Researchers from Seoul National University (South Korea) found that work weeks longer than 35 hours contributed to depressive symptoms in older adults. results published at BMC Public Health.
5,751 volunteers participated in the research. All participants were over 55 years old. Scientists tried to find out how much time spent at work contributes to healthy aging. It is known that unemployment can cause emotional stress, but working too hard and for a long time is not beneficial either.
Researchers collected information about volunteers’ employment and the quality of their social lives (communication with friends and family, attendance at public events, volunteer activities). The scientists also asked the subjects to fill out special questionnaires to identify signs of depression. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate associations between work hours, social activity, and depressive symptoms. Age, gender, marital status, education and income level, real estate ownership, place of residence, religious beliefs, presence of a spouse and children were also taken into consideration.
The results showed that older adults who worked more than 35 hours per week were more likely to experience depressive symptoms. However, in general, the mental health of working people is better than the unemployed. High levels of social interaction also contributed to the well-being of the elderly.
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