working from home appears to have become a literal pain the neck for many people — especially women — with a new u.s. survey indicating a majority of remote workers are experiencing new issues with their bodies and minds.researchers from the university of southern californa surveyed nearly 1,000 people working from home amid the pandemic. according to the
study, published in the journal of occupational and environmental medicine, 64 per cent of respondents reported one or more new physical health issues amid working from home, while 75 per cent saw a new mental heatlh issue.the study suggests people were toiling away more, while communication with their colleagues deteriorated and expectations and distractions increased. it resulted in more neck pain and depression, less exercise and a bigger appetite for junk food.women appeared to fare worse with a higher incidence of depression, while female workers with annual salary less than $100,000 were more likely than male workers or workers with higher income to report two or more new physical and mental health issues.part of the issue may be the workstations themselves. only one-third of respondents had a dedicated room for their work, while at least 47.6 shared their workspace with others.“increased satisfaction with the environmental quality factors in your workspace, such as lighting, temperature, is associated with a lower chance of having new health issues,”
notes study co-author burcin becerik-gerber in a press release.“in addition, knowing how to adjust your workspace helps with physical health.”the study is something of a counterpoint to recent polling this fall in canada, which suggested many people are enjoying working from home.
in a poll from leger and the association for canadian studies published in late september, 48 per cent of those surveyed said they found working from home to be a very positive experience, while 41 per cent said it was somewhat positive. thirty-two per cent indicated that if they had to go back to their workplace, they’d seek jobs in which they could still work from home.
monika warzecha is a homepage editor at healthing.cadon’t miss the latest in health. subscribe to healthing’s daily newsletter.
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