Journal List > Korean J Adult Nurs > v.27(5) > 1076353

Jeon and Kweon: Effects of Emotional Labor, Somatic Symptoms, and Emotional Support on Quality of Life among Middle-aged Female Workers

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of emotional labor, somatic symptoms, and emotional support on quality of life among middle-aged women workers.

Methods

The study design was a descriptive survey research. Data were collected from October 2013 to January 2014 in Korea. A self-reported questionnaire was administerd in a convenience sample of 264 middle aged women in various working places. The survey included socio-demographic and job-related factors, and the questionnaires about emotional labor, somatic symptoms, emotional support, and quality of life. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, pearson's correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression.

Results

Stepwise multiple regression showed that somatic symptoms had the greatest effect on quality of life (β=-1.65, p<.001), followed by emotional support (β=0.67, p<.001), and job satisfaction (β=3.98, p<.001). And these variables accounted for 52% of quality of life among middle-aged women workers (F=97.14, p<.001).

Conclusion

These results suggest for clinical nurses to take somatic symptoms, emotional support, and job satisfaction into special account in order to improve the middle aged women worker's quality of life. Ultimately, a health promotion program focusing on these influential variables in workplace need to be developed for the given population.

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Table 1.
Socio-demographic and Job related Characteristics of the Subjects (N=264)
Characteristics Categories n (%) or M±SD
Age (year)   48.89±4.32
40~45 55 (20.8)
46~50 132 (50.0)
51~55 55 (20.8)
56~61 22 (8.4)
Education ≤Middle school 9 (3.4)
High school 143 (54.2)
≥University 112 (42.4)
Religion Yes 179 (67.8)
No 85 (32.2)
Marital status Married 235 (89.0)
Single (or divorce, bereavement) 29 (11.0)
Personal monthly income (10,000 won) <100 18 (6.8)
100~<200 151 (57.2)
≥200 95 (36.0)
Classification of occupation Regular workers 163 (61.7)
Contingent workers 101 (38.3)
Type of job Self-employed, C & I 55 (20.8)
Office job 29 (11.0)
Specialized job 70 (26.5)
Sales and service 65 (24.6)
Production worker 15 (5.7)
Etc. (including directorship) 30 (11.4)
Reasons for working For making money 184 (69.7)
For self-realization 29 (11.0)
For do a role as social member 27 (10.2)
Etc. 24 (9.1)
Job Satisfaction Not satisfied 15 (5.7)
So-so 70 (26.5)
Satisfied 166 (62.9)
Very satisfied 13 (4.9)
Diagnosed diseases (multiple choices) Hypertension 34 (12.8)
Diabetes 9 (3.4)
Gastrointestinal disease 27 (10.2)
Cardiovascular disease 9 (3.4)
Osteoporosis 6 (2.2)
Arthritis 20 (7.5)
Number of diagnosed disease   0.66±0.81

C & I=commerce and industry.

Table 2.
Emotional Labor, Somatic Symptoms, Emotional Support and Quality of life of the Subjects (N=264)
Variables n (%) M±SD Possible range Obtained range
Emotional labor   73.46±19.25 17~136 23~127
Somatic symptoms   6.68±4.64 0~30 0~25
High somatic symptoms (15~30) 18 (6.8)      
Median somatic symptoms (10~14) 48 (18.2)      
Low somatic symptoms (5~9) 102 (38.6)      
Minimal somatic symptoms (0~4) 96 (36.4)      
Emotional support   48.71±8.62 13~65 23~65
Quality of life   75.25±15.93 0~108 28~108
Physical aspect   21.35±5.43 0~28 2~28
Social/family aspect   17.44±5.65 0~28 1~28
Emotional aspect   17.52±4.39 0~24 0~24
Functional aspect   18.94±5.62 0~28 0~28
Table 3.
Differences of Emotional Labor, Somatic Symptoms, Emotional Support and Quality of life by General Characteristics and Job related Characteristics of the Subjects (N=264)
  Emotional labor Somatic symptoms Emotional support Quality of life
Characteristics M±SD t/F/r (p) M±SD t/F/r (p) M±SD t/F/r (p) M±SD t/F/r (p)
Age (year)                
40~45 72.89±16.56 2.83 7.09±5.03 0.31 48.85±8.36 0.94 77.13±15.82 0.36
46~50 72.06±18.81 (.039) 6.72±4.54 (.817) 48.86±8.53 (.963) 74.64±15.35 (.781)
51~55 79.65±20.20   6.40±4.66   48.55±9.11   75.33±16.13  
≥56 67.81±23.11   6.14±4.66   47.86±9.04   74.00±19.62  
Education                
≤Middle school 73.67±20.14 0.31 6.56±4.45 0.40 48.11±10.24 0.02 73.11±11.35 0.20
High school 74.30±19.50 (.732) 6.92±4.36 (.670) 48.74±8.13 (.987) 74.90±15.24 (.818)
≥University 72.38±19.00   6.39±5.01   48.71±9.16   75.88±17.15  
Religion                
Yes 72.61±19.68 -1.05 7.10±4.92 2.11 49.21±8.38 1.37 75.06±16.02 -0.28
No 75.26±18.32 (.297) 5.81±3.87 (.036) 47.66±9.06 (.173) 75.65±15.84 (.781)
Marital status                
Married 74.06±19.55 1.45 6.54±4.61 -1.46 48.70±8.68 -0.06 75.96±15.75 2.08
Single (or divorce, bereavement) 68.59±16.13 (.149) 7.86±4.83 (.147) 48.79±8.23 (.955) 69.48±16.52 (.039)
Personal monthly income                
<100 76.61±20.66 0.65 6.28±4.51 1.18 50.17±8.43 1.53 79.06±14.66 2.42
100~<200 74.09±19.12 (.524) 7.06±4.60 (.310) 47.91±8.56 (.219) 73.42±16.29 (.091)
≥200 71.86±19.27   6.16±4.72   49.69±8.70   77.43±15.33  
Classification of occupation                
Regular workers 72.23±19.86 -1.33 6.44±4.58 -1.07 49.32±9.15 1.47 75.69±16.42 0.57
Contingent workers 75.46±18.15 (.186) 7.07±4.74 (.286) 47.72±7.63 (.144) 74.54±15.18 (.572)
Type of job                
Self-employed, C & I 73.96±19.28 0.84 6.82±4.91 2.20 49.07±8.66 0.76 72.67±12.94 1.32
Office job 74.83±16.27 (.843) 8.03±5.53 (.055) 47.21±10.52 (.580) 72.24±17.92 (.258)
Specialized job 71.11±18.78   5.47±4.11   48.14±8.52   77.16±16.85  
Sales and service 73.29±20.94   7.25±4.74   50.15±8.09   78.08±16.46  
Production worker 77.33±17.34   8.27±4.03   49.20±7.69   71.33±18.02  
Etc. (including directorship) 75.13±20.90   5.93±3.92   47.43±8.50   74.27±13.92  
Reasons for working                
For making moneya 73.08±19.29 0.33 7.13±4.70 3.27 48.64±8.54 0.43 73.46±16.07 3.60
For self-realizationb 72.86±21.85 (.805) 4.79±4.05 (.022) 48.41±8.43 (.730) 82.66±14.90 (.014)
For do a role as social memberc d 73.44±20.17   7.07±4.42   47.93±7.67   75.56±14.34 a<b
Etc.d 77.17±14.91   5.08±4.42   50.50±10.60   79.71±15.20  
Job satisfaction                
Not satisfieda 70.20±13.71 1.54 9.80±5.70 5.82 41.80±9.68 3.62 58.73±19.29 10.63
So-sob 75.96±18.42 (.204) 7.91±4.31 (.001) 49.56±7.44 (.014) 70.79±13.18 ( (<.001)
Satisfiedc 73.43±19.80   5.89±4.29 a, b>c 49.01±8.57 a<b, c 78.22±15.12 a<c, d
Very satisfiedd 64.23±20.58   6.54±6.65   48.31±11.24   80.38±19.57  
Number of diagnosed disease   .08   .31   -.07   -.27
    (.221)   (<.001)   (.240) (<.001)

C & I=commerce and industry;

Scheffé test.

Table 4.
Correlations among Emotional Labor, Somatic Symptoms, Emotional Support, and Quality of life (N=264)
Variables Emotional labor Somatic symptoms Emotional support
r (p) r (p) r (p)
Emotional labor 1    
Somatic symptoms -.10 (.094) 1  
Emotional support .06 (.315) -.25 (<.001) 1
Quality of life .08 (.191) -.61 (<.001) .50 (<.001)
Table 5.
The Influencing Factor on Quality of life of the Subjects (N=264
Variables Standardized β SE t (p) R2 change R2
(Constant)   5.74 6.84    
Somatic symptoms -1.65 0.15 -10.69 (<.001) .37 .37
Emotional support 0.67 0.08 8.17 (<.001) .13 .50
Job satisfaction 3.98 1.02 3.90 (<.001) .03 .53

2 Adjusted R=.52, F=97.14, p<.001

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