Perceived discrimination and low back pain among 28,532 workers in South Korea: Effect modification by labor union status.
This study investigated the association between workplace discrimination and low back pain among Korean workers and explored the role of labor union in the association.



We analyzed a cross-sectional survey of 28,532 workers from the 3rd Korean Working Conditions Survey (2011), a nationally representative dataset in South Korea. Experience of workplace discrimination for five different reasons was assessed using the questions: "Over the past 12 months, have you ever experienced workplace discrimination based on your: (a) age, (b) education, (c) birth region, (d) sex, and (e) employment status?" Experience of low back pain within a 12 month period was measured using a yes/no question. Labor union membership was coded into three categories: (1) workers at workplaces without a labor union; (2) workers without union membership at workplaces with a labor union; (3) workers with union membership.



In workplaces without a labor union, low back pain was statistically significantly associated with workplace discrimination based on age (OR: 2.02, 95% CI: 1.73, 2.35), education (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.23, 1.71), birth region (OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.84), sex (OR: 2.22, 95% CI: 1.81, 2.73), and employment status (OR: 2.33, 95% CI: 1.99, 2.72) after adjusting for covariates including physical work factors. However, no significant association was observed among workers at workplaces with a labor union regardless of workers' union membership.



Workplace discrimination was associated with low back pain only in workplaces without a labor union. Presence of labor union at workplaces may have a protective effect on workers' low back pain against workplace discrimination.
Department of Public Health Sciences, Korea University, 353 Hana Science Hall B, Anam-ro 145, Seonbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
Nagyeong
N
Lee
Department of Public Health Sciences, Korea University, 353 Hana Science Hall B, Anam-ro 145, Seonbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
Hyoju
H
Sung
Department of Public Health Sciences, Korea University, 353 Hana Science Hall B, Anam-ro 145, Seonbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
Ji-Hwan
JH
Kim
College of Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, USA.
Laura
L
Punnett
Department of Public Health Sciences, Korea University, 353 Hana Science Hall B, Anam-ro 145, Seonbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea; Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: ssk3@korea.ac.kr.
Seung-Sup
SS
Kim
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007750:Labor Unions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D056910:Republic of Korea; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
Labor union; Low back pain; South Korea; Workplace discrimination