Precarious Employment as Compared With Unemployment Reduces the Risk of Depression in the Elderly in Korea.

Abstract

To compare how depression develops in precarious employment and in unemployment, as how precarious jobs impact unemployment-related depression is relatively unknown. Using the 1st to 4th Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging survey data, 5638 older people were analyzed to measure depression incidence in relation to employment status. A Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale form was chosen to identify depression. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were derived from Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for a number of variables. Unemployment-related depression risk was significantly higher than for precarious employment. Depression risk was significantly lower for male full-time permanent workers than precarious workers, but was not significantly different in women. To prevent the deterioration of mental health in the elderly, an extensive job promotion campaign including precarious work is required.