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Associations of self-rated health, depression, and work ability with employee control over working time
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Heejoo Ko, Seong-Sik Cho, Jaesung Choi, Mo-Yeol Kang
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Epidemiol Health. 2025;47:e2025036. Published online July 8, 2025
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2025036
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES
Work-time control (WTC), defined as employees’ ability to influence their work schedules, is a crucial determinant of work-life balance and well-being. This study aims to evaluate the associations between WTC and health-related outcomes among Korean workers and examine potential effect modifications by working hours and shift work status.
METHODS This study analyzed data from the 2024 wave of the Korean Work, Sleep, and Health Study, a nationwide panel study of workers aged 19 years to 70 years (n=5,195). WTC was measured using a 6-item scale, and participants were categorized into low (≤12) or high (>12) WTC groups. Outcomes included self-rated health (SRH), depression (measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9), and work ability (WA; measured by the Work Ability Index). Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for poor SRH, moderate-to-severe depression, and poor WA, adjusting for demographic and occupational variables. Subgroup analyses assessed effect modifications by working hours and shift work.
RESULTS Higher WTC was associated with lower odds of poor SRH (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.62 to 0.86), moderate-to-severe depression (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.61 to 0.83), and poor WA (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.46 to 0.84). These associations were significant among daytime workers but not shift workers. The protective effects of WTC were attenuated among workers whose working hours exceeding 52 hr/wk.
CONCLUSIONS Higher WTC is associated with better health and work outcomes, emphasizing its importance for employee well-being. However, its benefits may be limited among shift workers and employees working excessive hours.
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Summary
Korean summary
- 근로시간 통제권(WTC)이 높은 근로자는 주관적 건강상태가 더 좋고, 우울 위험이 낮으며, 근로능력이 높은 것으로 나타났다.
- 이러한 보호 효과는 주간 근로자에서만 유의하였으며, 근로시간이 주 52시간을 초과할 경우 효과가 약화되었다.
Key Message
- Higher work-time control (WTC) was associated with better self-rated health, lower risk of depression, and improved work ability among Korean workers.
- The protective effects of WTC were significant for daytime workers but not for shift workers, and benefits diminished when weekly working hours exceeded 52.
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The physical activity paradox in relation to work ability and health-related productivity loss in Korea
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Heejoo Ko, Dohwan Kim, Seong-Sik Cho, Mo-Yeol Kang
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Epidemiol Health. 2023;45:e2023096. Published online October 28, 2023
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2023096
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Abstract
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES
The physical activity paradox suggests that occupational physical activity (OPA), unlike leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), may detrimentally impact health. We explored the relationships of OPA and LTPA with work ability (WA) and health-related productivity loss (HRPL).
METHODS This study included 5,501 workers in Korea who were recruited in 2021 through a web-based cross-sectional questionnaire. The questionnaire was utilized to quantify OPA and LTPA in metabolic equivalents, while WA and HRPL were also measured. Non-parametric regression, using a generalized additive model (GAM), was employed to visualize the relationships of LTPA and OPA with WA and HRPL. Mean differences in WA and HRPL, in relation to OPA and LTPA, were examined using linear regression models. These models were adjusted for covariates including sex, age, body mass index, education level, alcohol consumption, smoking history, insomnia, occupation, hours worked, and income.
RESULTS The GAM and linear regression analyses revealed that higher LTPA corresponded with higher WA and lower HRPL. In contrast, as OPA increased, WA decreased and HRPL increased. However, within the group with high OPA, HRPL was not significantly lower in the high-LTPA subgroup relative to the low-LTPA subgroup (mean difference=1.92%, p=0.343). This pattern was especially pronounced among workers aged 60 years and older, with an increase in HRPL observed with increasing LTPA among the respondents with high OPA.
CONCLUSIONS High LTPA levels were associated with elevated WA and diminished HRPL. In contrast, higher levels of OPA were associated with lower WA and higher HRPL.
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Summary
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Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by  - Data profile: Korean Work, Sleep, and Health Study (KWSHS)
Seong-Sik Cho, Jeehee Min, Heejoo Ko, Mo-Yeol Kang
Ann Occup Environ Med.2025; 37: e3. CrossRef - Association between work stress and sleep disturbances: the mediating role of pre-sleep arousal symptoms
Jeehee MIN, Hoje RYU, Seong-Sik CHO, Mo-Yeol KANG
Industrial Health.2025; 63(5): 478. CrossRef - Understanding the Link Between Physical Activity and Work Ability in University Staff: Protocol for a Gender-Sensitive Cross-Sectional Study
Laura Lorenzo-Gallego, Silvia Muñoz-Pastor, Maria Remedios Menéndez-Calvo, Beatriz Navarro-Brazález, María Torres-Lacomba
JMIR Research Protocols.2025; 14: e80298. CrossRef - Association between the safety climate and occupational injury in the Korean working population: a cross-sectional study
Jeehee Min, Tae-Won Jang, Hye-Eun Lee, Mo-Yeol Kang, Seong-Sik Cho
Epidemiology and Health.2024; 46: e2024082. CrossRef
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