Increased risk of sleep problems according to employment precariousness among paid employees in Korea

Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between precarious employment (PE) and sleep problems among wage workers in Korea.

Methods: Data from 29,437 wage workers were obtained from the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey. PE was defined based on four dimensions: employment temporariness, irregularity, lack of protection, and economic vulnerability. A PE index indicating employment precariousness was derived. The outcome variables were three sleep problems experienced over the past year: difficulty initiating asleep; difficulty maintaining sleep' and fatigue upon waking. Multiple logistic regression was performed after adjusting for age, educational level, occupation, job tenure, company size, and working hours, to estimate the association between PE and sleep problems.

Results: For both sexes, the risk of all sleep problems significantly increased as the precariousness of employment increased, showing a dose-response relationship.

Conclusion: An increased risk of sleep problems is evident as employment becomes more precarious. These findings could help improve the health of workers with PE by addressing sleep problems.