Relationship between Shift Work and Depression in Male Workers in a Car Production Plant

Background: Worldwide, many studies have reported that shift work increases mental and physical problems more than non-shift work does. However, studies on the relationship between shift work and depression in South Korea are scarce. This study intended to investigate the relationship between shift work and depression in South Korea. Methods: A total of 418 males working in a car production plant from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012 and who underwent a comprehensive health screening in a clinic in Ulsan University Hospital were enrolled. The Korean Version of the Beck Depression Inventory (K-BDI) was administered and a score higher than 16 points was considered as the cutoff for depression. The relationship between shift work and depression was analyzed by multivariate regression analysis. Results: The total depression rate was 11.7% (shift work, 15.4%; non-shift work, 7.8%). The shift-work group showed higher depression rates compared with the non-shift work group after adjusting for confounders (age, education level, monthly income, smoking) (odds ratio=2.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.02–4.82). Conclusion: From the results of this study, we concluded that the depression rate for shift workers was higher than for non-shift workers. These results could be effectively used in the medical field, as well as in the industry, to prevent shift-work related depression.