Comparison of the physical and mental health problems of unemployed with employees in South Korea

This study compared the physical and mental health problems of adults with standard and nonstandard employment with those who were unemployed. We used data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to compare adult males and females with standard and nonstandard employment with those who were unemployed. Relative to adults with standard employment, higher proportions of unemployed individuals were women, older, had low monthly incomes, and had mental health problems. Compared to men and women with standard employment, unemployed men and women had greater risk of reporting depressive feelings (OR = 1.683, 95% CI = 1.298-2.183; OR = 1.419, 95% CI = 1.179-1.709) and suicidal ideation (OR = 2.218, 95% CI = 1.682-2.928; OR = 1.250, 95% CI = 1.020-1.530). Among workers with nonstandard employment, there were gender differences in the risk for arthritis. Unemployed individuals also had a higher risk of mental health problems than nonstandard workers. In conclusion, the unemployed were more vulnerable to mental health problems.