McDowell Cillian P, Herring Matthew P, Lansing Jeni, Brower Cassandra S, Meyer Jacob D
The Irish Longitudinal Study of Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Front Psychol. 2021 Feb 11;12:631510. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.631510. eCollection 2021.
To examine associations of changing employment conditions, specifically switching to working from home (WFH) or job loss, with mental health, using data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from 2,301 US adults in employment prior to COVID-19 were collected April 3rd-7th, 2020. Participants reported whether their employment remained unchanged, they were WFH when they had not been before, or they had lost their job due to the pandemic. Outcomes were symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, loneliness, and positive mental health (PMH) assessed using validated questionnaires. Linear regression quantified associations of employment changes with mental health outcomes, controlling for age, sex, race, BMI, smoking status, screen time, physical activity, marital status, chronic conditions, and current COVID-19 containment strategies being followed. Compared to participants whose employment remained unchanged, those who switched to WFH did not differ in any measures of mental health (all ≥ 0.200). Participants who had lost their job reported higher symptoms of depression ( = -0.200, 95%CI = -0.333 to -0.067; = 0.003), anxiety ( = -0.212, -0.363 to -0.061; = 0.008), and stress ( = -0.348, -0.482 to -0.214; < 0.001), and lower PMH ( = -0.212, -0.347 to -0.078; = 0.002). Loneliness did not differ between groups ( = 0.087). This study demonstrates (1) that concerns around potential adverse mental health effects, particularly increases in loneliness, should not preclude WFH in the general population, while considering each individual's personal circumstances, and (2) the acute adverse association of job loss with mental health. Tailored and sensitive interventions may be required to prevent deteriorations in mental health associated with job loss during periods of societal stress.
利用在新冠疫情期间收集的数据，研究就业条件变化，特别是转向居家工作（WFH）或失业与心理健康之间的关联。收集了2020年4月3日至7日期间2301名在新冠疫情之前就业的美国成年人的数据。参与者报告他们的就业状况是否保持不变、是否从以前不居家工作转变为居家工作，或者是否因疫情失去了工作。结果是使用经过验证的问卷评估的抑郁、焦虑、压力、孤独和积极心理健康（PMH）症状。线性回归量化了就业变化与心理健康结果之间的关联，并控制了年龄、性别、种族、体重指数、吸烟状况、屏幕使用时间、身体活动、婚姻状况、慢性病以及当前遵循的新冠疫情防控策略。与就业状况保持不变的参与者相比，转向居家工作的参与者在任何心理健康指标上均无差异（所有P≥0.200）。失业的参与者报告有更高的抑郁症状（β=-0.200，95%置信区间=-0.333至-0.067；P=0.003）、焦虑症状（β=-0.212，-0.363至-0.061；P=0.008）和压力症状（β=-0.348，-0.482至-0.214；P<0.001），以及更低的积极心理健康水平（β=-0.212，-0.347至-0.078；P=0.002）。孤独感在各组之间没有差异（β=0.087）。本研究表明：（1）在考虑每个人的个人情况时，对于潜在的心理健康不良影响，特别是孤独感增加的担忧，不应妨碍一般人群选择居家工作；（2）失业与心理健康之间存在急性不良关联。在社会压力时期，可能需要采取有针对性且敏感的干预措施，以防止与失业相关的心理健康恶化。
