Impact of near work on perceived stress according to working hours: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey VI (2013–2015)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among working hours, near work time, and perceived stress. In total, data of 3,776 workers from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey VI were examined. The workers’ working hours per week, daily near work time, and complaints of perceived stress were analyzed in conjunction with other sociodemographic and occupation-related variables. Multivariate logistic analysis found that workers with 3 and ≥4 hours of near work were more likely to report high perceived stress than were the reference group who had <1 hour per day of near work, with odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) of 1.34 (1.01–1.78) and 1.94 (1.53–2.46), respectively. Additionally, those working 50 and more hours a week were more likely to report high perceived stress with ORs of 1.51 (1.19–1.90) and 1.88 (1.42–2.48), respectively. When stratified by working hours, workers with daily near work time of ≥4 hours were more likely to report high perceived stress with ORs of 2.21 (1.45–3.37), 2.27 (1.30–3.97), and 3.47 (1.80–6.69), among the workers with 40–49, 50–59, and ≥60 weekly working hours, respectively. Workers with greater near work time are at risk for high perceived stress. Moreover, this risk was found to be higher among workers with longer working hours. Therefore, work cycle modification and reductions in near work time are necessary to prevent stress-related health outcomes.