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Job Strain Has Been Linked To Common Mental Illnesses

According to a new study - by Anna McClelland
  • 11 May 2018
Job Strain Has Been Linked To Common Mental Illnesses

New research has found that high job strain is associated with an increased risk of developing common mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.

Published today in The Lancet Psychiatry and led by the Black Dog Institute, the study found that if workplaces were to reduce job strain, up to 14 per cent of new cases of common mental illness could be prevented. 

Researchers defined job strain as a combination of high work pace, intensity and conflicting demands, combined with low control or decision-making capacity.

“Mental illness is the leading cause of sickness absence and long-term work incapacity in Australia, equating to $11-billion lost to Australian businesses each year,” says lead author and Associate Professor Samuel Harvey from the Black Dog Institute.

“Our modelling used detailed data collected over 50 years to examine the various ways in which particular work conditions may impact an employee’s mental health.”

job strain linked to mental illness
Getty

The Black Dog Institute hopes that the study’s findings serve as a wake-up call for employers.

“It’s important to remember that for most people, being in work is a good thing for their mental health,” Assoc. Prof. Harvey explains. “But this research provides strong evidence that organisations can improve employee wellbeing by modifying their workplaces to make them more mentally healthy.” 

To determine levels of job strain, 45-year-old participants completed questionnaires testing for factors including decision authority, skill discretion (the opportunity to use skills during work) and questions about job pace, intensity and conflicting demands.

At age 50, participants completed the Malaise Inventory questionnaire, a psychological scale used in health surveys to indicate symptoms of common mental illness.  

The final modelling suggested that those experiencing higher job demands, lower job control and higher job strain were at greater odds of developing mental illness by age 50.

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Anna McClelland
Anna McClelland
Anna is marie claire and InStyle's assistant digital content manager, reporting on everything from sell-out skincare to Meghan Markle's messy bun. Her work has taken her to tea with Miranda Kerr, the red carpet with Margot Robbie and New York with Jason Wu. Her words can also be found on Vogue, Body & Soul and Buro 24/7.

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