The Occupational Health and Safety of Sign Language Interpreters Working Remotely During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a dramatic shift in work conditions, bringing increased attention to the occupational health of remote workers. We aimed to investigate the physical and mental health of sign language interpreters working remotely from home because of the pandemic. Methods We measured the physical and mental health of certified interpreters who worked remotely 10 or more hours per week. We evaluated associations within the overall sample and compared separate generalized linear models across primary interpreting settings and platforms. We hypothesized that physical health would be correlated with mental health and that differences across settings would exist. Results We recruited 120 interpreters to participate. We calculated scores for disability (mean score, 13.93 [standard error of the mean (SEM), 1.43] of 100), work disability (mean score, 10.86 [SEM, 1.59] of 100), and pain (mean score, 3.53 [SEM, 0.29] of 10). Shoulder pain was most prevalent (27.5%). Respondents had scores that were not within normal limits for depression (22.5%), anxiety (16.7%), and stress (24.2%). Although disability was not associated with depression, all other outcomes for physical health were correlated with mental health ( r ≥ 0.223, P ≤ .02). Educational and community/freelance interpreters trended toward greater adverse physical health, whereas educational and video remote interpreters trended toward more mental health concerns. Conclusion Maintaining the occupational health of sign language interpreters is critical for addressing the language barriers that have resulted in health inequities for deaf communities. Associations of disability, work disability, and pain with mental health warrant a holistic approach in the clinical treatment and research of these essential workers.

Experiences of Sign Language Interpreters and Perspectives of Interpreting Administrators During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Description

“…Focus groups with interpreters. In previous research, a collective survey was conducted from March through September 2021 to measure interpreters' physical and mental health, 10 perceptions of the remote interpreting implementation process, 15 and experience with the technical aspects and personal impressions of working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Educational institutions, interpreter referral services, nonprofit associations, and video relay service providers shared recruitment material via email listservs, social media, or websites.…”

“…Educational institutions, interpreter referral services, nonprofit associations, and video relay service providers shared recruitment material via email listservs, social media, or websites. Respondents identified their primary interpreting setting (staff, educational, community/freelance, video remote, or video relay) and, at the end of the survey, 10,15 the survey asked if they would consider participation in a focus group. We used purposive maximum variation (demographic and geographic) sampling 16 to invite survey respondents to participate in focus groups from June through August 2021.…”

“…7-9 Interpreting during the pandemic caused interpreters to experience greater-than-normal stress and adverse mental health. 3,10 For educational, health and media, and governmental interpreters, the constant flux of measures to quell the spread of COVID-19, as well as the need to communicate the nature and progression of disease and interpret for local press briefings, contributed to stress. 3 In several studies describing the work of interpreters during the pandemic, among interpreters working remotely from home, 10% to 24% expressed some degree of stress, 17% to 30% had some degree of anxiety, 23% experienced some depression, and 13% reported seeking some form of mental health support because of changing professional demands.…”

“…3 In several studies describing the work of interpreters during the pandemic, among interpreters working remotely from home, 10% to 24% expressed some degree of stress, 17% to 30% had some degree of anxiety, 23% experienced some depression, and 13% reported seeking some form of mental health support because of changing professional demands. 4,10,11 Little qualitative research has investigated how consequences experienced during the pandemic affected the health and well-being of interpreters and their longevity in the field. Data on some factors specific to the extreme conditions of the pandemic and the challenges of interpreting at public briefings during crises were gathered in previous research via interviews with Lithuanian 5 and British and Irish 6 sign language interpreters.…”

Ditching the Driving: A Cross-Sectional Study on the Determinants of Remote Work From Home for Sign Language Interpreters

“…Adults (aged at least 18 years) working remotely as certified sign language interpreters for at least 10 h per week fulfilled the eligibility criteria for completing the DIBQ-SLI. The DIBQ-SLI was administered as part of a larger collective survey instrument used in an overarching study that included measures of the physical and mental health of sign language interpreters across interpreting settings now working remotely from home because of the pandemic (24). Therefore, a power analysis was based on the subjective perception of stress group differences from Rosiner and Shlesinger (25), which indicated that 100 participants would be sufficient to detect a small to medium effect (0.32).…”