Tomohisa Nagata1, Daisuke Ito2, Masako Nagata1, Ayumi Fujimoto1, Ryotaro Ito1, Kiminori Odagami1,3, Shigeyuki Kajiki1,4, Masamichi Uehara5, Ichiro Oyama6, Seitaro Dohi7, Yoshihisa Fujino8, Koji Mori1. 1. Department of Occupational Health Practice and Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan. 2. Medical Office, Hitachi Health Care Center, Hitachi Ltd., Hitachi, Japan. 3. HOYA CORPORATION, Tokyo, Japan. 4. Advanced Occupational health Research and Consulting (AORC), Ltd, Kitakyushu, Japan. 5. Brother Industries, Ltd, Nagoya, Japan. 6. Corporate ESH, Asahi Kasei Corporation, Tokyo, Japan. 7. Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., Tokyo, Japan. 8. Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Japan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The health effects of telework, which was introduced extensively in the immediate context of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis in Japan, on teleworkers, their families, and non-teleworkers, are unknown. Accordingly, we developed a rapid health impact assessment (HIA) to evaluate positive and negative health effects of telework on these groups and recommended easily implementable countermeasures. METHODS: Immediately after an emergency was declared in Japan, we implemented a rapid, five-step HIA. We screened and categorized health effects of telework for the three above-mentioned groups, extracting their content, directionality, and likelihood. Following a scoping exercise to determine the HIA's overall implementation, five experienced occupational health physicians appraised and prioritized the screened items and added new items. We outlined specific countermeasures and disseminated the results on our website. A short-term evaluation was conducted by three external occupational health physicians and three nurses. RESULTS: Following screening and appraisal, 59, 29, and 27 items were listed for teleworkers, non-teleworkers, and family members of teleworkers, respectively, covering work, lifestyle, disease and medical care, and home and community. Targeted countermeasures focused on the work environment, business management, communications, and lifestyles for teleworkers; safety and medical guidelines, work prioritization, and regular communication for non-teleworkers; and shared responsibilities within families and communication outside families for family members of teleworkers. CONCLUSION: The HIA's validity and the countermeasures' practical applicability were confirmed by the external evaluators. They can be easily applied and adapted across diverse industries to mitigate the wider negative effects of telework and enhance its positive effects.
OBJECTIVES: The health effects of telework, which was introduced extensively in the immediate context of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis in Japan, on teleworkers, their families, and non-teleworkers, are unknown. Accordingly, we developed a rapid health impact assessment (HIA) to evaluate positive and negative health effects of telework on these groups and recommended easily implementable countermeasures. METHODS: Immediately after an emergency was declared in Japan, we implemented a rapid, five-step HIA. We screened and categorized health effects of telework for the three above-mentioned groups, extracting their content, directionality, and likelihood. Following a scoping exercise to determine the HIA's overall implementation, five experienced occupational health physicians appraised and prioritized the screened items and added new items. We outlined specific countermeasures and disseminated the results on our website. A short-term evaluation was conducted by three external occupational health physicians and three nurses. RESULTS: Following screening and appraisal, 59, 29, and 27 items were listed for teleworkers, non-teleworkers, and family members of teleworkers, respectively, covering work, lifestyle, disease and medical care, and home and community. Targeted countermeasures focused on the work environment, business management, communications, and lifestyles for teleworkers; safety and medical guidelines, work prioritization, and regular communication for non-teleworkers; and shared responsibilities within families and communication outside families for family members of teleworkers. CONCLUSION: The HIA's validity and the countermeasures' practical applicability were confirmed by the external evaluators. They can be easily applied and adapted across diverse industries to mitigate the wider negative effects of telework and enhance its positive effects.
Authors: Stefania Angela Di Fusco; Antonella Spinelli; Lorenzo Castello; Edoardo Mocini; Michele Massimo Gulizia; Fabrizio Oliva; Domenico Gabrielli; Giuseppe Imperoli; Furio Colivicchi Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-11-12 Impact factor: 3.390