Since the implementation of the first containment in March 2020, as part of the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing measures have been put in place to limit the spread of the virus. At the professional level, this has resulted in significant changes to working conditions, with in particular for some workers the introduction of more or less forced teleworking, situations of partial unemployment or other changes in work organizations ( shift in working hours, reduction in contact with colleagues or the public, etc.). The organizational changes brought about by this unprecedented context may have been a source of satisfaction or tension.
Public Health France analyzed data from three surveys in order to investigate anxiety-depressive disorders, tobacco and alcohol consumption, as well as sleep disorders among employed workers during the pandemic, using data from three surveys conducted by Public Health France in 2020 or involving its expertise.
The main results show a negative impact of the pandemic and the changes in associated work organizations on the mental health of workers.
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Summary of the results of studies of the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on mental health, addictions and sleep disorders…
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The Coviprev survey
This survey, conducted by web-questionnaire by Public Health France in the general population, made it possible to study throughout 2020* the evolution of a certain number of health indicators of employed workers, including mental health (anxiety and depression), sleep quality, associated factors and satisfaction with current and future life.
What are the results ?
30.5% of employed workers declared symptoms of anxiety at the start of the confinement in March 2020 compared to 15.9% at the end of June 2020 and around one in five working people presented depressive symptoms at the start of the two confinement periods (change in “ U”). At the start of confinement in March 2020*, sleep disorders affected around two-thirds of employed workers and were more frequent among women than among men.
The impact on mental health is associated with changing working arrangements. Thus, in addition to sex, age and socio-professional category), promiscuity within the home, work organizations and the financial situation perceived as precarious also played a role in the occurrence of anxiety. and/or depression in the populations surveyed.
Among the sectors of activity most at risk, a point of vigilance should be highlighted in 2020 for the education sectors, arts and entertainment activities, insurance and finance.
*The evolutions of the indicators are also available after 2020, the survey having continued in 2021 and 2022.
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Evolution of anxious and depressive symptoms and their associated factors in working people in metropolitan France in …
surveys/studies
CoviPrev: a survey to monitor changes in behavior and mental health during the COVID-19 epidemic
The Coset-Covid survey
This survey, carried out by Public Health France, made it possible to assess the prevalence of anxiety-depressive disorders on leaving confinement in June 2020 and to understand the role of the changes observed in the professional situation and organizational factors, among self-employed and those of the agricultural world. It relied on the two cohorts Coset-Indépendants (N=20,368) and Coset-MSA (N= 27,044) piloted by Public Health France, which allow long-term monitoring of many salaried workers, workers in the agricultural world and freelancers recruited in 2017-2018.
What are the results ?
Some professional groups showed a higher prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptomatology on leaving confinement in June 2020, the frequency of which appeared to be linked to unfavorable working conditions during confinement, such as an increase in relational tensions with the public or colleagues, an increase in working hours or a shift of these hours to weekends or evenings, or even the impossibility of isolating oneself to work from home.
Among the non-agricultural self-employed and agricultural employees with office activities, sleep disorders increased during this period for more than a quarter of the men, and more than a third of the women.
Among the non-agricultural self-employed and agricultural employees with office activities, one person in 6 has increased their alcohol consumption.
A new wave of surveys was launched in 2022 to assess to what extent the changes observed in the professional situation and their links with the state of health have evolved in the working populations of the self-employed and the agricultural world. The results will be available in 2023.
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surveys/studies
Professional consequences and state of health of workers in the agricultural world and the self-employed after the first confinement…
surveys/studies
Coset-Covid survey: impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on self-employed workers and agricultural workers
The survey on the evolution of working conditions and consumption of psychoactive substances during an epidemic
This analysis was carried out using data from the survey led by MILDECA, conducted among employees in conjunction with Public Health France, ANSES, INRS, OFDT and COCT. This study made it possible to study the changes in the consumption of alcohol and tobacco during the 1st period of confinement and then during the resumption of activity between March and May 2020.
What are the results ?
After questioning more than 4,000 employees in the public sector and the private sector representative of the active population on the evolution of their consumption of SPA, it was found that 30% of the people questioned declared that they had increased their consumption of tobacco against 14% for the alcohol. In men, increased smoking during confinement was associated with an increase in workload while for women, it was associated with a decrease in usual workload. For alcohol, reporting having had a lower than usual workload was associated with an increased risk of increasing consumption, and this only for women.
Better prevention and protection of the mental health of workers: an issue for occupational health
In this context of changes to organizations and working conditions, now inscribed over time, the reduction of mental health disorders among workers is an issue. In partnership with the main players in occupational health, Public Health France will continue its work to monitor the mental health of workers, in particular by analyzing data from the COSET cohorts (salaried and non-salaried workers in the agricultural world and self-employed workers). and the system for work-related illnesses (MCP). This work will make it possible to estimate the impact of working conditions on the mental health of workers, but also to target the profiles most at risk and identify effective action levers to be adapted to new work organizations in order to fight against stress at work and feelings of isolation.
The “Employers for Health” platform
Public Health France launched in May 2022 the platform ” Employers for Health », a unique system to support structures (public, private and associative) in a process of prevention and promotion of the health of their employees. The workplace is a favorable environment for the development of prevention and health promotion actions for the benefit of employees, and employers can thus play a decisive role in the health of their employees. Because of the time spent at work by employees, the workplace is a real opportunity to promote health-promoting behaviors such as, for example, smoking cessation, physical activity, breaking a sedentary lifestyle, a balanced diet , and opens up various opportunities depending on the sector.
The first theme dealt with concerns smoking cessation, and the “Employers for Health” platform provides employers with appropriate tools to deploy a prevention and health promotion policy within their structure, at the pace that suits them. The aim is to encourage and help employers to build their strategy to improve the health and well-being of their employees and to guide them at all stages of its implementation by facilitating access to all documents (posters, leaflets, videos) developed by Public Health France.
This platform aims to deal with all topics related to addictions and all the topics of prevention and health promotion in the years to come (diet, physical activity, mental health, etc.).