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Overtime Work as a Predictor of Major Depressive Episode: A 5-Year Follow-Up of the Whitehall II Study

Author

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  • Marianna Virtanen
  • Stephen A Stansfeld
  • Rebecca Fuhrer
  • Jane E Ferrie
  • Mika Kivimäki

Abstract

Background: The association between overtime work and depression is still unclear. This study examined the association between overtime work and the onset of a major depressive episode (MDE). Methodology/Principal Findings: Prospective cohort study with a baseline examination of working hours, psychological morbidity (an indicator of baseline depression) and depression risk factors in 1991–1993 and a follow-up of major depressive episode in 1997–1999 (mean follow-up 5.8 years) among British civil servants (the Whitehall II study; 1626 men, 497 women, mean age 47 years at baseline). Onset of 12-month MDE was assessed by the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) at follow-up. In prospective analysis of participants with no psychological morbidity at baseline, the odds ratio for a subsequent major depressive episode was 2.43 (95% confidence interval 1.11 to 5.30) times higher for those working 11+ hours a day compared to employees working 7–8 hours a day, when adjusted for socio-demographic factors at baseline. Further adjustment for chronic physical disease, smoking, alcohol use, job strain and work-related social support had little effect on this association (odds ratio 2.52; 95% confidence interval 1.12 to 5.65). Conclusions/Significance: Data from middle-aged civil servants suggest that working long hours of overtime may predispose to major depressive episodes.

Suggested Citation

  • Marianna Virtanen & Stephen A Stansfeld & Rebecca Fuhrer & Jane E Ferrie & Mika Kivimäki, 2012. "Overtime Work as a Predictor of Major Depressive Episode: A 5-Year Follow-Up of the Whitehall II Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(1), pages 1-5, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0030719
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0030719
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    Cited by:

    1. KURODA Sachiko & YAMAMOTO Isamu, 2016. "Workers' Mental Health, Long Work Hours, and Workplace Management: Evidence from workers' longitudinal data in Japan," Discussion papers 16017, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    2. Sachiko Kuroda & Isamu Yamamoto, 2019. "Why Do People Overwork at the Risk of Impairing Mental Health?," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(5), pages 1519-1538, June.
    3. Eva Urbón & Carlos Salavera, 2023. "Emotional Education as Coping Strategy for Exhaustion and Dysfunctional Eating Habits," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-12, August.
    4. Xiaodong Guan & Bingyu Ni & Jingyuan Zhang & Chunxia Man & Zheng Cai & Wenshuang Meng & Luwen Shi & Dennis Ross-Degnan, 2020. "The Impact of Physicians’ Working Hours on Inappropriate Use of Outpatient Medicine in a Tertiary Hospital in China," Applied Health Economics and Health Policy, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 443-451, June.
    5. Aurora B. Le & Abdulrazak O. Balogun & Todd D. Smith, 2022. "Long Work Hours, Overtime, and Worker Health Impairment: A Cross-Sectional Study among Stone, Sand, and Gravel Mine Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-9, June.
    6. Robyn Considine & Ross Tynan & Carole James & John Wiggers & Terry Lewin & Kerry Inder & David Perkins & Tonelle Handley & Brian Kelly, 2017. "The Contribution of Individual, Social and Work Characteristics to Employee Mental Health in a Coal Mining Industry Population," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(1), pages 1-15, January.
    7. Xiangdan Piao & Xinxin Ma & Chi Zhang & Shunsuke Managi, 2020. "Impact of Gaps in the Educational Levels between Married Partners on Health and a Sustainable Lifestyle: Evidence from 32 Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-20, June.
    8. Robert Rudolf, 2014. "Work Shorter, Be Happier? Longitudinal Evidence from the Korean Five-Day Working Policy," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(5), pages 1139-1163, October.
    9. Moeller, Julia & Ivcevic, Zorana & White, Arielle E. & Menges, Jochen & Brackett, Marc A., 2018. "Highly Engaged but Burned Out: Intra-Individual Profiles in the US Workforce," OSF Preprints h6qnf, Center for Open Science.
    10. Florian Junne & Martina Michaelis & Eva Rothermund & Felicitas Stuber & Harald Gündel & Stephan Zipfel & Monika A. Rieger, 2018. "The Role of Work-Related Factors in the Development of Psychological Distress and Associated Mental Disorders: Differential Views of Human Resource Managers, Occupational Physicians, Primary Care Phys," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-17, March.
    11. Sato, Kaori & Kuroda, Sachiko & Owan, Hideo, 2020. "Mental health effects of long work hours, night and weekend work, and short rest periods," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    12. Ayako Hino & Akiomi Inoue & Kosuke Mafune & Mayumi Tsuji & Seiichiro Tateishi & Akira Ogami & Tomohisa Nagata & Keiji Muramatsu & Yoshihisa Fujino & on behalf of The CORoNaWork Project, 2022. "Association between Long Working Hours and Psychological Distress: The Effect Modification by Request to Stay Home When Sick in the Workplace during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-10, March.
    13. Hiroyuki Kikuchi & Yuko Odagiri & Yumiko Ohya & Yutaka Nakanishi & Teruichi Shimomitsu & Töres Theorell & Shigeru Inoue, 2020. "Association of overtime work hours with various stress responses in 59,021 Japanese workers: Retrospective cross-sectional study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(3), pages 1-22, March.
    14. Rubia R. Valente & Brian J. L. Berry, 2017. "Acculturation of Immigrant Latinos into the U.S. Workplace: Evidence from the Working Hours-life Satisfaction Relationship," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 12(2), pages 451-479, June.
    15. Lee, Jungmin & Lee, Yong-Kwan, 2016. "Can working hour reduction save workers?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 25-36.

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