Association between willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and sources of health information among Japanese workers: a cohort study

BACKGROUND@#It is important to achieve herd immunity by vaccinating as many people as possible to end the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated the relationship between willingness to receive vaccination and sources of health information among those who did not want to be vaccinated against COVID-19.@*METHODS@#This prospective cohort study collected data using a self-administered questionnaire survey. The baseline survey was conducted during December 22-25, 2020, and the follow-up survey during February 18-19, 2021. Participants were aged 20-65 years and worked at the time of the baseline survey (N = 33,087). After excluding 6,051 invalid responses, we included responses from 27,036 participants at baseline. In total, 19,941 people responded to the follow-up survey (74% follow-up rate). We excluded 7,415 participants who answered "yes" to the question "If a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, would you like to get it?" in the baseline survey. We finally analyzed 12,526 participants.@*RESULTS@#The odds ratio for change in willingness to be vaccinated from "no" to "yes" differed by source of health information. Compared with workers that used TV as a source of information, significantly fewer people who reported getting information from the Internet and friends/colleagues were willing to get the vaccine.@*CONCLUSIONS@#It is important to approach workers who do not watch TV when implementing workplace vaccination programs. It is likely that willingness to be vaccinated can be increased through an active company policy whereby the top management recommend vaccination, coupled with an individual approach by occupational health professionals.@*TRIAL REGISTRATION@#Not applicable.

Sociodemographic factors and self-restraint from social behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: a cross-sectional study

The control of human flow has led to better control of COVID-19 infections. Japans state of emergency, unlike other countries, is not legally binding but is rather a request for individual self-restraint; thus, factors must be identified that do not respond to self-restraint, and countermeasures considered for those factors to enhance its efficacy. We examined the relationship between sociodemographic factors and self-restraint toward going out in public during a pandemic in Japan. This cross-sectional study used data for February 18-19, 2021, obtained from an internet survey; 19,560 participants aged 20-65 were included in the analysis. We identified five relevant behaviors: (1) taking a day trip; (2) eating out with five people or more; (3) gathering with friends and colleagues; (4) shopping for other than daily necessities; (5) shopping for daily necessities. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between sociodemographic factors and self-restraint for each of the behaviors. Results showed that for behaviors other than shopping for daily necessities, women, those aged 60-65, married people, highly educated people, high-income earners, desk workers and those who mainly work with interpersonal communication, and those with underlying disease reported more self-restraint. Older people had less self-restraint than younger people toward shopping for daily necessities; an underlying disease had no effect on the identified behavior. Specialized interventions for these groups that include recommendations for greater self-restraint may improve the efficacy of the implementing measures that request self-restraint.

Effect of workplace infection control practices on workers' psychological distress: a large-scale cohort study during the COVID-19 second state of emergency in Japan

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically transformed the work environment and work practices worldwide. Long-term infection control practices may increase the psychological stress on workers, and conversely, inadequate infection control practices at the working place may increase the fear of infection. This study aimed to determine the relationship between infection control practices at the workplace and employee mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. MethodsThis study was conducted in December 2020 and February 2021. The participants had undergone a preliminary survey, which revealed that they were in good mental health. Their psychological distress was investigated via a second survey, and the factors associated with distress were studied using a logistic model. ResultsThe results of the second survey indicated that 15.1% of participants demonstrated psychological distress. This was associated with leave-of-absence instructions, instructions for shortening business hours, and requests to avoid the workplace in case of any symptoms. ConclusionThe study found that while some infection control practices reduce workers distress, others worsen it. Employers need to consider infection control practices as well as the worsening mental health of employees following a decrease in income caused by such measures. Follow-up studies may be necessary to clarify the long-term effects on workers mental health.

Association between time spent with family and loneliness among Japanese workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had large impacts on society, including people practicing social distancing. This behavioral response has increased loneliness. Loneliness not only increases the risk of psychiatric disorders, but also affects occupational mental health. To avoid the negative effects of isolation, it is important to have social contact with other people, especially family members. Employment and economic instability caused by COVID-19 may have also affected family relationships. It is important to understand the association between family relationships and loneliness in workers under the pandemic. MethodsWe collected usable data from 27,036 Japanese workers who completed an online survey during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were asked how long they spend with members of their family during mealtimes or at home, and if they experienced loneliness; the latter was assessed by a single question. Other questions included whether participants lived with their spouse, or with someone in need of care. To estimate the odds ratios (ORs) of time with family associated with loneliness we used a multilevel logistic model nested in the prefecture of residence, with adjustments for age, sex, marital status, presence of a cohabitant requiring care, equivalent income, educational level, frequency of remote work, availability of someone for casual chat, smoking, drinking, time for leisure interests, and cumulative rates of COVID-19 in the prefecture. ResultsTen percent (2,750) of the 27,036 participants reported loneliness. The survey showed a significant negative correlation between time spent with family and loneliness (p<0.001): participants who spent more time with family were less likely to feel loneliness. In addition, not living with a spouse and living with someone in need of care were associated with loneliness (not living with a spouse: p<0.001; living with someone in need of care: p<0.001). ConclusionLoneliness under COVID-19 pandemic conditions was negatively associated with time spent with family members, with the converse result found for participants cohabiting with someone in need of care. These associations suggest the potential value of changes to working practices and interventions to combat loneliness.

Association between work attendance when experiencing fever or cold symptoms and company characteristics and socioeconomic status in the COVID-19 pandemic in Japanese workers: a cross-sectional study

ObjectiveThis study investigated the association between attending work while experiencing fever or cold symptoms and workers socioeconomic background and company characteristics during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsA cross-sectional online survey was performed. Of a total of 33,302 participants, 3,676 workers who experienced fever or cold symptoms after April 2020 were included. The odds ratios (ORs) of attending work while sick associated with workers socioeconomic background and company characteristics were evaluated using a multilevel logistic model. ResultsThe OR of attending work while sick associated with a lack of policy prohibiting workers from working when ill was 2.75 (95%CI: 2.28-3.20, P<0.001). ConclusionThis study suggests that clear company policies on work and illness can be effective for preventing employees from attending work while sick.

Dietary differences by job type and industry among workers in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic requires people to change their lifestyles. This study aimed to examine the differences in dietary behaviors during the pandemic across job types and industries. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the Novel-coronavirus and Work Project. Job type and industry were classified into 3 and 22 groups, respectively. Dietary behaviors were assessed using self-reported questionnaires regarding eating breakfast, frequency of meals, and eating fast foods. Changes in eating breakfast during the pandemic were also evaluated. Logistic regression analysis nested in the workplace prefecture was carried out and adjusted for gender, age, body mass index, presence of family members, educational background, and household income. ResultsWorkers involved in jobs that require communicating with people were more likely to skip breakfast (OR 1.17, 95%CI 1.10-1.24) and had a lower frequency of meals (OR 1.25, 95%CI 1.17-1.34) than workers engaged in desk work. Manual workers were more likely to eat fast food or meals (OR 1.10, 95%CI 1.03-1.17) than workers engaged in desk work. Workers engaged in newspaper, magazine, television, radio, advertising, and other mass media industries were more likely to skip breakfast (OR 2.43, 95%CI 1.82-3.24) and have a lower frequency of meals (OR 3.90, 95%CI 2.87-5.28) than workers in public offices and organizations. ConclusionThe tendencies of dietary behaviors across job types/industries during the pandemic were shown, partially consistent with a trend reported before the pandemic. Further studies should clarify the causes of differences in dietary behaviors among workers.

Effect of familiarity with COVID-19 infection--history of infection or close contact--on outing behaviors when a state of emergency is declared

BackgroundRestricting the movement of the public to gathering places and limiting close physical contact are effective measures against COVID-19 infection. In Japan, states of emergency have been declared in specific prefectures to reduce public movement and control COVID-19 transmission. We investigated how COVID-19 infection related experiences including people with a history of infection, people with a history of close contact, and people whose acquaintances have been infected, affected self-restraint related to outing behaviors during the second state of emergency in Japan. MethodsA prospective cohort study was conducted among workers aged 20-65 years using data from an internet survey. The baseline survey was conducted on December 22-25, 2020, and a follow-up survey was on February 18-19, 2021. There were 19,941 participants who completed both surveys and were included in the final analysis. We identified eight outing behaviors: (1) eating out (4 people or fewer); (2) eating out (5 people or more); (3) gathering with friends and colleagues; (4) day trip; (5) overnight trip (excluding visiting home); (6) visiting home; (7) shopping for daily necessities; and (8) shopping for other than daily necessities. We set self-restraint regarding each outing behavior after the second state of emergency was declared in January 2021 as the dependent variable, and COVID-19 infection related experiences as independent variables. Odds ratios were estimated using multilevel logistic regression analyses. ResultsSignificant differences by COVID-19 infection related experiences were identified: compared to people without COVID-19 related experiences, people with a history of COVID-19 were less likely self-restraint from most outing behaviors. People whose acquaintance had been diagnosed with COVID-19 were significantly more likely to refrain from most outing behaviors. There was no significant difference in any outing behaviors for people with a history of close contact only. ConclusionsTo maximize the effect of a state of emergency, health authorities should disseminate information for each person in the target population, taking into account potential differences related to the COVID-19 infection related experiences.

Association between interruption to medical care and sickness presenteeism during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in Japan

ObjectivesThis study examined the relationship between interruption to routine medical care during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and sickness presenteeism among workers in Japan. MethodsA cross-sectional study using data obtained from an internet monitor questionnaire was conducted. Interruption to medical care was defined based on the response "I have not been able to go to the hospital or receive treatment as scheduled." The fraction of sickness presenteeism days in the past 30 days was employed as the primary outcome. A fractional logit model was used for analysis to treat bounded data. ResultsOf the 27,036 participants, 17,526 (65%) were workers who did not require routine medical care, 8,451 (31%) were using medical care as scheduled, and 1,059 (4%) experienced interrupted medical care. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of sickness presenteeism was significantly higher among workers who experienced interrupted medical care (3.44; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.04-3.89) than those who did not require routine medical care. In terms of symptoms, the highest aOR was observed among workers with mental health symptoms (aOR: 5.59, 95%CI: 5.04-6.20). ConclusionsThis study suggests the importance of continuing necessary treatment during a pandemic to prevent presenteeism.

Prospective cohort study of socioeconomic status and subsequent unemployment under COVID-19 in Japan

ObjectivesTo examine the relationship between socioeconomic factors and unemployment among workers during COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. DesignA prospective cohort study, follow-up from December 22-25, 2020 through February 18-19, 2021. SettingThe panelists registered with an Internet survey company ParticipantsA cluster random sample of 33,087 workers with stratification by sex, job type, and region among Japans working population Main outcomes and measuresUnemployment between December 2020 and February 2021 ResultsAmong the 19,941 participants, 725 (3.6%) had experienced unemployment. Multivariate analysis showed that the significant high unemployment for women (compared to men); younger age (compared to older age); being married (spouse not working), bereaved or divorced, and unmarried (compared to married (spouse working)); annual household income less than 6 million yen, (compared to more than 10 million yen); junior high or high school, vocational school, junior college, or technical school (compared to graduate school); and temporary or contract employees, self-employed, agriculture, forestry, or fishing (compared to general employees). ConclusionsCOVID-19 appears to have created difficulties for the vulnerable groups. This suggests the need for employment and economic support for such individuals. Strengths and limitations of this studyUnder the pandemic of COVID-19, we found that unemployment was associated with socioeconomic factors such as age, sex, marriage, income, education and occupation. Our findings suggest that in the event of a major epidemic, resulting in unemployment among vulnerable segments of the labour market, regardless of whether workers themselves are infected. It was unclear why the participants had experienced unemployment This study was conducted as an Internet survey, so the generalizability of our results is limited.

Gender differences in housework and childcare among Japanese workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ObjectivesAlthough gender stereotypes regarding paid work and unpaid work are changing, most wives are responsible for taking care of the family and home in Japan. It is unclear how time spent on housework and childcare has changed between working men and women during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. The purpose of this study is to investigate how working men and womens responsibilities for housework and childcare changed during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan depending on occupation, job type, and the number of employees in the workplace. MethodsA cross-sectional analysis (N=14,454) was conducted using data from an internet monitoring study (CORoNa Work Project), which was conducted in December 2020. A multilevel logistic model with nested prefectures of residence was conducted to estimate the odds ratio (OR) for change in time devoted to housework and childcare among men and women adjusting for age, household income, frequency of telecommuting, presence of spouse who work, occupation, job type, the number of employees in the workplace, and the incidence rate of COVID-19 by prefecture. ResultsRegardless of occupation related factors, more women than men reported increased time spent on housework and childcare. Furthermore, women were significantly more likely to experience an increase in time spent on those activities than men (housework: OR 1.97, 95% CI [1.75, 2.21], p < 0.001; childcare: OR 1.66, 95% CI [1.37, 2.02], p < 0.001). ConclusionsThe time spent by women on housework and childcare increased significantly compared to men during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.

Association between COVID-19 infection rates by region and implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions: A cross-sectional study in Japan

BackgroundDuring a pandemic, non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) play an important role in protecting oneself from infection and preventing the spread of infection to others. There are large regional differences in COVID-19 infection rates in Japan. We hypothesized that the local infection incidence may affect adherence to individual NPIs. MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted online among full-time workers in Japan in December 2020. Data from a total of 27,036 participants were analyzed. The questionnaire asked the respondents to identify their habits regarding seven well-known NPIs. ResultsCompared to the region with the lowest infection rate, the odds ratios for the region with the highest infection rate were 1.24 (p<0.001) for wearing a mask in public, 1.08 (p=0.157) for washing hands after using the bathroom, 1.17 (p=0.031) for disinfecting hands with alcohol sanitizers when entering indoors, 1.54 (p<0.001) for gargling when returning home, 1.45 (p<0.001) for ventilating the room, 1.33 (p<0.001) for disinfecting or washing hands after touching frequently touched surfaces, and 1.32 (p<0.001) for carrying alcohol sanitizers when outdoors. Five of the seven NPIs showed statistically significant trends across regional infection levels, the two exceptions being wearing a mask in public and washing hands after using the bathroom. Multivariate adjustment did not change these trends. ConclusionsThis study found that NPIs were more prevalent in regions with higher incidence rates of COVID-19 in Japanese workers. The findings suggest that the implementation of NPIs was influenced not only by personal attributes but also by contextual effects of the local infection level.

A cross-sectional study of socioeconomic status and sickness presenteeism in Japanese workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundWe examined the association between socioeconomic and health status, and lifestyle and sickness presenteeism among Japanese workers during the COVID-19 epidemic. MethodsA cross-sectional study using an Internet-monitor survey was conducted in December, 2020 in Japan. Of 33,302 survey participants, we analyzed 27,036 participants (13,814 men and 13,222 women) who reported experience with sickness presenteeism. ResultsThe odds ratio (OR) of sickness presenteeism associated with unmarried versus married status was 1.15. Respective figures for other variables were 1.11 for manual laboring work compared to desk work; 1.79 and 2.29 for loss of employment at the time the pandemic began and continuation of unemployment compared to maintaining employment during the pandemic; and 3.34 for a feeling of financial instability compared to stability. ConclusionThe issue of sickness presenteeism has become more prominent under the COVID-19 epidemic.

Spread of infection and treatment interruption among Japanese workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine the relationship between regional infection level and treatment interruption for chronic diseases. MethodsA cross-sectional Internet monitoring survey was performed between December 22 and 26, 2020. Data from 9,510 (5,392 males and 4,118 females) participants needing regular treatment or hospital visits were analyzed. We determined the age-sex- and multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of treatment interruption associated with various indices of infection level by nesting multilevel logistic models in prefecture of residence. In the multivariate model, sex, age, marital status, job type, equivalent household income, education, self-rated health, and anxiety were adjusted. ResultsThe ORs of treatment interruption for the lowest versus highest levels of infection were 1.32 (95% CI: 1.09-1.59) for the overall incidence rate (per 1,000 population), 1.34 (95% CI: 1.10-1.63) for the overall number of people infected, 1.28 (95% CI: 1.06-1.54) for the monthly incidence rate (per 1,000 population), and 1.38 (95% CI: 1.14-1.67) for the number of people infected per month. For each index of infection level, higher infection was linked to more workers experiencing treatment interruption. ConclusionHigher local infection levels were linked to more workers experiencing treatment interruption. Our results suggest that apart from individual characteristics such as socioeconomic and health status, treatment interruptions during the pandemic were also subject to contextual effects related to regional infection levels. Preventing community spread of COVID-19 may thus protect individuals from indirect effects of the pandemic, such as treatment interruption.

Association between willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and sources of health information among Japanese workers: a cohort study

BackgroundIt is important to achieve herd immunity by vaccinating as many people as possible to end the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated the relationship between willingness to receive vaccination and sources of health information among those who did not want to be vaccinated against COVID-19. MethodsThis prospective cohort study collected data using a self-administered questionnaire survey. The baseline survey was conducted during December 22-25, 2020, and the follow-up survey during February 18-19, 2021. Participants were aged 20-65 years and worked at the time of the baseline survey (N = 33,087). After excluding 6,051 invalid responses, we included responses from 27,036 participants at baseline. In total, 19,941 people responded to the follow-up survey (74% follow-up rate). We excluded 7,415 participants who answered "yes" to the question "If a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, would you like to get it?" in the baseline survey. We finally analyzed 12,526 participants. ResultsThe odds ratio for change in willingness to be vaccinated from "no" to "yes" differed by source of health information. Compared with workers that used TV as a source of information, significantly fewer people who reported getting information from the Internet and friends/colleagues were willing to get the vaccine. ConclusionsIt is important to approach workers who do not watch TV when implementing workplace vaccination programs. It is likely that willingness to be vaccinated can be increased through an active company policy whereby the top management recommend vaccination, coupled with an individual approach by occupational health professionals. Trial registrationNot applicable.

Prospective cohort study of workers diagnosed with COVID-19 and subsequent unemployment

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships of workers being diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and being identified as close contacts of infected persons with unemployment in Japan. MethodsThis was a prospective cohort study using questionnaires about COVID-19 administered to Japanese workers. A baseline survey conducted on December 22-25, 2020, was used to determine history of being diagnosed with COVID-19 or being identified as a close contact of an infected person. Unemployment since the baseline survey was ascertained with a follow-up survey on February 18 and 19, 2021. The odds ratios of unemployment were estimated using a multilevel logistic model with adjusted covariates nested in prefecture of residence. ResultsWomen (n = 8,771) accounted for 44% of the total sample (n = 19,941), and the mean age was 48.0 years. In terms of unemployment because of negative reasons, the multivariate analysis showed that the odds ratio of unemployment associated with being diagnosed with COVID-19 was 2.18 (95% CI: 1.05-4.55) and that the odds ratio associated with being identified as a close contact was 0.93 (95% CI: 0.29-2.95). ConclusionsThere is an association between workers being diagnosed with COVID-19 and unemployment. Occupational health professionals should follow up closely with workers diagnosed with COVID-19 after they return to work to prevent them from becoming unemployed against their will.

A cross-sectional study of the association between frequency of telecommuting and unhealthy dietary habits among Japanese workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

2.Abstract and keywordsO_ST_ABSObjectiveC_ST_ABSDue to the COVID-19 pandemic, telecommuting has become a new way of working that has not only changed individuals work, but also their health and lifestyle. We examined the relationship between telecommuting frequency and unhealthy dietary habits among Japanese workers. MethodsA total of 33,302 workers completed an Internet survey about telecommuting and dietary habits. Data from 13,468 office workers who telecommuted were analyzed. Telecommuting frequency during the COVID-19 pandemic was extracted from a questionnaire. The odds ratios (ORs) of four types of dietary habits, namely, skipping breakfast, solitary eating, lower meal frequency, and meal substitution associated with telecommuting frequency were estimated using multilevel logistic regression nested in the prefecture of residence to control for differences in residential area. ResultsThe multivariate OR of skipping breakfast was 1.15 (95% CI: 1.03-1.29, p=0.013) for participants who telecommuted in excess of four days per week compared to those who rarely telecommuted. Similarly, the OR of solitary eating, lower meal frequency and meal substitution were 1.44 (95%CI: 1.28-1.63, p<0.001), 2.39 (95%CI: 1.66-3.44, p<0.001), and 1.26 (95%CI: 1.04-1.51, p=0.015) for those who telecommuted in excess of four days per week compared to those who rarely telecommuted. There was a statistically significant increase in the dose-response trend in ORs of solitary eating (p for trend <0.001), lower meal frequency (p for trend <0.001), and meal substitution (p for trend =0.001) with increasing telecommuting frequency. ConclusionTelecommuters may develop unhealthy dietary habits, indicating the need for strategies to help telecommuters manage their nutrition and diet.

A cross-sectional study of the relationship between exercise, physical activity, and health-related quality of life among Japanese workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundExercise and physical activity positively affect physical and mental health, and healthy workers contribute to increased work productivity. This study aimed to investigate time spent on exercise during leisure time and physical activity, including time at work, in relation to health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among Japanese workers. MethodsAn Internet-based national health survey -Collaborative Online Research on Novel-coronavirus and Work study (CoRoNaWork study) - was conducted among 33,087 Japanese workers in December 2020. After excluding invalid responses, 27,036 participants were categorized into four and five groups according to exercise time and physical activity time, respectively. Each groups scores were compared on each of the four questions on the Japanese version of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Health-Related Quality of Life (CDC HRQOL-4) between each group using a linear mixed model. Age-sex adjusted and multivariate models were used to compare each index of the CDC HRQOL-4. ResultsThe more time spent exercising, the better the self-rated health. Self-rated health was better and unhealthy days were fewer in the group that exercised more than a certain amount of time than in the group that spent almost no time on exercising. As for physical activity, the group that spent more than 120 minutes/day or that almost never engaged in physical activity had lower self-rated health. The group with more than 120 minutes/day of physical activity also had more unhealthy days. ConclusionsThe results of the present study suggest that exercise habits improve workers HRQOL. Interventions to encourage daily exercise even for a short period of time may be an effective strategy to improve workers health and productivity.

Association between Preventive Measures against Workplace Infection and Preventive Behavior against Personal Infection

ObjectivesTo prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, it is necessary for each individual to adopt infection prevention behavior. We investigated the effect of infection control measures implemented in the workplace on personal infection prevention behavior. MethodsWe conducted a self-administered questionnaire survey through the Internet from December 22 to 25, 2020, during which period COVID-19 was spreading. Among respondents aged 20 to 65 years (n=27,036), a total of 21,915 workers were included in the analysis after excluding self-employed workers (n=2,202), workers in small/home offices (n=377), and agriculture, forestry, and fisheries workers (n=212), etc., whose personal infection prevention behavior was almost the same as infection control measures taken in the workplace. ResultsThe results showed that as the number of infection control measures in the workplace increased, implementation of infection prevention behavior by individuals also significantly increased. However, the relationship differed depending on the type of personal infection prevention behavior. Specifically, infection control measures against COVID-19 in the workplace may affect personal infection prevention behavior. ConclusionImplementation of infection control measures in the workplace appears to deepen personal understanding of infection prevention behaviors, and increases awareness of the importance of individual infection prevention behavior and its implementation by all individuals. These findings may be applicable not only to COVID-19 measures but also to responses to other emerging infections and seasonal influenza.

Job stress and loneliness among remote workers

BackgroundTo prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), physical distancing and isolation are crucial strategies in society. However, this response to the pandemic promotes loneliness. Previous studies have reported an increase in loneliness since the outbreak of COVID-19, but there is little evidence on the relationship between job stress and loneliness among remote workers. AimsTo assess the relationship between job stress and loneliness among remote workers. MethodsThis study is a part of nation-wide cross-sectional online survey evaluating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. A total of 27,036 full-time workers completed the self-administrated questionnaire in December 2020. We extracted data on 4,052 desk workers who indicated that they were doing remote work. Loneliness was assessed using a single question and job stress was measured using the Job Content Questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression was performed. ResultsFrequency of remote work was moderately associated with loneliness (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.60, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04-2.46, P = 0.033). Participants who reported of having a low level of co-worker or supervisor support had greater odds of feeling lonely than those who were highly supported (co-worker support: AOR = 4.06, 95% CI: 2.82-5.84, P <0.001; supervisor support: AOR = 2.49, 95% CI: 1.79-3.47, P <0.001). ConclusionsCo-worker support and supervisor support were strongly associated with loneliness, whereas frequency of remote work was moderately associated with feeling lonely. Support from co-workers and supervisors may be crucial factors to prevent loneliness caused by remote work.

A cross-sectional study of the mismatch between telecommuting preference and frequency associated with psychological distress among Japanese workers in the COVID-19 pandemic

ObjectiveTo examine how the mismatch between telecommuting preference and telecommuting frequency was associated with psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsData from 33,302 workers throughout Japan were obtained using an Internet survey. Among 33,302 participants, 20,395 who telecommuted were included in the analysis. Participants telecommuting preference and frequency during the COVID-19 pandemic were determined using a questionnaire. Psychological distress was assessed using Kessler 6 (K6). ResultsAmong participants who did and did not prefer to telecommute, those who telecommuted four or more days per week had an OR of psychological distress of 0.67 (p<0.001) and 1.87 (p=0.001), respectively, compared with those who rarely telecommuted. ConclusionsThe association between telecommuting and psychological distress differs depending on telecommuting preference.