Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2023 February, 259(2)

Occupational Factors Associated with Telemedicine Use in the Japanese Working-Age Population: A Web-Based Study Conducted during the COVID-19 Pandemi

Hiromichi Ueno,¹ Tomohiro Ishimaru,² Ryutaro Matsugaki,³ Hajime Ando,⁴ Kosuke Mafune,⁵ Tomohisa Nagata,⁶ Seiichiro Tateishi,⁷ Mayumi Tsuji,⁸ Yoshihisa Fujino² and for the CORoNaWork Project

¹Department of the Second Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
²Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
³Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
⁴Department of Work Systems and Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
⁵Department of Mental Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
⁶Department of Occupational Health Practice and Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
⁷Department of Occupational Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
⁸Department of Environmental Health, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan

Telemedicine has significant potential for helping workers access medical treatment. To improve workers’ access to telemedicine, it is important to analyze current utilization rates and influencing factors. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the associations between occupational factors and telemedicine use. A 1-year follow-up study of 4,882 full-time workers receiving regular treatment in Japan was conducted from December 2020 to December 2021. Occupational factors associated with the use of telemedicine were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. In total, 191 participants had experience of using telemedicine (3.9%). The most common comorbidity was hypertension (37.0%), followed by back pain and arthritis (19.8%) and depression and psychiatric disorders (14.5%). Managers and executives [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.92, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.68-3.43, P < = 0.026], finance industry workers (aOR = 2.61, 95% CI: 1.24-5.49, P = 0.011), and individuals with experience of teleworking (aOR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.52-2.85, P < 0.001) were more likely to use telemedicine. Telemedicine usage was least common among workers aged 50-59 years (aOR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.22-0.57, P < 0.001) and those with long working hours (≥ 9.0 hours/day) (aOR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.38-0.93, P < 0.022). The utilization rate of telemedicine in Japan is still low. This study identified occupational factors related to the use of telemedicine, such as worker’s age, employee status, working hours, and experience of teleworking. Our findings suggest that flexible work arrangements could promote widespread use of telemedicine.

Keywords —— COVID-19; occupational health; telehealth; telemedicine; workers

© 2023 Tohoku University Medical Press

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Tohoku J. Exp. Med 2023, 259, 143-150.

Correspondence: Tomohiro Ishimaru, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahata-nishi-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 807-8555, Japan.

e-mail: ishimaru@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp