Working conditions affect mental health of 15% of employees, UCC study finds

The study found that mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse affect 15% of adults of working age. File picture

“Major progress” can be made as regards the health and wellbeing of the general population if Governments and policymakers focus on improving people’s work environments, a landmark new study from University College Cork (UCC) researchers has found.

The study, titled: ‘Work-related causes of mental health conditions and interventions for their improvement in workplaces’ and published on Thursday in The Lancet medical journal, highlighted a link between adverse working conditions and an “increased risk of onset of depressive disorders.”

Indeed, the study found that mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse affect 15% of adults of working age.

These workers, the researchers say, are at an increased risk of illness and work absence, unemployment, and lower lifetime income — factors which can exacerbate mental health problems and disorders and, in turn, incur “substantial costs for workers, employers and the whole of society.”

The study, co-authored by Dr Birgit Greiner and Professor Ella Arensman of UCC’s School of Public Health and academics from universities in Europe, Japan and Australia, also outlined recommendations through which policymakers could better support workers.

The study calls for Governments “to ensure that the workplace is an integral part of their mental health strategies” and “to improve support and workplace conditions to enable individuals with mental health problems and disorders to be part of the workforce.”

It also recommends that policymakers at local, national and international levels “develop guidance on how to create and maintain mentally healthy work at all levels of an organisation.”

Lastly, the report states that healthcare providers should “routinely include information on working conditions in the clinical assessment, diagnosis and management of mental health problems and mental disorders.”

Dr Greiner said: “Workplaces have huge potential to influence mental health by promoting the positive aspects of work and providing safe, non-discriminatory support for those showing signs of mental health problems.”

Prof. Arensman added that while workplace mental health initiatives had become common in recent years, organisations now needed to “take a second step and augment these programmes with pro-active initiatives to improve work organisations and working conditions.”