Top

Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine

Published in:

Open Access 01-12-2021 | COVID-19 | Research article

Industry and workplace characteristics associated with the downloading of a COVID-19 contact tracing app in Japan: a nation-wide cross-sectional study

Authors: Tomohiro Ishimaru, Koki Ibayashi, Masako Nagata, Ayako Hino, Seiichiro Tateishi, Mayumi Tsuji, Akira Ogami, Shinya Matsuda, Yoshihisa Fujino, for the CORoNaWork Project

Published in: Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine | Issue 1/2021

Abstract

Background

To combat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many countries have used contact tracing apps, including Japan’s voluntary-use contact-confirming application (COCOA). The current study aimed to identify industry and workplace characteristics associated with the downloading of this COVID-19 contact tracing app.

Methods

This cross-sectional study of full-time workers used an online survey. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the associations of industry and workplace characteristics with contact tracing app use.

Results

Of the 27,036 participants, 25.1% had downloaded the COCOA. Workers in the public service (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14–1.45) and information technology (aOR = 1.38, 95% CI 1.20–1.58) industries were more likely to use the app than were those in the manufacturing industry. In contrast, app usage was less common among workers in the retail and wholesale (aOR = 0.87, 95% CI 0.76–0.99) and food/beverage (aOR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.70–0.94) industries, but further adjustment for company size attenuated these associations. Workers at larger companies were more likely to use the app. Compared with permanent employees, the odds of using the app were higher for managers and civil servants but lower for those who were self-employed.

Conclusions

Downloading of COCOA among Japanese workers was insufficient; thus, the mitigating effect of COCOA on the COVID-19 pandemic is considered to be limited. One possible reason for the under-implementation of the contact tracing app in the retail and wholesale and food/beverage industries is small company size, as suggested by the fully adjusted model results. An awareness campaign should be conducted to promote the widespread use of the contact tracing app in these industries.

Salathe M, Althaus C, Anderegg N, Antonioli D, Ballouz T, Bugnon E, et al. Early evidence of effectiveness of digital contact tracing for SARS-CoV-2 in Switzerland. Swiss Med Wkly. 2020;150:w20457. https://doi.org/10.4414/smw.2020.20457.CrossRefPubMed

Elkhodr M, Mubin O, Iftikhar Z, Masood M, Alsinglawi B, Shahid S, et al. Technology, privacy, and user opinions of COVID-19 mobile apps for contact tracing: systematic search and content analysis. J Med Internet Res. 2021;23(2):e23467. https://doi.org/10.2196/23467.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare: COVID-19 Contact-Confirming Application. 2021. https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/cocoa_00138.html. Accessed 14 Jul 18 2021.

Juneau C-E, Briand A-S, Pueyo T, Collazzo P, Potvin L. Effective contact tracing for COVID-19: a systematic review. medRxiv. 2020:2020.07.23.20160234. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.07.23.20160234.

Nakamoto I, Jiang M, Zhang J, Zhuang W, Guo Y, Jin MH, et al. Evaluation of the design and implementation of a peer-to-peer COVID-19 contact tracing mobile app (COCOA) in Japan. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2020;8(12):e22098. https://doi.org/10.2196/22098.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Rodriguez P, Grana S, Alvarez-Leon EE, Battaglini M, Darias FJ, Hernan MA, et al. A population-based controlled experiment assessing the epidemiological impact of digital contact tracing. Nat Commun. 2021;12(1):587. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-20817-6.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Oldeweme A, Märtins J, Westmattelmann D, Schewe G. The role of transparency, trust, and social influence on uncertainty reduction in times of pandemics: empirical study on the adoption of COVID-19 tracing apps. J Med Internet Res. 2021;23(2):e25893. https://doi.org/10.2196/25893.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Anglemyer A, Moore TH, Parker L, Chambers T, Grady A, Chiu K, et al. Digital contact tracing technologies in epidemics: a rapid review. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;8(8):CD013699. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD013699.CrossRefPubMed

Lewandowsky S, Dennis S, Perfors A, Kashima Y, White JP, Garrett P, et al. Public acceptance of privacy-encroaching policies to address the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. PLoS One. 2021;16(1):e0245740. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0245740.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

10.

Garrett PM, White JP, Lewandowsky S, Kashima Y, Perfors A, Little DR, et al. The acceptability and uptake of smartphone tracking for COVID-19 in Australia. PLoS One. 2021;16(1):e0244827. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244827.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

11.

Garrett PM, Wang Y, White JP, Hsieh S, Strong C, Lee YC, et al. Young Adults View Smartphone Tracking Technologies for COVID-19 as Acceptable: The Case of Taiwan. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18031332.

12.

Japan Federation of Economic Organizations: The NEW growth strategy. 2020. https://www.keidanren.or.jp/en/policy/2020/108_proposal.html. Accessed 14 Jul 2021.

13.

Fujino Y, Ishimaru T, Eguchi H, Tsuji M, Tateishi S, Ogami A, et al. Protocol for a nationwide internet-based health survey of workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. J uoeh. 2021;43(2):217–25. https://doi.org/10.7888/juoeh.43.217.CrossRefPubMed

14.

Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare: Visualizing the data: information on COVID-19 infections. 2021. https://covid19.mhlw.go.jp/en/. Accessed 14 Jul 2021.

15.

Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: Japan Standard Industrial Classification. 2014. https://www.soumu.go.jp/toukei_toukatsu/index/seido/sangyo/H25index.htm. Accessed 14 Jul 2021.

16.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development: Exchange rates. 2021. https://data.oecd.org/conversion/exchange-rates.htm?fbclid=IwAR2Bn6JlF8WfAbVhwDEiKFhG0_rsTu-iLq1PW47o1ujebwc7CWF0e0wUx_A. Accessed 14 Jul 2021.

17.

Blasimme A, Ferretti A, Vayena E. Digital Contact Tracing Against COVID-19 in Europe: Current Features and Ongoing Developments. Front Digit Health. 2021;3. https://doi.org/10.3389/fdgth.2021.660823.

18.

Ishimaru T, Nagata M, Hino A, Yamashita S, Tateishi S, Tsuji M, et al. Workplace measures against COVID-19 during the winter third wave in Japan: Company size-based differences. J Occup Health. 2021;63(1):e12224. https://doi.org/10.1002/1348-9585.12224.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

19.

Hasle P, Limborg HJ. A review of the literature on preventive occupational health and safety activities in small enterprises. Ind Health. 2006;44(1):6–12. https://doi.org/10.2486/indhealth.44.6.CrossRefPubMed

20.

Kim J, Kim J, Wang Y. Uncertainty risks and strategic reaction of restaurant firms amid COVID-19: Evidence from China. Int J Hosp Manag. 2021;92:102752. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102752.CrossRefPubMed

21.

Sasaki N, Kuroda R, Tsuno K, Kawakami N. Workplace responses to COVID-19 and their association with company size and industry in an early stage of the epidemic in Japan. Environ Occup Health Pract. 2020;2:eohp.2020-0007-OA. https://doi.org/10.1539/eohp.2020-0007-OA.CrossRef

22.

von Wyl V, Hoglinger M, Sieber C, Kaufmann M, Moser A, Serra-Burriel M, et al. Drivers of acceptance of COVID-19 proximity tracing apps in Switzerland: panel survey analysis. JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2021;7(1):e25701. https://doi.org/10.2196/25701.CrossRef

Title: Industry and workplace characteristics associated with the downloading of a COVID-19 contact tracing app in Japan: a nation-wide cross-sectional study
Authors: Tomohiro Ishimaru
Koki Ibayashi
Masako Nagata
Ayako Hino
Seiichiro Tateishi
Mayumi Tsuji
Akira Ogami
Shinya Matsuda
Yoshihisa Fujino
for the CORoNaWork Project
Publication date: 01-12-2021
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keyword: COVID-19
Published in: Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine / Issue 1/2021
Print ISSN: 1342-078X
Electronic ISSN: 1347-4715
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12199-021-01016-1

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Industry and workplace characteristics associated with the downloading of a COVID-19 contact tracing app in Japan: a nation-wide cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2021

Phytochemicals of Periploca aphylla Dcne. ameliorated streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rat

Effects of exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation on changing platelets: a prospective cohort study

Possible mechanisms underlying the association between human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and hypertension in elderly Japanese population

Sex differences in the link between blood cobalt concentrations and insulin resistance in adults without diabetes

Correction to: Effects of short-term exposure to ambient airborne pollutants on COPD-related mortality among the elderly residents of Chengdu city in Southwest China

Effect of professional certification on employees’ return-to-work rate after occupational injuries in Korea: focusing on vulnerable groups