title: The association between concealing emotions at work and medical utilization in Korea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to investigate the association between concealing emotions at work and medical utilization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the 2007-2009 4th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV) was used, 7,094 participants (3,837 males, 3,257 females) aged between 20 and 54 who were economically active and completed all necessary questionnaire items were included. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for differences in hospitalization, outpatient visits, and pharmaceutical drug use between those who concealed their emotions and those who did not were investigated using logistic regression models with and without gender stratification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among those who concealed their emotions (n = 2,763), 47.4% were females, and 50.1% had chronic disease. In addition, 9.7% of the concealing emotions group had been hospitalized within the last year, 24.8% had been outpatients in the last two weeks, and 28.3% had used pharmaceutical drugs in the last two weeks. All ORs represent the odds of belonging to the concealing emotions group over the non-concealing emotions group. After adjustment for individual, occupational, socioeconomic and disease factors, the adjusted ORs (95% CI) in hospitalization are 1.29 (1.08 ~ 1.53) in the total population, 1.25 (0.98 ~ 1.60) in males and 1.30 (1.02 ~ 1.66) in females, in outpatient visits are 1.15 (1.02 ~ 1.29) in the total population, 1.05 (0.88 ~ 1.24) in males and 1.25 (1.06 ~ 1.47) in females and in pharmaceutical drug use are 1.12 (1.01 ~ 1.25) in the total population, 1.08 (0.92 ~ 1.27) in males and 1.14 (0.98 ~ 1.33) in females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Those who concealed their emotions at work were more likely to use medical services. Moreover, the health effects of concealing emotions at work might be more detrimental in women than in men.
authors: Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea ; The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Hongdeok
authors: H
authors: Seok
authors: Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea ; The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea ; Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Jin-Ha
authors: JH
authors: Yoon
authors: Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea ; The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Wanhyung
authors: W
authors: Lee
authors: Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea ; The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: June-Hee
authors: JH
authors: Lee
authors: Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea ; The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Pil Kyun
authors: PK
authors: Jung
authors: Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea ; The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Inah
authors: I
authors: Kim
authors: Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea ; The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea ; Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Jong-Uk
authors: JU
authors: Won
authors: Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea ; The Institute for Occupational Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea ; Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Jaehoon
authors: J
authors: Roh
keywords: Health services accessibility; Inpatients; Korea; Occupational health; Outpatients; Pharmacy; Psychological stress