A descriptive cross-sectional study on the motivation of work-from-home office workers in the National Capital Region / The Health Sciences Journal

INTRODUCTION@#The landscape of work has changed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as more companies shifted from face-to-face to the work-from-home (WFH) setup. This change has affected several aspects of human life especially the motivation to WFH. The study aimed to determine the motivation of WFH among office workers in the National Capital Region (NCR) from March 2020 to February 2022@*METHODS@#Using a descriptive cross-sectional study design, an online survey of WFH office workers around the NCR, Philippines was conducted. A 26-item questionnaire on motivation covering dimensions of availability (flexibility), safety (work-life balance), and meaningfulness (work performance) was used. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 24.@*RESULTS@#A total of 252 respondents were included in the study, with a majority identifying as females aged 21 to 30, never married, and college graduates. Additionally, respondents reported having one to five years of work experience and were employed in professional/technical/managerial fields. Regarding the impact of remote work, the findings indicated that most individuals who worked from home (WFH) felt motivated by this setup due to its positive effects on availability, time and cost savings from reduced commuting, and the flexibility it provided for managing their schedules according to personal preferences. Furthermore, in terms of safety and conducive work environment, WFH office workers expressed agreement that the remote work setup contributed to a favorable work environment, leading to increased job satisfaction. This setup allowed them to effectively balance work responsibilities with personal and family commitments. The study also revealed that WFH office workers perceived a sense of meaningfulness in their work, as they felt trusted and valued by their employers. This sentiment contributed to their overall well-being, both physically and mentally@*CONCLUSION@#Work-from-home office workers are generally always motivated in terms of availability (flexibility), safety (work-life balance) and meaningfulness (work performance).

Association between duration of gadget use and the socio-emotional difficulties of junior high school students in selected private schools in Quezon City: An analytic cross-sectional study / The Health Sciences Journal

INTRODUCTION: Gadget use with its diverse range of functions from communication to navigation andentertainment, has brought increasing concerns about its effects on psychological health. Despitegrowing evidence on its effect among children, its effect on the adolescent age group, particularly onthe socio-emotional dimension remains uncertain.METHOD: An analytical cross-sectional study was done to identify a possible association between durationof gadget use and socio-emotional difficulties of an adolescent. A cluster sample of junior high schoolstudents aged 13-17 years old from four selected private schools were invited to answer the Strengthsand Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to measure socio-emotional difficulties and provide information onthe type and duration of gadget use. Scores derived from the SDQ were classified as normal, borderlineand abnormal based on the questionnaire's scoring guide. Association between duration of gadget useand strengths and difficulties was tested using chi-square, controlling for sex and age groups.RESULTS: Majority of the 315 respondents had normal scores on the strengths and difficulties sub-scales.Regardless of the duration of gadget use, majority of the respondents had normal prosocial behaviorand likewise scored normal on all dimensions of the Difficulties subscale. There was no significantassociation between duration of gadget use and Strength (p = 0.47) and Difficulties scores (p = 0.35).Stratifying by sex and age groups likewise resulted in insignificant associations (p > 0.05). Those withprolonged gadget use were 1.68 times more likely to have abnormal scores on the Difficulties subscalecompared with those with normal gadget use but the association was not significant (95% CI 0.82, 3.34).CONCLUSION: There was no significant association between duration of gadget use and socio-emotionaldifficulties of adolescents in selected private schools, controlling for sex and age groups.