Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status and Job Accommodation for Workers with Health Problems in Japan during the COVID-19 Pandemic

doi:10.1016/j.shaw.2025.04.002

. 2025 Jun;16(2):180-186.

doi: 10.1016/j.shaw.2025.04.002. Epub 2025 Apr 10.

Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status and Job Accommodation for Workers with Health Problems in Japan during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Yu Igarashi¹, Seiichiro Tateishi¹, Arisa Harada², Kosuke Mafune³, Mayumi Tsuji⁴, Akira Ogami⁵, Tomohisa Nagata⁶, Ryutaro Matsugaki⁷, Yoshihisa Fujino⁸; CORoNaWork project

Affiliations

¹ Disaster Occupational Health Center, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.
² Department of Occupational Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.
³ Department of Mental Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.
⁴ Department of Environmental Health, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.
⁵ Department of Work Systems and Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.
⁶ Department of Occupational Health Practice and Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.
⁷ Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.
⁸ Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.

PMID: 40575690
PMCID: PMC12190869
DOI: 10.1016/j.shaw.2025.04.002

Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status and Job Accommodation for Workers with Health Problems in Japan during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Yu Igarashi et al. Saf Health Work. 2025 Jun.

. 2025 Jun;16(2):180-186.

doi: 10.1016/j.shaw.2025.04.002. Epub 2025 Apr 10.

Authors

Yu Igarashi¹, Seiichiro Tateishi¹, Arisa Harada², Kosuke Mafune³, Mayumi Tsuji⁴, Akira Ogami⁵, Tomohisa Nagata⁶, Ryutaro Matsugaki⁷, Yoshihisa Fujino⁸; CORoNaWork project

Affiliations

¹ Disaster Occupational Health Center, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.
² Department of Occupational Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.
³ Department of Mental Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.
⁴ Department of Environmental Health, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.
⁵ Department of Work Systems and Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.
⁶ Department of Occupational Health Practice and Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.
⁷ Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.
⁸ Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.

PMID: 40575690
PMCID: PMC12190869
DOI: 10.1016/j.shaw.2025.04.002

Abstract

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many health-impaired workers of vulnerable socioeconomic status (SES) suffered employment and health problems. This study investigated the relationship between workers with health problems in vulnerable SES and job accommodation.

Methods: This cross-sectional internet monitoring study was conducted among 33,302 Japanese workers from December 22 to 26, 2020. Of the total survey participants, 6,309 who reported that they needed accommodations from their companies were included in the analysis. Using a multilevel logistic regression model, we examined the relationship between their SES and the lack of job accommodations from their companies, and age-sex-adjusted and multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were estimated.

Results: Multivariate analysis revealed that the OR for the lack of accommodations from companies was significantly higher for non-desk jobs than desk jobs (OR=1.15, 95% CI: 1.04-1.28, p=0.01). The ORs also differed based on household incomes and number of employees. ORs were significantly higher for those with an equivalent household income of less than 2.9 million yen compared with 9 million yen or more (OR=1.66, 95% CI: 1.39-1.97, p<0.01). Comparing with firms with 1,000 or more employees, the ORs were significantly higher for those with fewer than 30 employees (OR=1.21, 95% CI: 1.05-1.40, p<0.01).

Conclusions: We found a relationship between SES and the lack of job accommodation for workers with health problems. The lack of job accommodation may further worsen SES and health conditions, reinforcing the importance of accommodating the needs of vulnerable SES workers.

Keywords: Covid-19; Japan; Job accommodation; Socioeconomic status; Worker.

© 2025 Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Institute, Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare no conflicts of interest associated with this manuscript.

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[1] McKevitt C., Morgan M., Dundas R., Holland W.W. Sickness absence and “working through” illness: a comparison of two professional groups. J Public Health Med. 1997;19(3):295–300. - PubMed

[2] McKevitt C., Morgan M., Dundas R., Holland W.W. Sickness absence and “working through” illness: a comparison of two professional groups. J Public Health Med. 1997;19(3):295–300. - PubMed

[3] Richard W.J., Melissa M., Favreaultand C.M. Center for Retirement Res; 2009. Work ability and the social insurance safety net in the years prior to retirement.

[4] Richard W.J., Melissa M., Favreaultand C.M. Center for Retirement Res; 2009. Work ability and the social insurance safety net in the years prior to retirement.

[5] Hegewald J., Wegewitz U.E., Euler U., van Dijk J.L., Adams J., Fishta A., Heinrich P., Seidler A. Interventions to support return to work for people with coronary heart disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;3:CD010748. - PMC - PubMed

[6] Hegewald J., Wegewitz U.E., Euler U., van Dijk J.L., Adams J., Fishta A., Heinrich P., Seidler A. Interventions to support return to work for people with coronary heart disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;3:CD010748. - PMC - PubMed

[7] Westerlind E., Persson H.C., Eriksson M., Norrving B., Sunnerhagen K.S. Return to work after stroke: a Swedish nationwide registry-based study. Acta Neurol Scand. 2020;141(1):56–64. - PMC - PubMed

[8] Westerlind E., Persson H.C., Eriksson M., Norrving B., Sunnerhagen K.S. Return to work after stroke: a Swedish nationwide registry-based study. Acta Neurol Scand. 2020;141(1):56–64. - PMC - PubMed

[9] Silver J.K., Baima J., Newman R., Galantino M.L., Shockney L.D. Cancer rehabilitation may improve function in survivors and decrease the economic burden of cancer to individuals and society. Work. 2013;46(4):455–472. - PubMed

[10] Silver J.K., Baima J., Newman R., Galantino M.L., Shockney L.D. Cancer rehabilitation may improve function in survivors and decrease the economic burden of cancer to individuals and society. Work. 2013;46(4):455–472. - PubMed

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Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status and Job Accommodation for Workers with Health Problems in Japan during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Affiliations

Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status and Job Accommodation for Workers with Health Problems in Japan during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors

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Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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Abstract

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