Depression is a major occupational health problem for workers in helping professions, with rates of depression among these workers being higher than in the general population. Carers with depression are less productive than their non-depressed peers; depression-associated loss of productivity costs an estimated $36 billion annually in the US. Moreover, depression among carers may lead to decreased work performance, and in turn, impact client care and safety. It can also erode professional credibility.
Dr. Sabine Saade (Assistant Professor of Psychology, American University of Beirut, Lebanon) published the results of a systematic review1 which examined the prevalence of depression across numerous helping professions - doctors, nurses, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, midwives, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, laboratory and X-ray technicians, community health workers, physical therapists and eldercare workers. This study also aimed to identify work-related variables that are associated with increased risk of depression in these workers.
Depression among carers may lead to decreased work performance, and in turn, impact client care and safety.
The review included 17,437 workers from more than 29 countries. Across studies, the three most common scales used to measure depression were the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory. The prevalence of depression reported across the studies was highly variable, ranging from 2.5 to 91.3%, with an average of 27.2% (median: 23.3%). Workplace factors contributing to depression included high workload (both high physical demand and high number of working hours), high emotional/psychological strain, lack of adequate sleep or irregular sleep, low decisional authority, perception of lack of justice in the workplace and bullying or conflict at work.
The prevalence of depression reported among workers in the caring professions ranged from 2.5 to 91.3%, with an average of 27.2%.
Factors that were negatively associated with risk of depression included support (including adequate training as well as support from supervisor(s), family and peers), perception of justice in the workplace, and fair leadership.
Identifying factors which contribute to workers’ risk of depression can inform future prevention and intervention strategies.
Saade et al. point out that the identification of factors associated with increased risk of depression can inform prevention and intervention strategies; these strategies will have maximal effectiveness if implemented both at the individual and organizational level. Such interventions could include reducing workload, reducing emotional strain, attempting to minimize sleep disruption and avoiding bullying and conflict at work, and providing strong supervisor and peer-to-peer support.
This important study raises awareness of the high rates of depression among workers in the caring professions, and identifies several workplace risk factors that are associated with depression in the healthcare setting. By addressing these factors, employers can attempt to prevent and reduce the risk of depression in the workplace. Better mental health among carers can improve work performance, decrease absenteeism, and ultimately lead to better quality of care received.
Better mental health among carers can improve work performance, decrease absenteeism, and ultimately lead to better quality of care received.
Our correspondent’s highlights from the symposium are meant as a fair representation of the scientific content presented. The views and opinions expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect those of Lundbeck.
