An analysis of data collected from nearly 12,000 workers suggests that high levels of work-related stress may increase an individual’s risk for sick leave due to mental health disorders. During a five-year period, researchers found that about 8% of the workers in the study took mental health sick leave and those with demanding jobs, high job strain, and little social support at work were the most likely to need time away from work to resolve mental health issues. The authors of the study write, “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.”
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, July 2015