Abstract
BackgroundPrevious research has shown that Common Mental Disorders (CMD) are unequally distributed between population subgroups, but we know less about how labour outcomes following such disorders are distributed. Our aim is to investigate how the labour outcomes following a CMD diagnosis differ over sex, age, schooling and country of birth.MethodsWe use a population sample from southern Sweden of patients diagnosed with CMD during calendar years 2009–2011, and a matched general population control group, to study labour market outcomes three years following diagnosis. Logistic regression is used to study the associations between a CMD diagnosis and outcomes in employment, sick leave, and disability pension. Interaction analysis is used to study heterogeneity in these associations.ResultsCMD diagnosis is associated with reduced employment and increased odds of sick leave and disability pension. Following a CMD diagnosis, men and higher educated individuals have higher odds of non-employment and sick leave compared to women and the lower educated. Foreign-born individuals have higher odds of non-employment and lower odds of sick leave, compared to individuals born in Sweden. Heterogeneity appears to be present also based on age. Younger age is associated with higher odds of non-employment and disability pension and lower odds of sick leave, following a CMD diagnosis.ConclusionsHeterogeneity in labour outcomes following a CMD diagnosis sometimes contributes to and sometimes mitigates inequalities in employment, sick leave and disability pension between population subgroups. When developing new strategies to tackle mental ill-health in the population, it may therefore be motivated to consider not only inequalities in the prevalence of mental disorders but also heterogeneity in associated adverse labour outcomes.
Highlights
Previous research has shown that Common Mental Disorders (CMD) are unequally distributed between population subgroups, but we know less about how labour outcomes following such disorders are distributed
Disability pension For the last labour outcome, we find that CMD diagnosis is associated with increased odds of holding disability pension by 1.31 [1.16–1.47]
In this study, we investigate the association between CMD diagnosis and labour outcomes using a population sample on all individuals diagnosed with CMD in Region Skåne during the years 2009–2011
Summary
Previous research has shown that Common Mental Disorders (CMD) are unequally distributed between population subgroups, but we know less about how labour outcomes following such disorders are distributed. Our aim is to investigate how the labour outcomes following a CMD diagnosis differ over sex, age, schooling and country of birth. Little attention is paid in existing research to differences in the association between mental disorders and labour outcomes that are related to, for example, sex, age, SES and migration status. This is an important research gap since if such heterogeneity exists, it could increase inequalities in wellbeing both due to inequalities in labour outcomes and inequalities in health. Our purpose is to investigate how the labour outcomes following a diagnosis for Common Mental Disorders (CMD) differ over sex, age, schooling and country of birth
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