Background

Social distancing by working-from-home is an effective measure to decrease the spread of COVID-19. However, this new work pattern could also affect the well-being of workers. Therefore, the aim of the study was to study the magnitude of occupational health problems and lifestyle changes among workers who have only recently started working from home.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted using online self-administered questionnaires during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in the Bangkok metropolitan area, Thailand. The participants were from any organization that allowed working from home. The demographic data including the analysis of the characteristics of working from home, the occurrence of occupational health problems, and the lifestyle changes caused by working from home were analyzed.

Results

A total of 869 workers were included as study participants. The highest prevalence of physical health problems among all workers was identified to be weight gain at a rate of 40.97% (95% confidence interval = 37.69–44.24), and the highest prevalence of psychosocial problems was identified to be cabin fever at a rate of 31.28% (95% confidence interval = 26.66–35.90%) among full-time working-from-home workers. The health effects that were significantly related to the intensity of working from home (p for trends <0.05), either positively or negatively, included body weight changes, ergonomic problems, indoor environmental problems, and psychosocial problems. Meanwhile, the lifestyle changes related to work intensity included eating pattern, sleep habits, and exercise.

Conclusions

Working from home can affect workers' well-being in various aspects. Hence, occupational health providers must prepare for risk prevention and health promotion in this “new normal” working life pattern and for future pandemics.

中文翻译：

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COVID-19 大流行期间在家工作的新手的职业健康问题和生活方式改变

背景

通过在家工作来保持社交距离是减少 COVID-19 传播的有效措施。然而，这种新的工作模式也可能影响工人的福祉。因此，该研究的目的是研究最近才开始在家工作的工人的职业健康问题和生活方式改变的严重程度。

方法

在泰国曼谷大都市区的 2019 年冠状病毒病大流行期间，使用在线自我管理问卷进行了一项横断面研究。参与者来自任何允许在家工作的组织。分析了在家工作的特征分析、职业健康问题的发生情况以及在家工作引起的生活方式改变等人口统计数据。

结果

共有 869 名工人被纳入研究参与者。在所有工人中，身体健康问题的最高流行率被确定为体重增加，达到 40.97%（95% 置信区间 = 37.69-44.24），而心理社会问题的最高流行率被确定为机舱热，达到 40.97%。在全职在家工作的工人中，31.28%（95% 置信区间 = 26.66–35.90%）。与在家工作强度显着相关的健康影响（p <0.05），无论是积极的还是消极的，包括体重变化、人体工程学问题、室内环境问题和社会心理问题。同时，与工作强度相关的生活方式变化包括饮食习惯、睡眠习惯和运动。

结论

在家工作可以在各个方面影响工人的福祉。因此，职业健康提供者必须为这种“新常态”工作生活模式中的风险预防和健康促进以及未来的流行病做好准备。