Investigating the impacts of working at home among office workers with neck pain on health status, depression and sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective. This study aimed to assess the effect of workplace and ergonomic features on neck pain intensity, sleep problems, depression and health status in office workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. One-hundred and thirty-nine office workers with neck pain aged 18-55 years were enrolled in the study. Sociodemographic features including ergonomic features of the workplace were evaluated. The Beck depression inventory (BDI), Nottingham health profile (NHP), Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and neck pain and disability scale (NPDS) were administered to all participants. Results. All participants were grouped based on workplace into Group 1 (working in office, n = 84) and Group 2 (working at home, n = 55). There was a statistically significant difference between the groups according to the rate of absence of back support and flexible back (respectively p = 0.020 and p = 0.029). The neck pain and disability index (NPDI) scores of the participants who work with a computer for >3 h without a break was higher in Group 2 than in Group 1, and the differences between groups were statistically significant (p = 0.001). Conclusions. The health-related quality of life was worse and neck pain intensity was severe in the working at home group than in the working in office group.