Sickness absence due to common mental disorders in young employees in Sweden: are there differences in occupational class and employment sector?

Abstract

Background A large proportion of sickness absence (SA) in young adults is due to common mental disorders (CMDs). Still studies on CMD-related SA in young workers are lacking, especially studies for those employed in the private sector. The current study investigated the associations between sector of employment, occupational class and SA due to CMDs. In addition, associations between type of employment branch and SA due CMDs within each sector were examined. Methods This population-based longitudinal cohort study included 663,583 employees, 19–29 years, residing in Sweden in 2009. Employment sector (i.e., private/public) and occupational class (non-manual/manual workers) were measured in 2009. Risk estimates of SA due to CMDs, between 2010 and 2016, were calculated as Hazard Ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), using Cox regression analysis. Results Sector of employment was associated with SA due to CMDs, such that public sector workers had an elevated risk when compared with private sector employees (adjusted HR: 1.31 (95% CI 1.29–1.33). Moreover, manual workers had a slightly elevated risk for SA due to CMDs compared to non-manual workers. Within the private sector, in both manual and non-manual workers, those employed in education and health and social services evidenced the highest rates and risks of SA due to CMDs. Conclusion Sector of employment and occupational class play a role in SA due to CMDs in young employees. These findings should be considered when identifying high-risk groups for SA in the young working population.

Sickness absence among young employees in private and public sectors with a history of depression and anxiety

“…The prevalence of long-term SA (> 90 days) in the current study was higher among those employed in the private sector, primarily among those with previous depression/anxiety. This differs from findings reported earlier, where employees in the public sector were shown to have increased risk for long-term SA due to common mental disorders among young employees 7 or no difference between the sectors was observed at all in a sample of middle-aged employees 2 . Inconsistency in findings regarding long-term SA may be attributable to different features of study samples.…”

“…Young employees with a history of depression/anxiety were shown to have approximately the same risk for future SA in both private and public sectors. However, several previous studies reported higher SA rates in public than private sector in different age groups, with one explanation being that the difference in SA rates may be attributable to employee’s health 1 , 2 , 7 , 23 . Our findings of young employees suggest that depression/anxiety in early years may explain the different SA rates in public and private sectors.…”

“…Less is known, though, on whether SA rates are comparable between private and public sectors when studied in specific age groups, for example, young or older employees. A recent study reported that young adults employed in public sector had an increased risk for future SA due to common mental disorders as compared to those in private sector 7 . Having in mind the early start and continuity of mental disorders, a question is whether mental ill-health in early years may explain the association.…”

Occupational Branch and Labor Market Marginalization among Young Employees with Adult Onset of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder—A Population-Based Matched Cohort Study

“…However, it is worth mentioning that there were substantial differences in the absolute number of LMM days between the branches, with the highest number of LMM days in the health and social care branches among young individuals both with and without ADHD. Work disability, especially due to mental disorders, is a well-described problem in these branches, among others, due to work characteristics such as high job strain, effort–reward imbalances, and low job security [ 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 ]. This suggests that the work environment that is specific for occupational branches affects individuals with and without ADHD to a similar extent.…”

Study protocol of EMPOWER: A cluster randomized trial of a multimodal eHealth intervention for promoting mental health in the workplace following a stepped wedge trial design

“…Indeed, employees in the public sector have been shown to experience higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression when compared with private sector employees. 28 – 30 For example, in a large population-based cohort of young Swedish employees it was found that public sector workers had an elevated risk of sickness absence due to common mental disorders, compared with private sector employees. 30 Additionally, the cost associated with poor mental health seems to be disproportionally borne by the public sector in the form of absenteeism and presenteeism.…”