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Objective: The work environment during work from home (WFH) may have a negative impact on workers' health. We investigated the effects of the physical work environment during WFH on sleep., Methods: We conducted a 1-year cohort study of 2099 Japanese WFH workers. We used eight questions about the physical work environment during WFH as independent variables and the Athens Insomnia Scale as the dependent variable. We performed multilevel logistic regression with residence as a random effect., Results: With the exception of one item, nonconformity with recommendations for the physical work environment during WFH was significantly associated with sleep problems. Further, the number of nonconformities and sleep problems showed a graded relationship., Conclusion: An inappropriate physical work environment during WFH may be associated with sleep problems., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: All authors declare no conflicts of interest for this article. Okawara, Hirashima, Tateishi, Eguchi, Tsuji, Ogami, Mori, Matsuda, and Fujino, for the CORoNaWork Project have no relationships/conditions/circumstances that present potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

Objective: This cross-sectional study examined the impact of family cohabitation status and work-from-home (WFH) on sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: An online survey of 27,036 Japanese workers assessed WFH frequency, family cohabitation, and trouble sleeping to estimate odds ratios (OR) for sleep problems from December 22 to 26, 2020., Results: In multivariate analysis, WFH had no significant benefit for trouble sleeping ≥3 months. Interactions were observed between WFH and cohabitation with elementary school children (OR = 1.26, p = 0.049 for trouble sleeping ≥3 months) and with family members in need of care (OR = 1.39, p = 0.013 for trouble sleeping ≥3 days/week; OR = 1.37, p = 0.02 for trouble sleeping ≥3 months)., Conclusion: The study suggests that the sleep disadvantage during the pandemic may have resulted from WFH with specific cohabitation., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest associated with this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

Objectives: To clarify the association between telework with family members at home and work functioning impairment., Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 27,036 participants. Having children or cohabitants in need of care at home during telework was considered an exposure factor. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for work functioning impairment, assessed by The Work Functioning Impairment Scale (WFun)., Results: Participants living with cohabitants in need of care at home had higher odds of work functioning impairment, while those living with preschool children or a spouse had lower odds. Participants living with children or cohabitants in need of care at home during telework had higher odds., Conclusions: We found an association between having children or cohabitants in need of care at home during telework and work functioning impairment., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest statement: Dr. Fujino has the copyright to WFun with royalties paid from Sompo Health Support Inc., outside from this work. The other authors declare no conflicts of interest associated with this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

Abstract: Objective: Workers were subject to both presenteeism and workplace mistreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to examine their association during the pandemic in Japan.Methods: An internet-based, one-year prospective cohort study was conducted from 2020 to 2021. The Work Functioning Impairment Scale (WFun) as an indicator of presenteeism at baseline and workplace mistreatment experience at follow-up were assessed. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate their association.Results: The analysis of 18,170 subjects showed that those with moderate and severe work function impairment were significantly associated with workplace mistreatment compared with those with less impairment (adjusted odds: 1.89, [1.67, 2.14], p < 0.001 and 3.00, [2.69, 3.35], p < 0.001, respectively).Conclusions: Increasing severity of baseline presenteeism was associated with increasing likelihood of workplace mistreatment. Efforts to reduce presenteeism may help reduce workplace injustice and improve morale., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: Dr. Fujino has the copyright to WFun with royalties paid from Sompo Health Support Inc., outside from this work. The other authors declare no conflicts of interest associated with this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

Objective: We hypothesized that telecommuting's impact on sleep varied based on preference-frequency mismatch. Here, we evaluated this relationship in a large cohort of Japanese workers., Methods: We collected data from 33,302 Japanese workers through an online survey and analyzed participant preferences and frequency of telecommuting in 9425 individuals who responded to a follow-up survey. We evaluated sleep using the Athens Insomnia Scale and estimated odds ratios of insomnia using multilevel logistic regression., Results: Workers preferring telecommuting had a higher risk of insomnia as telecommuting frequency decreased. OR for insomnia was 1.87 ( P < 0.001) in those who telecommuted less than once per week., Conclusion: Telecommuting's impact on workers' sleep depends on preference mismatch, with a higher risk of insomnia among those who prefer telecommuting but are unable to utilize it., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest statement: All authors declare no conflicts of interest for this article., (Copyright © 2024 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

Objective: This study was identified seeking treatment for hypertension and diabetes among male shift workers., Method: This retrospective cohort study included nine large companies in Japan. Data were collected from health checkup, health insurance records, and self-administered questionnaires in 2017 and 2020. Data were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression., Result: Person-days shift workers and day workers seeking treatment for hypertension were 41,604 and 327,301, respectively and, for diabetes, were 7326 and 60,735, respectively. The log ranks were statistically significant. Shift workers were 46% and 56% less likely to seek treatment for hypertension and diabetes, respectively, than day workers were after adjustment for age, marital status, education level, and intention to modify lifestyle (model 2) ( P < 0.01)., Conclusions: Male shift workers are less likely to seek treatment for hypertension and diabetes compared with day workers., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: None declared., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between telecommuting environments and shoulder pain in Japanese telecommuters., Methods: We conducted an Internet-monitored, cross-sectional study and analyzed 2537 participants who mainly telecommuted at least 4 days per week. We assessed the presence of shoulder pain using a numerical rating scale and the characteristics of the telecommuting environment by asking eight questions. We used multilevel logistic regression analysis with the city of residence as a random effect., Results: Inadequate desk brightness (odds ratio [OR], 1.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-1.78), inadequate foot space (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.02-1.58), and uncomfortable temperature and humidity (OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.16-1.72) were associated with shoulder pain in multilevel logistic regression analysis., Conclusions: Inappropriate telecommuting environments were associated with an increase in the prevalence of shoulder pain in Japanese telecommuters., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

Objective: This study investigated the association between attending work while experiencing fever or cold symptoms and workers' socioeconomic background and company characteristics during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was performed. Of a total of 33,302 participants, 3676 workers who experienced fever or cold symptoms after April 2020 were included. The odds ratios (ORs) of attending work while sick associated with workers' socioeconomic background and company characteristics were evaluated using a multilevel logistic model., Results: The OR of attending work while sick associated with a lack of policy prohibiting workers from working when ill was 2.75 (95% CI: 2.28 to 3.20, P < 0.001)., Conclusion: This study suggests that clear company policies on work and illness can be effective for preventing employees from attending work while sick., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: None declared., (Copyright © 2022 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

Objective: The present study examined the relationship between the intensity of home-based telework and work engagement., Methods: This cross-sectional study using a self-administrated questionnaire survey was conducted from December 22 to 25, 2020, in Japan. The subjects were asked single-item questions about the intensity of telework and three-item questions about work engagement using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. Coefficients were estimated using a multilevel regression model nested by the prefecture of residence and adjusted for covariates., Results: High-intensity (4 or more days per week) telework was not associated with high work engagement for men or women. In contrast, low and moderate intensity (3 days per week to once per month) were associated with high work engagement. The results were consistent when stratified by sex., Conclusions: Reasonable-intensity telework may have beneficial effects on work engagement., Competing Interests: T. Nagata, M. Nagata, Ikegami, Hino, Tateishi, Tsuji, Matsuda, Fujino, and Mori, for the CORoNaWork project have no relationships/conditions/circumstances that present potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

Objective: This study examined the relationship between worry about COVID-19 infection in the workplace and while commuting to work and psychological distress in Japan., Methods: An internet monitor study was conducted. Out of a total of 33,302 participants, 26,841 people were included. The subjects were asked single-item questions about whether they were worried about COVID-19 infection in general, at work and while commuting to work. K6 was used to assess psychological distress., Results: The OR was significantly higher in association with worry about infection in the workplace at 1.71 (95%CI 1.53 to 1.92) and worry about infection while commuting at 1.49 (95%CI 1.32 to 1.67)., Conclusions: This study suggests the need for psychological intervention to reduce worry about infection in response to public mental health challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic., (Copyright © 2021 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

Objective: To examine how the mismatch between telecommuting preference and telecommuting frequency was associated with psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: Data from 33,302 workers throughout Japan were obtained using an Internet survey. Among 33,302 participants, 20,395 who telecommuted were included in the analysis. Participants' telecommuting preference and frequency during the COVID-19 pandemic were determined using a questionnaire. Psychological distress was assessed using Kessler 6 (K6)., Results: Among participants who did and did not prefer to telecommute, those who telecommuted four or more days per week had an OR of psychological distress of 0.67 (P < 0.001) and 1.87 (P = 0.001), respectively, compared with those who rarely telecommuted., Conclusions: The association between telecommuting and psychological distress differs depending on telecommuting preference., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

Objective: To examine the relationship between the physical work environment and work function while working from home (WFH)., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Data from 5760 workers who worked from home at least 1 day a month were analyzed. The physical work environment while WFH was used as an exposure factor. The presence of work functioning impairment was measured using Work Functioning impairment Scale (WFun). Mixed-effects logistic regression was used with the prefecture of residence as a random effect., Results: Work functioning impairment was significantly associated with a "No" response to recommended environments. The highest odds ratio (OR) of work functioning impairment was associated with a "No" response to "There is enough light to do my work" (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.02, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.73 to 2.35, P < 0.01)., Conclusions: Improving work environments may prevent negative health effects and improve productivity while WFH., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: None declared., (Copyright © 2021 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)