Altered mental distress among employees from different occupational groups and industries during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany

• Published in: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine
• Main Authors: Casjens, Swaantje, Taeger, Dirk, Brüning, Thomas, Behrens, Thomas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.10.2022
• ISSN: 1536-5948
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002595

Mental distress (MD) of employees from the financial, public transport, public service, and industrial sector was examined in a cross-sectional study during the second COVID-19 wave in Germany and retrospectively at its beginning. MD in terms of anxiety and depression symptoms was assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-4. High and potential occupational SARS-CoV-2 infection risk (OSIR) was defined based on job information from 1,545 non-healthcare workers. The risks for more severe MD symptoms increased threefold and twofold, respectively, among employees with high and potential OSIR compared with employees without OSIR. MD severity differed by the extent of work-privacy conflicts, perceived job protection, interactions with colleagues, and overcommitment. Reducing COVID-19 exposure through workplace protective measures, strengthening interactions among colleagues, and supporting employees with work-privacy conflicts could help better protect employees' mental health.