title: Factors associated with health-related quality of life in Korean older workers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prevalence of aged individuals in the Korean workforce continues to increase. This research determined the health and working conditions of Korean older wage workers and confirmed the effects of factors on the health-related quality of life of Korean older workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of the 25,534 persons surveyed in the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1368 older (>55 years of age) wage workers without missing variables were selected. Their general characteristics, health status (cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disease, and mental health), working conditions (type of occupation, employment status, full- or part-time work, weekly average working hours, and shift work), and health-related quality of life assessed by the EQ-5D questionnaire were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean values of the EQ-5D index of the male and female older workers were 0.956 ± 0.087 and 0.917 ± 0.124, respectively (p < 0.001). The factors that caused statistically significant differences in the EQ-5D index for all subjects were age, education, household income, cerebro-cardiovascular event, osteoarthritis, musculoskeletal pain, stress, occupation type, employment status, and working hours. In logistic regression analysis, the factors that associated with perceived problems in each EQ-5D dimensions were age, musculoskeletal pain, stress, diabetes, smoking, occupation type, employment status, and working hours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To eventually raise the quality of life of older workers through health maintenance and management, it is necessary to manage related factors that include of musculoskeletal pain and diseases, stress, diabetes, smoking, occupation, employment status, and working hours.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Korea University Hosipital, 123, Jeokgeum-ro, Ansan, Gyeonggido Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sujin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Korea University Hosipital, 123, Jeokgeum-ro, Ansan, Gyeonggido Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Harin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Korea University Hosipital, 123, Jeokgeum-ro, Ansan, Gyeonggido Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yunjeong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Korea University Hosipital, 123, Jeokgeum-ro, Ansan, Gyeonggido Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hosun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Korea University Hosipital, 123, Jeokgeum-ro, Ansan, Gyeonggido Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jongtae
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Korea University Hosipital, 123, Jeokgeum-ro, Ansan, Gyeonggido Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Daeseong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: EQ-5D; Health-related quality of life; KNHANES; Older workers