AUTHOR=Funada Midori , Noguchi Shingo , Matsugaki Ryutaro , Odagami Kiminori , Hino Ayako , Tateishi Seiichiro , Tsuji Mayumi , Yatera Kazuhiro , Matsuda Shinya , Fujino Yoshihisa 

TITLE=Association of workplace infection control and perceived organizational support on worker loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1558282

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2025.1558282

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=ObjectiveResearch has not fully determined the impact of the infection control practices adopted in workplaces during the COVID-19 pandemic on employees’ feelings of loneliness. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between these control measures and employees’ loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic, including their relationship with perceived organizational support (POS).MethodsA prospective cohort study was conducted via an internet-based questionnaire. Of the 27,036 responses, data from 10,562 were analyzed. Workplace infection control practices were divided into four groups based on the number of practices adopted by participants. The odds ratios (ORs) of loneliness associated with each workplace infection control practice were calculated using multilevel logistic regression analysis.ResultsAmong the participants, 22.1, 23.6, 22.2, and 32.1% worked at companies that implemented 0–2, 3–5, 6–7, and 8 or more infection control practices, respectively. Loneliness was reported by 6.3% of the participants. After adjustments for sex and age, the OR of the group with the fewest infection control practices was 1.91 (95% CI: 1.54–2.37, p < 0.001) compared with the group with the most practices adopted. Adjusting the model for household income, education, occupation, telecommuting frequency, and family cohabitation decreased the OR for the group with the fewest infection control practices adopted to 1.54 (95% CI: 1.20–2.99, p = 0.001). After adjustments for either POS, these associations became non-significant.DiscussionProactive infection control practices at work were positively associated with workers’ experiences of loneliness. Conversely, loneliness owing to fewer infection control practices was attenuated after adjusting for POS.