ORIGINAL PAPER
Job stress among workers who telecommute during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Japan: a cross-sectional study
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1
University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Fukuoka, Japan
(Department of Work Systems and Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences)
2
University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Fukuoka, Japan
(Department of Mental Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences)
3
University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Fukuoka, Japan
(Department of Environmental Health, School of Medicine)
4
University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Fukuoka, Japan
(Department of Occupational Medicine, School of Medicine)
5
University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Fukuoka, Japan
(Department of Occupational Health Practice and Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences)
6
University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Fukuoka, Japan
(Department of Public Health, School of Medicine)
7
University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Fukuoka, Japan
(Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences)
Online publication date: 2022-03-09
Corresponding author
Kazunori Ikegami
University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Work Systems and Health, Institute of Industrial
Ecological Sciences, 1-1, Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, 807-8555, Fukuoka, Japan
Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2022;35(3):339-51
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ABSTRACT
Objectives: The work system reform and the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan have prompted efforts toward telecommuting in Japan. However, only
a few studies have investigated the stress and health effects of telecommuting. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the relationship between telecommuting
and job stress among Japanese workers. Material and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. In December 2020, during the “third
wave” of the COVID-19 pandemic, an Internet-based nationwide health survey of 33 087 Japanese workers (The Collaborative Online Research on
Novel-coronavirus and Work, CORoNaWork study) was conducted. Data of 27 036 individuals were included after excluding 6051 invalid responses.
The authors analyzed a sample of 13 468 office workers from this database. The participants were classified into 4 groups according to their telecommuting
frequency, while comparing scores on the subscale of the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) and subjective job stress between the high-frequency,
medium-frequency, low-frequency, and non-telecommuters groups. A linear mixed model and an ordinal logistic regression analysis were
used. Results: A significant difference in the job control scores of the JCQ among the 4 groups was found, after adjusting for multiple confounding
factors. The high-frequency telecommuters group had the highest job control score. Further, after adjusting for multiple confounding factors, the
subjective job stress scores of the high- and medium-frequency telecommuters groups were significantly lower than those of the non-telecommuters
group. Conclusions: This study revealed that high-frequency telecommuting was associated with high job control and low subjective job stress.
The widespread adoption of telecommuting as a countermeasure to the public health challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic may also
have a positive impact on job stress. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2022;35(3):339–51