Effect of Working from Home on the Association between Job Demands and Psychological Distress

Hisashi Eguchi, Akiomi Inoue, Ayako Hino, Mayumi Tsuji, Seiichiro Tateishi, Kazunori Ikegami, Tomohisa Nagata, Ryutaro Matsugaki, Yoshihisa Fujino and on behalf of the CORoNaWork Project
Additional contact information
Hisashi Eguchi: Department of Mental Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu 807-8555, Japan
Akiomi Inoue: Institutional Research Center, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu 807-8555, Japan
Ayako Hino: Department of Mental Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu 807-8555, Japan
Mayumi Tsuji: Department of Environmental Health, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu 807-8555, Japan
Seiichiro Tateishi: Disaster Occupational Health Center, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu 807-8555, Japan
Kazunori Ikegami: Department of Work Systems and Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu 807-8555, Japan
Tomohisa Nagata: Department of Occupational Health Practice and Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu 807-8555, Japan
Ryutaro Matsugaki: Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu 807-8555, Japan
Yoshihisa Fujino: Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu 807-8555, Japan
on behalf of the CORoNaWork Project: Members are listed in Acknowledgments.

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 10, 1-11

Abstract: Limited information is available regarding the association between workplace psychosocial factors and general mental health status among workers during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. This study examined how working from home affected the association between job demands and psychological distress (PD). A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in December 2020 (N = 27,036). The dependent variable (PD) was assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale. Job demands were assessed using the Job Content Questionnaire. Working from home was determined by participants’ responses to the question, “Do you currently work from home?” We used a two-level regression analysis adjusted for prefecture. Each individual-level variable at Level 1 was nested into each prefecture at Level 2, stratified by working from home or not. Overall, 21.3% of participants worked from home. The interaction between working from home and job demands was significant. Job demands were positively associated with PD. The stratified analysis indicated that the associations were weaker among employees who worked from home compared with those among employees who did not. The association between job demands and PD may be weakened by working from home.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; psychological distress; psychosocial factors; work from home; job demand–resource model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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