Serious psychological distress affects 2.7% of American workers aged 18 to 64, according to a data brief from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, distress was highest among adults who usually worked the evening or night shift (4.8%) or a rotating shift (3.9%).
Researchers from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics examined differences in serious psychological distress in the past 30 days by work conditions, including shift work, variation in monthly earnings, perceived job insecurity, and work schedule flexibility. Data were extracted from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey.
Workers without paid sick leave (3.9%) were more likely to experience serious psychological distress than those with paid sick leave. Schedule flexibility also factored into a worker’s level of stress: Psychological distress was higher among those who had difficulty altering work schedules (4.2%) compared with those who had easily altered schedules (2.2%).
“These results suggest the role of work conditions, not just occupation and employment status, as social determinants of health,” wrote brief author Laryssa Mykyta, PhD.
