[Correlates of self-rated fatigue in Korean employees].
OBJECTIVE
To elucidate the correlates of self-rated fatigue in Korean employees.


METHODS
The data for 10,176 (men, 7984; women, 2192; mean age, 34.2; SD: 8.8) employees recruited from a nation-wide sample were examined. A structured questionnaire was used to measure the participants' fatigue, sociodemographics (sex, age, education, and marital status), job-related characteristics (work duration, grade at work, work hours, shiftwork, employment type, and magnitude of workplace), and health-related habits (smoking, drinking, coffee intake, and exercise). Two types of measurement for fatigue were used to evaluate the magnitude of fatigue: self-rated question and a standardized measurement tool (Multidimensional Fatigue Scale: MFS).


RESULTS
According to the self-rated fatigue, 32% of employees reported that they felt fatigue for the past two weeks, and 9.6% of males and 8.7% of females had experienced excessive fatigue (6 months or more). Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that fatigue measured by MFS was more common in women, younger, college or more graduated, single, and employees who do not regularly exercise. Fatigue was also associated with long work hours, and the size of the workplace (< 1000 employees).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that fatigue has been considered as a common complaint, and that it is affected by job-related factors like work hours and the workplace size as well as sociodemographics or health-related behaviors. Further research is needed to clarify the effects of fatigue on adverse health,outcomes, work performance, work disability, sick absence and medical utilization, and to examine the relationship of job characteristics (e.g.: work demand, decision latitude) to fatigue.
Chang
Sei Jin
SJ
Department of Preventive Medicine and Institute of Occupational Medicine, Yonsei University.
Koh
Sang Baek
SB
Kang
Myung Gun
MG
Hyun
Sook Jung
SJ
Cha
Bong Suk
BS
Park
Jong Ku
JK
Park
Jun Ho
JH
Kim
Seong Ah
SA
Kang
Dong Mug
DM
Chang
Seong Sil
SS
Lee
Kyung Jae
KJ
Ha
Eun Hee
EH
Ha
Mina
M
Woo
Jong Min
JM
Cho
Jung Jin
JJ
Kim
Hyeong Su
HS
Park
Jung Sun
JS
D000328:Adult; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012650:Self Disclosure