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. 2022 May 1;64(5):e279-e283.
doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002500. Epub 2022 Jan 25.

Relationship Between Support for Workers With Illness and Work Functioning Impairment in Japan During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Yu Igarashi  1 , Seiichiro Tateishi, Arisa Harada, Ayako Hino, Mayumi Tsuji, Akira Ogami, Koji Mori, Ryutaro Matsugaki, Yoshihisa Fujino; CORoNaWork project
Affiliations

Relationship Between Support for Workers With Illness and Work Functioning Impairment in Japan During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Yu Igarashi et al. J Occup Environ Med. .

Abstract

Objective: This study examined the relationship between job accommodations for workers with poor health and work functioning impairment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: An internet survey was conducted in December 2020. We included 24,429 subjects for analysis. One question was used to determine whether subjects needed job accommodations from their company to continue working in their current health condition. The odds ratios (ORs) of the necessity of job accommodations for sick workers associated with work functioning impairment were estimated using multilevel logistic regression analysis.

Results: The OR of work functioning impairment among sick workers not receiving job accommodations was 5.75 (95% confidence interval (CI): 5.34 to 6.20, P < 0.001) and those receiving job accommodations was 1.88 (95% CI: 1.69 to 2.08, P < 0.001) compared to healthy workers.

Conclusions: This study suggests that providing job accommodations to workers with poor health may improve their work functioning impairment.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

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