Cleaning in Times of Pandemic: Perceptions of COVID-19 Risks among Workers in Facility Services

Isabel Dias, Alexandra Lopes, José Azevedo, Ana Sofia Maia and João Santos Baptista
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Isabel Dias: Institute of Sociology of the University of Porto, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Porto, 4150-564 Porto, Portugal
Alexandra Lopes: Centre for English, Translation and Anglo-American Studies (CETAPS), Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Porto, 4150-564 Porto, Portugal
José Azevedo: Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Porto, 4150-564 Porto, Portugal
Ana Sofia Maia: Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Porto, 4150-564 Porto, Portugal
João Santos Baptista: Associated Laboratory for Energy, Transports and Aeronautics (PROA/LAETA), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal

Social Sciences, 2022, vol. 11, issue 7, 1-18

Abstract: Cleaning services are a transversal activity that guarantees the proper functioning and conditions of safety, hygiene, and health across all economic sectors. The COVID-19 pandemic increased the need for clean, sanitary spaces, particularly in health services and other areas with a large number of people. The workers in these services were often placed on the frontline without any specific training or information. Their low average schooling aggravated this situation. Therefore, exploring these workers’ perceptions about the COVID-19 pandemic and its potential influence on their mental health was the primary goal of our research. Structured interviews were conducted based on questionnaires in a sample of 436 women. Their characterisation focused on three aspects related to the pandemic. First, to prevent infecting others (85.5%) and that people close to them could die (86.0%) were the dominant concerns; second, the feeling of permanent vigilance was mentioned (56.2%); and third, the fear of not getting medical care (60.7%). Thus, the workers felt there was a need for more dissemination of individual protection measures, as well as more training, better general working conditions, and access to psychological counselling.

Keywords: cleaners; cleaning services; confinement; mental health; health conditions; coronavirus; SARS-COV-2 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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