J Korean Med Sci.  2024 Jul;39(25):e192. 10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e192.

Association Between Economic Activity and Depressive Symptoms Among Women With Parenting Children

• Kim CR
• Yun I
• Kim SY
• Park EC
• Shin J

• KMID: 2557769
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e192

Abstract

Background
Balancing parenting and work life poses challenges for women with children, potentially making them vulnerable to depression owing to their dual responsibilities. Investigating working mothers’ mental health status is important on both the individual and societal levels. This study aimed to explore the relationship between economic activity participation and depressive symptoms among working mothers.
Methods
This study was a cross-sectional study and used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020. The participants in the study were women aged 19 to 50 who were residing with their children. In the total, 3,151 participants were used in the analysis. The independent variable was economic activity, categorized into two groups: 1) economically active and 2) economically inactive. The dependent variable was the depressive symptoms, categorized as present for a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score of ≥ 10 and absent for a score < 10. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between economic activity and depressive symptoms, and sensitivity analyses were performed based on the severity of depressive symptoms.
Results
Among women with children, economically active women had reduced odds ratio of depressive symptoms compared with economically inactive women (odds ratio [OR], 0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36–0.80). In additional analysis, women working as wage earners had the lowest odds of depressive symptoms (OR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.28–0.66). Women working an average of 40 hours or less per week were least likely to have depressive symptoms (OR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.25–0.69).
Conclusion
Economic activity is significantly associated with depressive symptoms among women with children. Environmental support and policy approaches are needed to ensure that women remain economically active after childbirth.

Keyword

Economic Activity; Depressive Disorder; Women; Working Women; Parenting

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Labor force participation rate of women aged 15–64 (2000–2022).(Data: OECD Labour Force Statistics, 2022).

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  Fig. 2 Flow chart of participating women in the study.

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  Fig. 3 Results of the analysis according to the severity of depressive symptoms.OR = odds ratio, CI = confidence interval, PHQ-9 = Patient Health Questionnaire-9.*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001.

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