Work stress, mental health and antidepressant medication findings from the Health 2000 Study

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders Vol. 98; no. 3; pp. 189 - 197
• Main Authors: Virtanen, Marianna, Honkonen, Teija, Kivimäki, Mika, Ahola, Kirsi, Vahtera, Jussi, Aromaa, Arpo, Lönnqvist, Jouko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.03.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Antidepressants; Antidepressive Agents - therapeutic use; Anxiety Disorders - diagnosis; Anxiety Disorders - drug therapy; Anxiety Disorders - epidemiology; Biological and medical sciences; CIDI; Demand–Control model; Demography; Depressive Disorder - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder - drug therapy; Depressive Disorder - epidemiology; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; Drug Therapy - statistics & numerical data; Female; Humans; Job Satisfaction; Male; Medical sciences; Mental disorders; Middle Aged; Mood disorders; Neuropharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Population Surveillance; Prevalence; Psychiatry; Psychoanaleptics: cns stimulant, antidepressant agent, nootropic agent, mood stabilizer..., (alzheimer disease); Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychopharmacology; Stress, Psychological - epidemiology; Stress, Psychological - psychology; Work stress; Workplace - psychology; Workplace - statistics & numerical data; Demand–Control model; CIDI; Mental disorders; Antidepressants; Work stress; Psychotropic; Mental health; Mental activity; Stress; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Work; Mental disorder; Antidepressant agent; Models; Demand-Control model
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2006.05.034

Abstract Background Population-based studies on the association between work stress and mental disorders are scarce, and it is not known whether work stress predicts mental disorders requiring treatment. Aims To examine the associations of work stress with DSM-IV mental disorders and subsequent antidepressant medication. Methods 3366 participants from a representative sample of the Finnish working population responded to a survey (The Health 2000 Study). 12-month prevalence of depressive or anxiety disorders was examined with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Data on antidepressant prescriptions with a 3-year follow-up period were collected from a nationwide register of Social Insurance Institution. Results In men and women, high job demands, low job control and high job strain were associated with 12-month prevalence of depressive or anxiety disorders. After adjustment for lifetime and baseline mental disorders, men with high job demands and high job strain had increased risk of future antidepressant medication. Conclusions Work stress is associated with mental disorders among both sexes and among men it is a risk factor for mental disorders treated with antidepressant medication.