Objective: Many companies in Japan have been increasingly interested in "health and productivity management (H&PM)." In terms of H&PM, we hypothesized that companies can enhance their employees' perceived workplace health support (PWHS) by supporting workers' lively working and healthy living. This could then improve their health-related quality of life (HRQOL) by increasing PWHS. Consequently, this study explored the relationship between PWHS and HRQOL.
Methods: In December 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted an Internet-based nationwide health survey of Japanese workers (CORoNaWork study). A database of 27 036 participants was created. The intensity of PWHS was measured using a four-point Likert scale. We used multilevel ordered logistic regression to analyze the relationship between PWHS intensity and the four domains of the Centers for Disease Control's HRQOL-4 (self-rated health, number of poor physical health days, number of poor mental health days, and activity limitation days during the past 30 days).
Results: In the sex- and age-adjusted and multivariate models, the intensity of PWHS significantly affected self-rated health and the three domains of unhealthy days (physical, mental, and activity limitation). There was also a trend toward worse HRQOL scores as the PWHS decreased.
Conclusions: We found that the higher the PWHS of Japanese workers, the higher their self-rated health and the fewer their unhealthy days. Companies need to assess workers' PWHS and HRQOL and promote H&PM. H&PM is also necessary to maintain and promote the health of workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords: COVID-19; health and productivity management; health-related quality of life; perceived workplace health support.
© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Occupational Health published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of The Japan Society for Occupational Health.