Mental health status of workers in the semiconductor industry during the COVID-19 pandemic: comparisons between regions on three continents.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic had detrimental effects on mental health globally, both in and outside the work context. The type of work and work organization additionally had adverse or protective effects on mental health, with sometimes inconsistent findings, like a dualistic effect of working from home. Country differences in mental health effects of the pandemic have been reported, but comparative studies in the work context face the challenge of different work types and different experimental designs. Thus, the present investigation compares connections regarding mental-health status, COVID-19 related experiences and management satisfaction at the workplace with an identical questionnaire design in the same sector between three continents.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: 1,946 workers from three continents in the semiconductor industry were investigated using validated mental health questionnaires. Additionally, COVID-19-related experiences, organizational factors and satisfaction with SARS-CoV-19 management at the workplace were assessed.

RESULTS: Significant differences between continents could be found regarding mental health parameters, with higher anxiety and lower self-efficacy, but also higher well-being in the Asian group. Significant continent differences could further be found regarding personal experiences with COVID-19, estimated danger and subjective protection against an infection. Working from home was related to most of the assessed mental health parameters in a beneficial way, while at the same time being negatively related to work satisfaction.

CONCLUSION: Continent-specific differences in pandemic mental health effects should be considered in research, but also in the planning of counseling offers. Working from home might show beneficial mental health effects when implemented correctly.