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Prevalence of Work-Related Anxiety during the COVID-19 Pandemic : A Cross-Sectional Study

Eneroth, Anna LU and Paulsen, Roland LU (2024) In Sociologisk Forskning 61(1). p.91-110
Abstract
This cross-sectional study investigates the shifts in anxiety levels among Swedish employees throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, with data gathered in 2016, 2018, and 2020. Work-related anxiety was assessed through two metrics: General Work Anxiety (WA) and Work Performance Anxiety (WPA). Overall, there was a decline in both average WA and WPA over the five-year period. However, this trend did not apply uniformly across all social groups. Specifically, WA saw a significant decrease among older men, while it showed an increase among younger women. Additionally, the reduction in WPA was more pronounced among managers than employees during the pandemic. High-income individuals and those with advanced education levels also experienced a greater... (More)
This cross-sectional study investigates the shifts in anxiety levels among Swedish employees throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, with data gathered in 2016, 2018, and 2020. Work-related anxiety was assessed through two metrics: General Work Anxiety (WA) and Work Performance Anxiety (WPA). Overall, there was a decline in both average WA and WPA over the five-year period. However, this trend did not apply uniformly across all social groups. Specifically, WA saw a significant decrease among older men, while it showed an increase among younger women. Additionally, the reduction in WPA was more pronounced among managers than employees during the pandemic. High-income individuals and those with advanced education levels also experienced a greater decrease in WPA. These findings underscore the role of employment conditions in shaping the impact that the pandemic might have had on workers’ mental health. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Arbetsliv, Hälsa, Ångest, COVID-19, Corona pandemic
in
Sociologisk Forskning
volume
61
issue
1
pages
91 - 110
publisher
Sveriges Sociologförbund
external identifiers
  • scopus:85193411337
ISSN
0038-0342
DOI
10.37062/sf.61.25506
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
01216d34-6000-456b-8fe2-421a36f4f48c
date added to LUP
2024-05-13 09:11:46
date last changed
2024-06-14 12:33:53
@article{01216d34-6000-456b-8fe2-421a36f4f48c,
  abstract     = {{This cross-sectional study investigates the shifts in anxiety levels among Swedish employees throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, with data gathered in 2016, 2018, and 2020. Work-related anxiety was assessed through two metrics: General Work Anxiety (WA) and Work Performance Anxiety (WPA). Overall, there was a decline in both average WA and WPA over the five-year period. However, this trend did not apply uniformly across all social groups. Specifically, WA saw a significant decrease among older men, while it showed an increase among younger women. Additionally, the reduction in WPA was more pronounced among managers than employees during the pandemic. High-income individuals and those with advanced education levels also experienced a greater decrease in WPA. These findings underscore the role of employment conditions in shaping the impact that the pandemic might have had on workers’ mental health.}},
  author       = {{Eneroth, Anna and Paulsen, Roland}},
  issn         = {{0038-0342}},
  keywords     = {{Arbetsliv; Hälsa; Ångest; COVID-19; Corona pandemic}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{91--110}},
  publisher    = {{Sveriges Sociologförbund}},
  series       = {{Sociologisk Forskning}},
  title        = {{Prevalence of Work-Related Anxiety during the COVID-19 Pandemic : A Cross-Sectional Study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.37062/sf.61.25506}},
  doi          = {{10.37062/sf.61.25506}},
  volume       = {{61}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}