Work

Caught between Scylla and Charybdis: How Economic Stressors and Occupational Risk Factors Influence Workers’ Occupational Health Reactions to COVID‐19

Year: 2020

Type: article

Abstract: Workers and their families bear much of the economic burden of COVID-19. Even though they have declined somewhat, unemployment rates are considerably higher than before the start of the pandemic. Many workers also face uncertainty about their future employment prospects and increasing financial strain. At the same time, the workplace is a common source of transmission of COVID-19 and many jobs previously seen as relatively safe are now viewed as potentially hazardous. Thus, many workers face dual threats of economic stress and COVID-19 exposure. This paper develops a model of workers' responses to these dual threats, including risk perception and resource depletion as mediating factors that influence the relationship of economic stress and occupational risk factors with COVID-19 compliance-related attitudes, safe behavior at work, and physical and mental health outcomes. The paper also describes contextual moderators of these relationships at the individual, unit, and regional level. Directions for future research are discussed.

Source: Applied Psychology

DOI: 10.1111/apps.12301

Authors: Robert R. Sinclair, Tahira M. Probst, Gwendolyn Paige Watson, Andrea Bazzoli

Institutions: Clemson University, Washington State University Vancouver

Language: English

Topic: COVID-19 and Mental Health

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: National Science Foundation