Associations of Health Behaviors on Depressive Symptoms among Employed Men in Japan

Abstract

Abstract:The associations between health behaviors and depressive symptoms have been demonstrated in many studies. However, job strain has also been associated with health behaviors. The aim of this study was to analyze whether health behaviors such as physical activity, sleeping, smoking and alcohol intake are associated with depressive symptoms after adjusting for job strain. Workers were recruited from nine companies and factories located in east and central areas of Japan. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale was used to assess depressive symptoms. Psychological demand and control (decision-latitude) at work were measured with the Job Content Questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent contribution of each health behavior to depressive symptoms. Among the total participants, 3,748 (22.7%) had depressive symptoms, which was defined as scoring 16 or higher on the CES-D scale. Using the multiple logistic regression analysis, depressive symptoms were significantly associated with physical activity less than once a week (adjusted relative risk [ARR]=1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14 to 1.25) and daily hours of sleep of 6 h or less (ARR, 1.25; 95%CI, 1.14 to 1.35). Smoking and frequency of alcohol intake were not significantly associated with depressive symptoms. This study suggests some health behaviors such as physical activity or daily hours of sleep are associated with depressive symptoms after adjusting for job strain.

Bedtime and Sleep Duration in Relation to Depressive Symptoms among Japanese Workers

“…We found an increased prevalence of depressive symptoms among workers with a short sleep duration (<6 hours), and several previous studies have also reported that a short sleep duration (<5 hours 11, 16−18) , <6 hours 9,10,12,13,15,19) or <7 hours 8) ) was associated with increased prevalence or incidence of depression. Long sleep duration (≥8 hours 12) or ≥9 hours 11,14,15,18) ) has also been shown to be associated with a higher prevalence of depression.…”

Course of Depressive Symptoms Following a Workplace Injury: A 12-Month Follow-Up Update

“…By 12 months post-injury, 14.5 % of workers had persistent high levels at all time points and a quarter (24.7 %) were experiencing high levels of depressive symptoms at 12 months. Prevalence estimates of high depressive symptom levels based on the CES-D in the general working population have ranged from 14 to 23 % [30,31] and 11 to 25 % in the general community [32][33][34][35]. Given the wide ranges reported, it is difficult to ascertain whether depressive symptoms are, in fact, more prevalent in injured workers at 12 months.…”

Depressive Symptoms in Chinese Factory Workers in Nagasaki, Japan

“…In an occupational setting, Wada et al assessed depressive symptoms in Japanese male factory workers and reported that the prevalence of a high level of depressive symptoms decreased with age 29) . In addition, Iwata et al assessed depressive symptoms in Japanese people working in tax offices and showed no significant association between depressive symptoms and age among workers aged less than 50 yr 30) .…”