TElewoRk-RelAted Stress (TERRA), Psychological and Physical Strain of Working From Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review. (February 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gualano, Maria Rosaria; Santoro, Paolo Emilio; Borrelli, Ivan; Rossi, Maria Francesca; Amantea, Carlotta; Daniele, Alessandra; Moscato, Umberto
• Is Part Of: Workplace health & safety. Volume 71:Number 2(2023)
• Page Start: 58
• Page End: 67
• Publication Date: 2023-02
• Subjects: occupational health -- technostress -- COVID-19 -- telework -- working from home -- remote work -- job stress; Industrial nursing -- Periodicals; 610.734605
• DOI: 10.1177/21650799221119155
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2165-0799

Abstract

Background: Many workers shifted to working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This review aims to investigate if this sudden change caused an increase in TElewoRk-RelAted stress (TERRA) which is defined as physical and mental stress caused by telework. Methods: A systematic review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was performed of three scientific databases (PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, and Scopus), which also included a quality assessment. Articles measuring stress, psychological or physical, in remote workers, published from December 2019 through August 2021 were included in the review. Results were extracted by reporting: authors, country, study design, type of workers, sample, questionnaires and measurements, and outcomes. Data were synthesized quantitatively for country, type of workers, and outcomes. Results: Out of the 518 articles found in the three databases, 19 articles were included in the systematic review (10, 012 participants overall), and 78.9% of these highlighted an increase in TERRA levels in remote workers. Among 85.7% of the studies considering gender as a variable, TERRA levels were higher in female workers. Twelve (63.2%) of the studies investigated psychological well-being, two (10.5%) focused on the physical well-being of remote workers, three (15.8%) investigated both, and two studies had other outcomes (10.5%). Conclusions: Considering the redefinition of workplaces dictated by the COVID-19 pandemic, this review highlights the emerging issue of remote work and the use of technology in working from home, emphasizing a rapidly growing occupational health problem. Remote workers need to be provided with emotional and technical support to prevent TERRA in remote workers.