title: The impact of occupation according to income on depressive symptoms in South Korean individuals: Findings from the Korean Welfare Panel Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In South Korea, societal perceptions on occupation are distinct, with people favouring white collar jobs. Hence both occupation type and income can have mental health effects.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between occupational classification and depression, along with the combined effect of occupational classification and household income.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were from the Korean Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS), 2010-2013. A total of 4,694 economically active participants at baseline were followed. Association between occupational classification and depression, measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale 11, was investigated using the linear mixed effects model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blue collar (β: 0.3871, p = .0109) and sales and service worker groups (β: 0.3418, p = .0307) showed higher depression scores than the white collar group. Compared to the white collar high-income group, white collar low income, blue collar middle income, blue collar middle-low income, blue collar low income, sales and service middle-high income, sales and service middle-low income and sales and service low-income groups had higher depression scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Occupational classification is associated with increasing depression scores. Excluding the highest income group, blue collar and sales and service worker groups exhibit higher depression scores than their white collar counterparts, implying the importance of addressing these groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Woorim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Cheol
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Tae-Hoon
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yeong Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jaeyong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea Department of Hospital Management, Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea LEEVAN@yuhs.ac.
authors.forename: Sang Gyu
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations / Q000145:classification*; D011203:Poverty; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Depression; East Asian societies; collar workers; household income; occupation type; societal perceptions