Factors associated with poor mental health during mandatory home work: a cross-sectional study in university staff
Abstract Background During the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, a total lockdown of universities was implemented by the government in Belgium. University staff was required to work at home. The purpose of the study was to identify factors associated with poor mental health in university...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12995-023-00382-6 |
| _version_ | 1797769316617158656 |
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| author | Philippe Kiss Marc De Meester Ilse Vingerhoets Bart Garmyn Annemie Raemdonck |
| author_facet | Philippe Kiss Marc De Meester Ilse Vingerhoets Bart Garmyn Annemie Raemdonck |
| author_sort | Philippe Kiss |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background During the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, a total lockdown of universities was implemented by the government in Belgium. University staff was required to work at home. The purpose of the study was to identify factors associated with poor mental health in university staff during mandatory home work. Methods Mental well-being of 702 university employees was assessed by need for recovery after work and presence of burnout symptoms. Following factors were considered: personal factors (gender, age), professional status, specific home work environment factors (quiet place to work, taking care of ill or old people, number of children < 12yrs. at home, family member at risk for Covid-19), work-private life balance and worries about long- and short-term work situation. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to calculate the odds ratios for the presence a high need for recovery and burnout symptoms. Results The presence of a high need for recovery and the presence of burnout symptoms were significantly associated with poor work-private life balance (OR 5.14 and 2.80, respectively), no quiet place to work (OR 3.23 and 2.00, respectively) and being worried about long-term work situation (OR’s increasing with increasing degree of worries). Being able to discuss the worries with the supervisor was only significant with a decreased risk of burnout symptoms for the lowest level of discussability with the supervisor. Following factors were not associated with both mental health outcomes: professional status, being worried about short-term work situation, taking care of ill or old people, number of children < 12yrs. at home and having a family member at risk for Covid-19. Conclusions When working at home special attention should be paid to work-private life balance and the presence of a quiet place to work. Additionally, in the case of mandatory home work in university personnel, specific worries about long-term work situation should be tackled. Universities and/or governments should provide measures to ensure an extension of research deadlines and, if applicable, job security. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:06:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-98156a7ab6a6422d8e17854f1e5a6c60 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1745-6673 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:06:12Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology |
| spelling | doaj.art-98156a7ab6a6422d8e17854f1e5a6c602023-07-30T11:27:32ZengBMCJournal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology1745-66732023-07-011811910.1186/s12995-023-00382-6Factors associated with poor mental health during mandatory home work: a cross-sectional study in university staffPhilippe Kiss0Marc De Meester1Ilse Vingerhoets2Bart Garmyn3Annemie Raemdonck4Securex Occupational Health ServiceSecurex Occupational Health ServiceSecurex Occupational Health ServiceSecurex Occupational Health ServiceSecurex Occupational Health ServiceAbstract Background During the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, a total lockdown of universities was implemented by the government in Belgium. University staff was required to work at home. The purpose of the study was to identify factors associated with poor mental health in university staff during mandatory home work. Methods Mental well-being of 702 university employees was assessed by need for recovery after work and presence of burnout symptoms. Following factors were considered: personal factors (gender, age), professional status, specific home work environment factors (quiet place to work, taking care of ill or old people, number of children < 12yrs. at home, family member at risk for Covid-19), work-private life balance and worries about long- and short-term work situation. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to calculate the odds ratios for the presence a high need for recovery and burnout symptoms. Results The presence of a high need for recovery and the presence of burnout symptoms were significantly associated with poor work-private life balance (OR 5.14 and 2.80, respectively), no quiet place to work (OR 3.23 and 2.00, respectively) and being worried about long-term work situation (OR’s increasing with increasing degree of worries). Being able to discuss the worries with the supervisor was only significant with a decreased risk of burnout symptoms for the lowest level of discussability with the supervisor. Following factors were not associated with both mental health outcomes: professional status, being worried about short-term work situation, taking care of ill or old people, number of children < 12yrs. at home and having a family member at risk for Covid-19. Conclusions When working at home special attention should be paid to work-private life balance and the presence of a quiet place to work. Additionally, in the case of mandatory home work in university personnel, specific worries about long-term work situation should be tackled. Universities and/or governments should provide measures to ensure an extension of research deadlines and, if applicable, job security.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12995-023-00382-6Mental healthMandatory home workUniversity staffNeed for recoveryBurnout symptomsWork-private life balance |
| spellingShingle | Philippe Kiss Marc De Meester Ilse Vingerhoets Bart Garmyn Annemie Raemdonck Factors associated with poor mental health during mandatory home work: a cross-sectional study in university staff Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology Mental health Mandatory home work University staff Need for recovery Burnout symptoms Work-private life balance |
| title | Factors associated with poor mental health during mandatory home work: a cross-sectional study in university staff |
| title_full | Factors associated with poor mental health during mandatory home work: a cross-sectional study in university staff |
| title_fullStr | Factors associated with poor mental health during mandatory home work: a cross-sectional study in university staff |
| title_full_unstemmed | Factors associated with poor mental health during mandatory home work: a cross-sectional study in university staff |
| title_short | Factors associated with poor mental health during mandatory home work: a cross-sectional study in university staff |
| title_sort | factors associated with poor mental health during mandatory home work a cross sectional study in university staff |
| topic | Mental health Mandatory home work University staff Need for recovery Burnout symptoms Work-private life balance |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12995-023-00382-6 |
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