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Depression-Related Work Disability: Socioeconomic Inequalities in Onset, Duration and Recurrence

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  • Jenni Ervasti
  • Jussi Vahtera
  • Jaana Pentti
  • Tuula Oksanen
  • Kirsi Ahola
  • Mika Kivimäki
  • Marianna Virtanen

Abstract

Objective: Depression is a major cause of disability in working populations and the reduction of socioeconomic inequalities in disability is an important public health challenge. We examined work disability due to depression with four indicators of socioeconomic status. Methods: A prospective cohort study of 125 355 Finnish public sector employees was linked to national register data on work disability (>9 days) due to depressive disorders (International Classification of Diseases, codes F32–F34) from January 2005 to December 2011. Primary outcomes were the onset of work disability due to depressive disorders and, among those with such disability, return to work after and recurrent episodes of work disability due to depression. Results: We found a consistent inverse socioeconomic gradient in work disability due to depression. Lower occupational position, lower educational level, smaller residence size, and rented (vs. owner-occupied) residence were all associated with an increased risk of work disability. Return to work was slower for employees with basic education (cumulative odds ratio = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.05–1.39) compared to those with higher education. Recurrent work disability episodes due to depression were less common among upper-grade non-manual workers (the highest occupational group) than among lower-grade non-manual (hazard ratio = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.07–1.25) and manual (hazard ratio = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.02–1.26) workers. Conclusions: These data from Finnish public sector employees show persistent socioeconomic inequalities in work disability due to depression from 2005 to 2011 in terms of onset, recovery and recurrence.

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  • Jenni Ervasti & Jussi Vahtera & Jaana Pentti & Tuula Oksanen & Kirsi Ahola & Mika Kivimäki & Marianna Virtanen, 2013. "Depression-Related Work Disability: Socioeconomic Inequalities in Onset, Duration and Recurrence," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(11), pages 1-8, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0079855
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079855
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Duncan, G.J. & Daly, M.C. & McDonough, P. & Williams, D.R., 2002. "Optimal indicators of socioeconomic status for health research," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 92(7), pages 1151-1157.
    2. Huijts, Tim & Eikemo, Terje Andreas & Skalická, Vera, 2010. "Income-related health inequalities in the Nordic countries: Examining the role of education, occupational class, and age," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(11), pages 1964-1972, December.
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    1. Marianna Virtanen & Jussi Vahtera & Jenny Head & Rosemary Dray-Spira & Annaleena Okuloff & Adam G Tabak & Marcel Goldberg & Jenni Ervasti & Markus Jokela & Archana Singh-Manoux & Jaana Pentti & Marie , 2015. "Work Disability among Employees with Diabetes: Latent Class Analysis of Risk Factors in Three Prospective Cohort Studies," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(11), pages 1-14, November.
    2. Almudena Moreno Mínguez, 2017. "The Role of Family Policy in Explaining the International Variation in Child Subjective Well-Being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 134(3), pages 1173-1194, December.
    3. Jarl, Johan & Linder, Anna & Busch, Hillevi & Nyberg , Anja & Gerdtham, Ulf-G., 2018. "Inequalities in Labour Market Consequences of Common Mental Disorders," Working Papers 2018:15, Lund University, Department of Economics.
    4. Päivi Rissanen & Reija Autio & Turkka Näppilä & Sari Fröjd & Sami Pirkola, 2021. "Factors associated with returning to work after long term absence due to mental disorders," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-9, December.
    5. Suzan J W Robroek & Anne Rongen & Coos H Arts & Ferdy W H Otten & Alex Burdorf & Merel Schuring, 2015. "Educational Inequalities in Exit from Paid Employment among Dutch Workers: The Influence of Health, Lifestyle and Work," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(8), pages 1-12, August.

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