Job Stress: High Work Strain May Increase Leave From Mental Disorders

Stress can certainly increase our risk of health problems, including exacerbate any pre-existing conditions that may exist. Yet new findings published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine also reveal that high job demands may even increase a worker's need for sick leave due to risk of certain mental disorders.

"Interventions to reduce sick leave due to mental disorders that focus on improving the psychosocial work environment, especially reducing high psychosocial job demands, may prove effective," Lisa Mather and coauthors wrote in a news release.

For the study, researchers examined data provided by a Swedish national twin study that involved close to 12,000 workers, looking at how rates of sick leave for mental health reasons affected psychological factors at work.

Researchers found that the rate of sick leave due to mental disorders was about eight percent, with women accounting for three-fourths of the workers who dealt with mental health issues. Furthermore, findings revealed that workers with multiple unhealthy behaviors were at increased risks of need for mental health sick leave. However, while smoking was a significant risk factor, alcohol use was not, with high physical activity levels serving as a protective factor. Lastly, certain elevated risks linked to high job demands as well as job strain were unaffected by familial factors or health behaviors, with familial factors contributing to risks associated with low job support, unhealthy behaviors and smoking. 

This and other studies touch on previous findings that show how psychological conditions at work can affect rates of mental sick leave--suggesting ways to help reduce certain issues before they get to be too bad. For instance, while in the office, taking periodic breaks to take your mind off the job can help to alleviate some stress.

"Interventions to reduce sick leave due to mental disorders that focus on improving the psychosocial work environment, especially reducing high psychosocial job demands, may prove effective," Mather concluded.

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