Depressed and absent from work: Predicting prolonged depressive symptomatology among employees
article
Background: The World Health Organization considers depression a major health problem and a leading cause of disability. Aim To identify factors which may help to reduce depressive symptoms in a sample of employees sick listed due to mental health problems. Methods: Longitudinal cohort study of employees sick listed for 12-20 weeks due to mental health problems. Individuals were followed for 1 year. After a screening questionnaire, we conducted standardized interviews by telephone, assessing individuals' mental health, work characteristics and actions by employers. Results: A total of 555 employees commenced the study and 436 participated in the second interview. Response rates were 42% for the screening questionnaire, 93% for the first interview and 79% for the second interview. Individuals with low education and sole breadwinners showed a less favourable course of depressive symptoms. Work resumption (partial and full) and changing the employee's tasks (action by employer) promoted a more favourable course of depressive symptoms. Conclusion: The findings point to the importance of work resumption and a change in work tasks in order to promote recovery. Using these insights, management of employees suffering from depressive complaints may be improved. © The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved.
Topics
ArbeidsparticipatieVeilig en Gezond WerkenOccupational mental healthOccupational rehabilitationSickness absenceabsenteeismadultagedarticlecohort analysiscontrolled studydepressiondisabilitydisease courseeducationemployeeemployerfemalefollow uphumaninterviewlongitudinal studymalemental diseasemental healthpredictionpriority journalquestionnairescreeningstandardizationsymptomatologywork resumptionworld health organizationAdultAgedCohort StudiesDepressive DisorderFemaleForecastingHealth SurveysHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedOccupational Health ServicesPersonnel ManagementQuestionnairesSex FactorsSick LeaveWorkload
TNO Identifier
240827
ISSN
09627480
Source
Occupational Medicine, 58(4), pp. 295-301.
Pages
295-301
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