Work-related Mental Ill-health Research Articles

Work-related ill health in doctors working in Great Britain: incidence rates and trends.

BackgroundDoctors have a higher prevalence of mental ill health compared with other professional occupations but incidence rates are poorly studied.AimsTo determine incidence rates and trends of work-related ill health (WRIH) and work-related mental ill health (WRMIH) in doctors compared with other professions in Great Britain.MethodIncidence rates were calculated using an occupational physician reporting scheme from 2005-2010. Multilevel regression was use to study incidence rates from 2001 to 2014.ResultsAnnual incidence rates for WRIH and WRIMH in doctors were 515 and 431 per 100 000 people employed, respectively. Higher incidence rates for WRIH and WRMIH were observed for ambulance staff and nurses, respectively. Doctors demonstrated an annual average incidence rates increase for WRIH and WRMIH, especially in women, whereas the other occupations demonstrated a decreasing or static trend. The difference in trends between the occupations was statistically significant.ConclusionsWRIH and WRMIH incidence rate are increasing in doctors, especially in women, warranting further research.

Differential reporting of work-related mental ill-health in doctors.

Evidence suggests that the medical profession is reluctant to report mental ill-health despite its high prevalence. To compare differential reporting patterns in the incidence of work-related mental ill-health (WRMIH) affecting doctors with selected comparison occupational groups, as determined by surveillance by general practitioners (GPs), specialist psychiatrists and occupational physicians (OPs). New cases of medically reported WRMIH were reported prospectively between 2006 and 2009 by GPs, psychiatrists and OPs as part of The Health and Occupation Research (THOR) network. For GP and psychiatry reporting schemes, incidence rates (IRs) for doctors, nurses, teachers, corporate managers and protective service workers were calculated using information from the Labour Force Survey as the denominator. In OP surveys, participating reporters provided denominator information to calculate IRs for doctors, nurses and teachers. Average annual IRs expressed per 100000 person/years employed as reported by GPs, psychiatrists and OPs, respectively, were: doctors (309, 971, 430), nurses (891, 208, 670), teachers (1040, 136, 210) and for GPs and psychiatrists, respectively, were: protective service workers (1432, 721) and corporate managers (428, 90). Psychiatrists reported a higher incidence of WRMIH in doctors, whereas GPs reported higher incidences of WRMIH in other occupations (chi-squared test, P < 0.001). The distribution of the incidence of new cases reported across different schemes suggests a differential reporting pattern of WRMIH in doctors. The higher IR for doctors in psychiatrist-reported WRMIH could be due to factors such as disease severity and bypassing formal referral channels.

Time trends in the incidence of work-related mental ill-health and musculoskeletal disorders in the UK

ObjectivesTo determine UK trends (from 1996 to 2009) in incidence of work-related mental ill-health and musculoskeletal disorders, for all industry as well as for health and social care employees. Second,...

Work-Related Negative Experience

This cross-sectional study examines the relationship between poor employee well-being (PEWB) and work-related mental ill-health and substance consumption (MIH). It is proposed as a unification model that links both work-related negative consequences on the basis of the experiences of threat, loss, and frustration at work. PEWB contains the following elements: emotional discomfort, bodily uneasiness, organizational distance, task impairment, and dragging workday; and MIH includes work-related anxiety, depression, irritability, cigarette smoking, alcohol and drug consumption, and physical illness. Six hundred ninety-seven participants, working in a wide range of jobs and occupations, completed the survey. Results indicated that PEWB and MIH are significantly associated, after controlling for demographic and personal factors. Sense sharing between PEWB-MIH and PEWB element combination explained the relationships between both constructs. These findings could be helpful for organizations interested in preserving and improving worker mental health.

Working conditions predicting interpersonal relationship problems at work

Interpersonal relationships have been shown to be an important component of the psychosocial work environment that may affect health, job satisfaction, and productivity. The question whether interpersonal relationships at work are influenced by other psychosocial working conditions such as demands and control has not been studied. The aim of the present study is to investigate if high work demands and aspects of low work control could predict three indicators of detrimental interpersonal relationships at work. In a representative Swedish cohort study, data were obtained in two waves three years apart from 4049 participants, who did not change their jobs between the waves. These data were analysed by multiple logistic regression analyses. Odds ratios adjusted for possible confounders and negative interpersonal relationships at base-line showed that high demands predicted serious conflict and exclusion by co-workers. Low skill discretion predicted exclusion by co-workers. It is argued that these prospective findings are of relevance to interventions targeting troublesome and detrimental interpersonal relationships at work and that the findings can be important in understanding the development of work-related mental ill-health.

Work-related mental ill-health and 'stress' in the UK (2002-05)

There is concern about the frequency of work-related mental ill-health and 'stress' within the UK. To provide a measure of the incidence of work-related mental ill-health reported by specialist psychiatrists and occupational physicians to UK voluntary reporting schemes during the period 2002-05. Additionally, an investigation of determinants, notably factors identified by reporters as precipitants in cases of work-related mental ill-health was undertaken. The study used data collected by The Health and Occupation Reporting Network (THOR) from 2002 to 2005. Cases were analysed by age, gender, industry and precipitating event. Estimated annual average incidence rates and 95% confidence intervals of work-related mental ill-health diagnoses reported to THOR between 2002 and 2005 by psychiatrists were 89 (78, 101) per million and by occupational physicians were 1589 (1443, 1735) per million. For both groups of reporters, anxiety and depression continued to make up the largest proportion of diagnoses. The majority of cases were attributed to factors such as workload and difficulties with other workers. There was some suggestion that the type of factors associated with the mental ill-health case reports varied between industrial sectors. Work-related anxiety and depression and stress continue to constitute a significant proportion of all work-related mental ill-health diagnoses in the UK, with workload and interpersonal relationships reported as significant risk factors. Further investigations may determine whether guidance for employers and employees on work-related mental ill-health would benefit from being more industry specific.

The validity and reliability of diagnoses of work-related mental ill-health

Objectives: To establish the reliability and validity of work-related mental ill-health diagnoses. Background: A UK-based surveillance scheme for work-related ill-health involving occupational physicians (OPs) reporting suggests that mental ill-health incidence...

Reported incidence and precipitating factors of work-related stress and mental ill-health in the United Kingdom (1996–2001)

Work-related mental ill-health appears to be increasing. Population-based data on incidence are scarce but in the United Kingdom occupational physicians and psychiatrists report these conditions to voluntary surveillance schemes. To estimate the incidence of work-related stress and mental illness reported 1996-2001 by occupational physicians and 1999-2001 by psychiatrists. Estimated annual average incidence rates were calculated by sex, occupation and industry against appropriate populations at risk. An in-house coding scheme was used to classify and analyse data on precipitating events. An estimated annual average of 3,624 new cases were reported by psychiatrists, and 2,718 by occupational physicians; the rates were higher for men in reports based on the former and for women on the latter. Most diagnoses were of anxiety/depression or work-related stress, with post-traumatic stress accounting for approximately 10% of cases reported by psychiatrists. High rates of ill-health were seen among professional and associated workers and in those in personal and protective services. Factors (such as work overload) intrinsic to the job and issues with interpersonal relations were the most common causes overall. The steep increase in new cases of work-related mental ill-health reported by occupational physicians since 1996 may reflect a greater willingness by workers to seek help but may also signify an increasing dissonance between workers' expectations and the work environment. Greater expertise is needed to improve the workplace by adjustment of job demands, improvement of working relations, increasing workers' capacities and management of organizational change.