, 95% CI = 0.127-0.277) were related to a more favorable course of work ability. Only small effects were found for social support (B = 0.057, 95% CI = 0.008-0.106) and job control (B = 0.043, 95% CI = - 0.005-0.091).ConclusionsThe results indicate that the lagged and negative effect of depressive symptoms on work ability was not moderated by changes in psychosocial working conditions. However, the promotion of favorable working conditions may contribute to a positive development of work ability among employees from the Baby Boom generation independently from the level of depressive symptoms.