Open AccessAnticipated health effects and proposed countermeasures following the immediate introduction of telework in response to the spread of COVID‐19: The findings of a rapid health impact assessment in Japan
Author(s) -
Nagata Tomohisa,
Ito Daisuke,
Nagata Masako,
Fujimoto Ayumi,
Ito Ryotaro,
Odagami Kiminori,
Kajiki Shigeyuki,
Uehara Masamichi,
Oyama Ichiro,
Dohi Seitaro,
Fujino Yoshihisa,
Mori Koji
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of occupational health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 59
ISSN - 1348-9585
DOI - 10.1002/1348-9585.12198
Subject(s) - personal protective equipment , context (archaeology) , covid-19 , work (physics) , occupational safety and health , health care , pandemic , prioritization , health impact assessment , psychology , medicine , nursing , public health , business , engineering , disease , political science , geography , infectious disease (medical specialty) , process management , mechanical engineering , archaeology , pathology , law
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.