Precarious employment and health in the context of COVID-19: a rapid scoping umbrella review

Abstract

Background There are widespread concerns that workers in precarious employment have suffered the most in the COVID-19 pandemic and merit special attention. The aim of this rapid scoping umbrella review was to examine what evidence exists about how COVID-19 has affected the health of this highly vulnerable group, and what gaps remain to be investigated. Methods Five databases were searched for systematic or scoping reviews from January 2020 to May 2021. The quality of the included reviews was determined using A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews. Results We identified 6 reviews that reported 30 unique relevant primary studies. The included studies indicate that essential (non-health) workers are at greater risk of COVID-19 infection and case fatality than others in their surrounding community. The occupational risk of exposure to COVID-19 also seems to be greater among more precarious categories of workers, including younger workers and workers in low-income and low-skilled occupations. Further, hazardous working conditions faced by many essential workers appear to have amplified the pandemic, as several occupational sites became ‘super-spreaders’, due to an inability to socially distance at work and high contact rates among workers. Finally, employment and financial insecurity generated by the pandemic appears to be associated with negative mental health outcomes. The quality of the included reviews however, and their primary studies, were generally weak and many gaps remain in the evidence base. Conclusions Our study highlights that COVID-19 is creating new health risks for precarious workers as well as exacerbating the pre-existing health risks of precarious employment.

Occupational Stressors and Access to COVID-19 Resources among Commuting and Residential Hispanic/Latino Farmworkers in a US-Mexico Border Region

“…Occupational justice is particularly significant today. Ensuring the health and safety at work, specifically among low-wage and non-health-essential occupations, is imperative to effective pandemic management, public health prevention efforts, and protecting a highly vulnerable workforce [ 5 , 6 ].…”

“…Essential (non-health) occupations, specifically workers in industries such as manufacturing, transportation, construction, food, and agriculture, were considered vital for maintaining the health and safety of the nation. However, the occupational risk of COVID-19 exposure, COVID-19 infection, and poor mental health outcomes have been found to be greater among low-wage and precarious workers in non-health essential occupations [ 5 , 6 ]. Recent data from the Washington State Department of Health found that agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting employees tested positive for COVID-19 at higher rates than any other employment category after health care and social assistance [ 7 ].…”

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the workforce: from psychological distress to the Great Resignation

“…Lastly, and related to the previous point, job and income loss along with the associated psychological impact has been concentrated among groups already vulnerable before the pandemic. 5 These groups include workers on zero-contract hours, those in the gig economy but also self-employed workers and small business owners. Governments spent considerable financial resources to protect businesses and workers from the financial shock resulting from the shutdown of the economy.…”

“…Baker4 points out that approximately 75% of the US workforce is employed in such occupations and that these occupations tend to be lower-paid. Lastly, and related to the previous point, job and income loss along with the associated psychological impact has been concentrated among groups already vulnerable before the pandemic 5. These groups include workers on zero-contract hours, those in the gig economy but also self-employed workers and small business owners.…”

At Which Area Level Does COVID-19 Infection Matter Most for an Individual’s Self-Rated Health? A Multilevel Fixed-Effects Model Analysis in Japan

“…Several studies have provided evidence on the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on a wide range of health outcomes and health behaviors [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Even if they are not actually infected with the coronavirus, individuals tend to assess their health negatively due to various pandemic-related factors, including enhanced uncertainties with employment and income conditions [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ] and higher risks of social isolation caused by restricted mobility due to the implementation of lockdowns and social distancing policies [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ].…”