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. 2024 May 29;46(2):250-255.
doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdae032.

COVID-19 and worker mental distress

Reka Sundaram-Stukel  1 , Pelin Kesebir  2 , Regina Vidaver  3 , Richard J Davidson  4
Affiliations

COVID-19 and worker mental distress

Reka Sundaram-Stukel et al. J Public Health (Oxf). .

Abstract

Background: This analysis posits that COVID-19-related worker mental distress may be different for those continuously employed and for those who faced temporary job loss.

Methods: Mental distress during COVID-19 is characterized using two nationally representative surveys, the American Trend Panel (ATP) and the Household Pulse Survey (HPS). Using a probit model, we examine workplace perceptions for the mentally distressed in the ATP sample. We use graphical analysis to identify barriers to seeking mental healthcare using the 2021-22 HPS sample.

Results: In October 2020, the probability of mental distress increased between 7.1 and 9.1 percentage points in response to worsening work-life balance, lowered job security, lowered work productivity and lowered work satisfaction. Workers' perception of advancement denial and poor connectivity with coworkers increased the probability of mental distress by 3.0-5.8 percentage points. In October 2021, over 40% of workers who had experienced job loss reported mental distress as compared to 20% of those with jobs. Only 25% of those with mental distress sought counseling. These high levels of mental distress continued into October 2022.

Conclusions: Mitigation strategies for worker mental health should include prosocial nudges, attention to employment history, managerial sensitivity and worker resilience training.

Keywords: COVID-19; mental health; worker well-being.

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Conflict of interest statement

Except for the funding details disclosed by co-author R.J.D., all other authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
COVID-19 great lockdown, ATP and HPS survey timelines. The figure walks the reader through the sequencing of COVID-19 public policies in April 2020, the snapshot, views the ATP, October 2020 and HPS survey analyzed on October 2021 and 2022. The end point in this figure shows the Work in America Survey conducted in April 2023.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Employee mental distress and workplace conditions (independent binary variable ATP-mental distress [0, 1]). Source: PEW, own estimation using ATP Wave 77, 13–19 October 2020. This figure plots the individual effects of the probit regression of MDi on the covariates. The overall effect sums each individual effect. Interpretion of overall effects is as follows if a worker experienced each of the elements in Real C-19 Consequences and Perceived C-19 Consequences then thecumulative workplace C-19 experience would be worse by 43% points, as a sum of all coefficients.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
A) Job loss, B) mental health status, C) mental health visits and D) access to mental health services (Household Pulse Survey October 2021, N = 49 523, and October 2022, N = 33 598). Source: Household Pulse Survey waves October 2021 (Week 39) and October 2022 (Week 50). The mental health scale was calculated as ∑(anxious + worry + interest + down)/4. Respondents were classified as mentally distressed if their scores were >2.5 as it tips a person over experiencing mental disturbances some of the time. In Week 39, there were questions about the utilization of mental health services and access to mental health services; the Week 50 survey did not ask the same questions.
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