Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 Sep 1;48(6):468-478.
doi: 10.5271/sjweh.4030. Epub 2022 May 16.

Effects of workplace measures against COVID-19 on psychological distress of full-time employees: A 12-month prospective study in the COVID-19 pandemic

Hiroki Asaoka  1 , Natsu Sasaki, Kotaro Imamura, Reiko Kuroda, Kanami Tsuno, Norito Kawakami
Affiliations

Effects of workplace measures against COVID-19 on psychological distress of full-time employees: A 12-month prospective study in the COVID-19 pandemic

Hiroki Asaoka et al. Scand J Work Environ Health. .

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prospective effects of corporate and organizational workplace measures against COVID-19 on reducing employees` psychological distress during a 12-month follow-up in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Data were retrieved from an online longitudinal panel survey of full-time employees in Japan, with the 1st survey in March 2020, and the 2nd to 6th surveys in May, August, November 2020, February and March 2021, respectively. Seven area-specific workplace measures were assessed using a self-report 23-item scale at the 2nd follow-up. Psychological distress was measured using an 18-item scale of the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire at each survey. Linear regressions and mixed model analysis were conducted of psychological distress at follow-ups on scores of the area-specific workplace measures, adjusting for psychological distress and other covariates at the 1st survey.

Results: A total of 941 employees responded at baseline; most of them (86.9-90.9%) participated in the follow-up surveys. Linear regression analysis indicated that workplace measures of facilitating employees' preventive measures (ie, hygiene behaviors) statistically significantly and negatively correlated with psychological distress at the 5th survey [b=-0.518, standard error (SE) 0.259, P=0.046]. A statistically significant and negative interaction between the scores and time of follow-up was observed in the mixed model analysis (b=-0.096, SE 0.047, P=0.041). No such correlation or interaction was found for any of other subcategorical workplace measures.

Conclusions: The study provides prospective evidence for a protective effect of workplace measures to facilitate employee's hygiene behaviors on reducing psychological distress of full-time employees in the COVID-19 pandemic. The association seems stronger at a later follow-up.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no relevant conflicts of interest in relation to the subject of the manuscript. NK reports grants from SB AtWork Corp, Fujitsu Ltd, and TAK Ltd, personal fees from the Occupational Health Foundation, SB AtWork Corp, RIKEN, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan Dental Association, Sekisui Chemicals, Junpukai Health Care Center, Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, outside the submitted work. RK reports grants from Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B) from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), personal fees from SATORI electric CO., LTD, NXP Semiconductors, RIKEN, Toyotsu Chemiplas, Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, outside the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Participant flow chart of a 12-month prospective study in the COVID-19 pandemic.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Holmes EA, O'Connor RC, Perry VH, Tracey I, Wessely S, Arseneault L, et al. Multidisciplinary research priorities for the COVID-19 pandemic:a call for action for mental health science. Lancet Psychiatry. 2020 Jun;7(6):547–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30168-1. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Rajkumar RP. COVID-19 and mental health:A review of the existing literature. Asian J Psychiatr. 2020 Aug;52:102066. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102066. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Vigo D, Patten S, Pajer K, Krausz M, Taylor S, Rush B, et al. Mental Health of Communities during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Can J Psychiatry. 2020 Oct;65(10):681–7. https://doi.org/10.1177/0706743720926676. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Cénat JM, Blais-Rochette C, Kokou-Kpolou CK, Noorishad PG, Mukunzi JN, McIntee SE, et al. Prevalence of symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia, posttraumatic stress disorder, and psychological distress among populations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic:A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatry Res. 2021 Jan;295:113599. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113599. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Sasaki N, Kuroda R, Tsuno K, Kawakami N. The deterioration of mental health among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 outbreak:A population-based cohort study of workers in Japan. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2020 Nov;46(6):639–44. https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.3922. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types