Depressive symptoms and atypical jobs in France, from the 2003 Decennial health survey.
BACKGROUND
The objective is to study the relations between depressive symptoms and atypical jobs in the working population in France and to determine if these associations might be linked with psychosocial and organizational constraints.


METHODS
The data come from the 2003 Decennial health survey and concern 11,895 workers. Depressive symptoms were measured by the CES-D scale. Atypical jobs were defined by employment status (fixed-term or temporary job contract, permanent job contract, self-employed) and by part-time work during working life (involuntary or chosen). Working conditions related to atypical hours and psychosocial factors were also studied.


RESULTS
For both sexes, involuntary part-time work was associated with a higher frequency of depressive symptoms, but part-time work by choice was not. Fixed-term contracts were associated with depressive symptoms only in women. All of these associations persisted after adjustment for psychosocial and organizational factors.


CONCLUSIONS
The associations between atypical jobs and depressive symptoms differ for job status according to sex and do not seem to be associated with the worst psychosocial working conditions. The interpretation of these results is nonetheless limited in part by the cross-sectional nature of the survey.
Santin
Gaëlle
G
Occupational Health Department, French Institute for Public Health Surveillance (InVS), Saint-Maurice, France. g.santin@invs.sante.fr
Cohidon
Christine
C
Goldberg
Marcel
M
Imbernon
Ellen
E
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D017132:Workplace