2 years ago
Working Conditions, Work Productivity, Quality of Life, and Depressive Symptoms in Undiagnosed Adults with and without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Symptoms During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Toru Nakai,1,&ast Toshinaga Tsuji,1,&ast Hiroshi Tsuda,2– 5 Takuma Sotodate,5 Yuki Namba,1 Tatsuhiro Uenishi,6 Katsuhiko Iwasaki,6 Kinya Kokubo,7,8 Hiroaki Tomita9
1Medical Affairs Department, Shionogi & Co., Ltd, Osaka, Japan; 2Clinical Research, Innovation and Education Center, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan; 3Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan; 4Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Toho University, Tokyo, Japan; 5Japan Medical Office, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Tokyo, Japan; 6Data Science Department, Medilead, Inc, Tokyo, Japan; 7Medilead, Inc, Tokyo, Japan; 8Department of International Business, Faculty of International Politics and Economics, Nishogakusha University, Tokyo, Japan; 9Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
&astThese authors contributed equally to this work
Correspondence: Toru Nakai, Medical Affairs Department, Shionogi & Co., Ltd, 4-7-6, Doshomachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 541-0045, Japan, Email
Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on employment status, work productivity, quality of life (QOL), and depressive symptoms in undiagnosed adults with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in Japan.
Methods: An observational study used baseline data from a Japanese Medilead Healthcare Panel before the COVID-19 pandemic (October–December 2019). Eligible panel participants were then surveyed during the pandemic (March 2021). ADHD symptoms were screened using the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale. Changes in QOL (EuroQol 5-Dimensions 5-Levels; EQ-5D-5L) and productivity impairment (Work Productivity and Activity Impairment scale; WPAI) from before to during the pandemic were analyzed in undiagnosed adults with and without ADHD symptoms. Unemployment rate and depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire; PHQ-9) during the pandemic were compared between groups.
Results: Participants with (N=949) and without (N=942) ADHD symptoms completed the survey. The unemployment rate was not significantly different between participants with and without ADHD symptoms. Participants with ADHD symptoms were more likely to change jobs or employers during the pandemic. PHQ-9 scores in participants with ADHD symptoms were significantly higher than in those without ADHD symptoms (8.96 vs 3.57, respectively) during the pandemic. Before the pandemic, WPAI scores were significantly higher and EQ-5D-5L scores lower in participants with ADHD symptoms than in those without. Productivity improved and QOL was not altered during the pandemic in both groups, but productivity and QOL remained poorer among participants with ADHD symptoms than in those without.
Conclusion: Productivity was improved among all participants during the COVID-19 pandemic, contrary to expectations. However, adults with ADHD symptoms consistently had lower productivity, poorer QOL, and more depressive symptoms than those without ADHD symptoms.
Keywords: absenteeism, ADHD symptoms, ASRS, COVID-19, depression, Japan, presenteeism, quality of life, working from home, work productivity
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with symptoms such as inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that affect life disproportionately to age or development.1 Adults with ADHD often experience restlessness, impatience, distractibility, poor organization, forgetfulness, and an inability to track time.2 Adults with ADHD report greater difficulties with social functioning, relationships, self-organization and planning, personal finances, and mood control than adults without ADHD.3 Mental illnesses like depression and anxiety have substantial comorbidity with ADHD, which may increase burden and further reduce quality of life (QOL).4 Adults with ADHD also experience substantial impacts on work performance.2–4 The COVID-19 pandemic has forced people to undergo major changes in their lives, particularly in the work environment. In Japan, the first national COVID-19 state of emergency (SOE) was declared in April 2020 and lasted until late May 2020. Additional COVID-19 SOE declarations for specific cities and prefectures were issued in January, April, July, and August 2021. The COVID-19 SOE declarations placed restrictions on residents and businesses, including school closures, partial business closures, and the encouragement to stay home as much as possible, incl
1Medical Affairs Department, Shionogi & Co., Ltd, Osaka, Japan; 2Clinical Research, Innovation and Education Center, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan; 3Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan; 4Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Toho University, Tokyo, Japan; 5Japan Medical Office, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Tokyo, Japan; 6Data Science Department, Medilead, Inc, Tokyo, Japan; 7Medilead, Inc, Tokyo, Japan; 8Department of International Business, Faculty of International Politics and Economics, Nishogakusha University, Tokyo, Japan; 9Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
&astThese authors contributed equally to this work
Correspondence: Toru Nakai, Medical Affairs Department, Shionogi & Co., Ltd, 4-7-6, Doshomachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 541-0045, Japan, Email
Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on employment status, work productivity, quality of life (QOL), and depressive symptoms in undiagnosed adults with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in Japan.
Methods: An observational study used baseline data from a Japanese Medilead Healthcare Panel before the COVID-19 pandemic (October–December 2019). Eligible panel participants were then surveyed during the pandemic (March 2021). ADHD symptoms were screened using the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale. Changes in QOL (EuroQol 5-Dimensions 5-Levels; EQ-5D-5L) and productivity impairment (Work Productivity and Activity Impairment scale; WPAI) from before to during the pandemic were analyzed in undiagnosed adults with and without ADHD symptoms. Unemployment rate and depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire; PHQ-9) during the pandemic were compared between groups.
Results: Participants with (N=949) and without (N=942) ADHD symptoms completed the survey. The unemployment rate was not significantly different between participants with and without ADHD symptoms. Participants with ADHD symptoms were more likely to change jobs or employers during the pandemic. PHQ-9 scores in participants with ADHD symptoms were significantly higher than in those without ADHD symptoms (8.96 vs 3.57, respectively) during the pandemic. Before the pandemic, WPAI scores were significantly higher and EQ-5D-5L scores lower in participants with ADHD symptoms than in those without. Productivity improved and QOL was not altered during the pandemic in both groups, but productivity and QOL remained poorer among participants with ADHD symptoms than in those without.
Conclusion: Productivity was improved among all participants during the COVID-19 pandemic, contrary to expectations. However, adults with ADHD symptoms consistently had lower productivity, poorer QOL, and more depressive symptoms than those without ADHD symptoms.
Keywords: absenteeism, ADHD symptoms, ASRS, COVID-19, depression, Japan, presenteeism, quality of life, working from home, work productivity
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with symptoms such as inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that affect life disproportionately to age or development.1 Adults with ADHD often experience restlessness, impatience, distractibility, poor organization, forgetfulness, and an inability to track time.2 Adults with ADHD report greater difficulties with social functioning, relationships, self-organization and planning, personal finances, and mood control than adults without ADHD.3 Mental illnesses like depression and anxiety have substantial comorbidity with ADHD, which may increase burden and further reduce quality of life (QOL).4 Adults with ADHD also experience substantial impacts on work performance.2–4 The COVID-19 pandemic has forced people to undergo major changes in their lives, particularly in the work environment. In Japan, the first national COVID-19 state of emergency (SOE) was declared in April 2020 and lasted until late May 2020. Additional COVID-19 SOE declarations for specific cities and prefectures were issued in January, April, July, and August 2021. The COVID-19 SOE declarations placed restrictions on residents and businesses, including school closures, partial business closures, and the encouragement to stay home as much as possible, incl
-Abstract Truncated-
Publisher URL: https://www.dovepress.com/working-conditions-work-productivity-quality-of-life-and-depressive-sy-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-NDT
DOI: 10.2147/NDT.S358085
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