Study design
A longitudinal study was conducted with data from the “Implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychosocial aspects and work ability among Brazilian workers” – IMPPAC cohort, in which several characteristics of Brazilian workers were investigated [17]. Data collection took place over 12 months, with quarterly assessments on five different occasions, covering the first and second waves of contamination (Figure 1).
Participants
Remote and on-site workers from the general population over 18 years of age who agreed to participate in the survey were included. Trainees, scholarship holders, retirees, and pensioners were excluded from the study.
Instruments
Sociodemographic and occupational questionnaire
A sociodemographic and occupational questionnaire was used to identify the type of job (remote or on-site), sex, age, marital status, children at home, race, educational level, income, job seniority, work contract, workload, income reduction, fear of becoming sick, fear of becoming unemployed, and COVID-19 infection.
Psychosocial aspects
The short version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire translated and adapted to Brazilian Portuguese (COPSOQ II-Br) was used to investigate psychosocial aspects. The psychometric properties were tested and the results showed that the instrument was suitable for use in the population of Brazilian workers [18].
The COPSOQ II-Br has 40 questions addressing the following aspects: quantitative work demands, work pace, emotional work demands, influence on work, new skill development, meaningful work, commitment to the workplace, predictability, appreciation and recognition, role clarity, leadership quality, social support from superiors, job satisfaction, work-family conflict, management/worker trust, justice and respect, self-rated health, burnout, stress, unwanted sexual attention, threats of violence, physical violence, and bullying. The total is the sum of the items in the domains, each of which is scored on a Likert scale, except for the ‘offensive behavior’ domain, which is dichotomized (yes or no).
Work ability index (WAI) and work ability score (WAS)
The WAI consists of seven items: current work ability compared to the best of life (WAS), ability to work in relation to work demands, number of current diagnosed illnesses, estimated work loss due to illness, absence from work in the previous year, one’s own prognosis of work ability, and mental resources.
The score is calculated by summing the points of each item. The total ranges from seven to 49 points and is used to classify work ability as low (7 to 27 points), moderate (28 to 36 points), good (37 to 43 points), or excellent (44 to 49 points) [19].
Mental health conditions
Mental health conditions were investigated through self-reports of a medical diagnosis of anxiety, depression, stress/burnout, insomnia, panic, and eating disorders (dichotomized variable: yes or no).
Procedures
The questionnaires were entered into the free online software for Google accounts: Google Forms. A detailed description of the data collection procedures can be found elsewhere [17]. The link to access the forms was widely publicized through social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, WhatsApp), e-mail, television media, and local websites. A website was also developed where the participant could ask questions by e-mail and receive informative news (https://sites.google.com/view/imppac-work/).
The forms were electronically registered and open to anyone interested in participating. There was no incentive or remuneration to participate in the study. There was no randomization or adaptation of the questions and standardized, validated questionnaires were used. The forms consisted of 17 pages with 12 questions per page. All items had a “not applicable” option, which allowed the worker to not answer the item and pass on to the next one. A progress bar was included for the workers to track their responses.
The inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied after the questionnaires were answered. There were no incomplete questionnaires. No cookies or IP collections were used and repeated forms were excluded. The statement of informed consent was inserted in the Forms using a link. A copy signed by the researcher was available for download by the participant.
Data analysis
The variables were analyzed using SPSS software (version 26.0). Descriptive statistics were performed with the calculation of absolute (n) and relative (%) frequencies as well as mean and standard deviation values.
The on-site and remote groups were compared using the Chi-square association test (nominal and categorical qualitative variables) and t-test for independent samples (continuous quantitative variables). A two-way ANOVA was used for the analysis of the work ability score (WAS) considering group and time as factors. The interaction between factors and the main effects of group and time were tested; when the main effects were significant, multiple-comparisons tests were applied. The significance level was set at 5%.