The Association of Occupational Stress with Self-perceived Fatigue in White Collar Employees

Cha, Kyoung Tae; Kim, Il Whoi; Koh, Sang Baek; Hyun, Sook Jung; Park, Jun Ho; Park, Jong Ku; Cha, Bong Suk; Chang, Sei Jin

Abstract

BACKGROUND
& OBJECTIVES: A growing body of research has documented that occupational stress is closely associated with increased risk of fatigue. This study was conducted in an effort to assess the relationship of occupational stress to self-perceived fatigue among Korean white collar employees.
METHODS
Data were obtained from the National Study for Development and Standardization of Occupational Stress (NSDSOS Project, 2002-2004). Among them, a total of 4,502 white collar employees were recruited. A structured questionnaire was employed to evaluate the participants' sociodemographics, job-related factors, health-related behaviors, occupational stress, and self-perceived fatigue. Occupational stress and self-perceived fatigue were assessed using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale-Short form (KOSS-SF) and the Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (MFS), respectively.
RESULTS
In logistic regression analyses, occupational stress was associated with an increased risk of fatigue, and some domains of occupational stress had different effects on fatigue by gender (job demand, job insecurity, and lack of reward for men, job demand, lack of reward, and discomfort in occupational climate for women), which indicates that occupational stress may perform a slightly different role in increasing the risk of fatigue by gender.
CONCLUSION
The results of this study suggest that occupational stress is a determinant predictor of selfperceived fatigue. Thus, a stress management program for the reduction of occupational stress, and the promotion of white collar worker's health and quality of life is strongly recommended. Some limitations of this study and considerations for future studies were also discussed.