Work Productivity Loss With Depression, Diagnosed and Undiagnosed, Among Workers in an Internet-Based Survey Conducted in Japan. Issue 1 (January 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Asami, Yuko; Goren, Amir; Okumura, Yasuyuki
• Is Part Of: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine. Volume 57:Issue 1(2015)
• Publication Date: 2015-01
• Subjects: Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Occupational Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental health; Medicine, Industrial; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000310
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1076-2752

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec> <title>Objective:</title> <p>The aim of this study was to investigate whether depression severity was associated with work impairments, regardless of the diagnosis.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Methods:</title> <p>We conducted a cross-sectional study among 17, 820 Japanese workers using an Internet-based survey. Work impairments were assessed using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire. Participants were grouped according to whether they had a past-year diagnosis of depression by physicians and current depression severity assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Results:</title> <p>Among the undiagnosed, high severity respondents had greater overall work impairment than low severity respondents (33.3% vs 14.8%). Significant interactions between diagnosis and severity indicated greater impairments among undiagnosed than among diagnosed respondents (except on absenteeism).</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Conclusions:</title> <p>Depression severity was associated with work productivity loss, even among the undiagnosed, suggesting a need for early detection, referral, and treatment of depression in the workplace.</p> </sec> </abstract>