ABSTRACT

Objective: This study investigated the effects of work environment on the job stress of occupational therapists during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We surveyed occupational therapists providing face-to-face occupational therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The independent variables included 11 items on general characteristics and 11 items on work environment, whereas the dependent variable consisted of 24 items on job stress. The survey, comprised of a total of 46 items, was conducted using a shared link to an online questionnaire. Online surveys were collected over a three month period beginning from September 2022, and a final amount of 216 surveys were analyzed. The data were analyzed through their descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis to identify factors influencing job stress, including variables showing a correlation. Results: As the results of the correlation analysis indicate, the working institution, patient, increased musculoskeletal pain, difficulties in intra-departmental communication, difficulties in co-work with other departments, difficulties in the use of personal protective equipment, insufficient personal protective equipment, and an increase in the burden of infection risk were significant correlation factors. Through a multiple regression analysis, insufficient personal protective equipment and an increased burden of risk of infection were identified as factors affecting job stress. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that insufficient personal protective equipment and an increased burden of infection risk affected the job stress of occupational therapists during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is therefore necessary to provide adequate personal protective equipment to occupational therapists who work face-to-face with patients under situations of infectious disease outbreaks in order to help them reduce their risk of infection.