Remote work-time control and well-being activities during COVID-19 pandemic: ELSA-Brasil results

Abstract

Background

Remote working conditions likely enhance changes in lifestyle habits during the COVID-19 pandemic and need to be investigated in different populations.

Objective

To describe the practice of well-being activities during the pandemic and verify the association with Work-Time Control (WTC) in remote modality.

Methods

Cross-sectional analysis of data from 1987 teleworkers from ELSA-Brasil in the Wave-COVID (July/2020 and February/2021). Self-administered online questionnaires were used. WTC was assessed using a specific scale, categorized as “Strong” or “Weak”. Well-being activities included those to relieve stress and were categorized according to practice as “Yes” or “No”. Poisson regression was conducted to identify the prevalence ratio (PR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) of the practice of well-being activities according to WTC, performed in SPSS 21.0, p < 0.05.

Results

The most frequently reported activity was “Watching TV/Films/Series” (91.2%) by men and “Cook” (93.7%) by women. The prevalence of “prayer/participate in prayer groups”, “physical activity/stretching indoors” and “reading books/magazines” were higher in men with strong WTC compared to those with weak WTC (PR = 1.30 [95%CI 1.11–1.53]; PR = 1.15 [95%CI 1.02–1.31]; PR = 1.08 [95%CI 1.01–1.15], respectively). Similar results were observed among women (PR = 1.17 [95%CI 1.005–1.37] for “deep breathing techniques” and PR = 1.16 [95%CI 1.03–1.32] for “physical activity/stretching indoors”).

Conclusions

The practice of certain well-being activities was more prevalent among workers who had strong WTC in remote work. Its necessary to regulate remote work environments and encourage the adoption of healthy lifestyle habits in this context.