The Association Between Occupational Factors, Depression, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Military Women in Republic of Korea: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is an important concept to consider both individuals' ability to manage their daily lives and health status across the lifespan. Despite this variable's importance, there is a lack of clarification on the factors associated with HRQOL, especially for military women. The aim of this study was to examine factors associated with HRQOL of military women in the Korea Army.Methods: This cross-sectional study included 196 participants who were currently within their 5-year service period. Differences in HRQOL according to general and occupational factors were analyzed using the independent t-test and analysis of variance. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with the HRQOL of women serving as military junior officers.Results: The mean score for the physical component summary (PCS) of HRQOL was 56.0±5.8, and that for the mental component summary (MCS) of HRQOL was 47.2±10.0. For depression, the mean score was 5.4±5.2, whereas 19.4% of the participants scored more than 10 out of 27 points, which means moderate to severe. No variables showed statistically significant relationships with the PCS. However, significant relationships with the MCS were found for rank (β = -3.63, p <. 001), duty time (β = -4.93, p = .029), perceived stress (β = -0.61, p <. 001), and depression (β = -0.90, p <. 001).Conclusions: Although depression levels were not severe, it was a significant factor of HRQOL and thus the need for depression screening and regular depression management in women serving in the ROK Army to improve their HRQOL. Considering these results, nursing officers should conduct frequent testing related to mental health and take steps to manage high-risk groups. This study also contributes to the literature by providing basic data for the establishment of an appropriate health service environment and systematic health management policies.