Prospective cohort study of workers diagnosed with COVID‐19 and subsequent unemployment

Abstract

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships of workers being diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) and being identified as close contacts of infected persons with unemployment in Japan.

Methods

This was a prospective cohort study using questionnaires about COVID‐19 administered to Japanese workers. A baseline survey conducted on December 22–25, 2020, was used to determine history of being diagnosed with COVID‐19 or being identified as a close contact of an infected person. Unemployment since the baseline survey was ascertained with a follow‐up survey on February 18 and 19, 2021. The odds ratios (ORs) of unemployment were estimated using a multilevel logistic model with adjusted covariates nested in prefecture of residence.

Results

Women (n = 8771) accounted for 44% of the total sample (n = 19 941), and the mean age was 48.0 years. In terms of unemployment because of negative reasons, the multivariate analysis showed that the OR of unemployment associated with being diagnosed with COVID‐19 was 2.40 (95% CI: 1.15–5.01) and that the OR associated with being identified as a close contact was 0.98 (95% CI: 0.31–3.11).

Conclusions

There is an association between workers being diagnosed with COVID‐19 and unemployment. The reason is not clear, but if the unemployment is unwanted by the individual, workplace adjustment may help prevent unwilling unemployment.