Analysis of impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of Japanese non-permanent workers

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K10289
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58010:Medical management and medical sociology-related
• Research Institution: Niigata University of Health and Welfare
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Kenji 新潟医療福祉大学, 医療経営管理学部, 教授 (00303123)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 齋藤 翔太 新潟大学, 医歯学総合研究科, 客員研究員 (60739465)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 非正規雇用 / メンタルヘルス / うつ病 / COVID-19 / 緊急事態宣言

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To reveal the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of non-permanent workers, whose employment style considered as “vulnerable”, we conducted a series of nation-wide internet questionnaire surveys during the pandemic in Japan. The first study conducted from March to April 2020 showed 51.5% of overall prevalence of depressive symptoms (CES-D scores more than 16), but the score decreased subsequently. Non-permanent workers had higher CES-D scores, lower SOC scores, and lower health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scores.
The following cohort study during 2020 showed that respondents had higher CES-D, lower sense of coherence, and lower HRQOL scores. The basic characteristics of the sample changed owing to non-response bias, resulting in underestimation of mental health deterioration among non-permanent workers in our cohort study. We need additional cross-sectional studies to complement the assessment of adverse mental health symptoms among workers in Japan at a given time point.

Free Research Field

公衆衛生学、内科学、消化器病学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

パンデミック発生前に比べ、新型コロナウイルス感染症(COVID-19)初期には、雇用形態にかかわらず日本の労働者で抑うつ状態を有する人の割合が大幅に上昇したが、その後その割合は徐々にコロナ前の値に戻った。パンデミック期間全体を通して、非正規雇用労働者は、正規雇用に比べてメンタルヘルス、健康・社会経済因子において低い値を示した。この傾向はパンデミック前と変わらなかった。以上を示したことが社会的意義である。一方、コホート調査を繰り返すと脱落率が高率となり、コホート調査の結果の信頼性が低下することを示し、これを克服するためには追加の横断調査を新規に行う必要性を明らかにした点に学術的意義が見出された