'Staggering rise' in mental health illness among UK workers

Apr 13, 2010

Coinciding with Mental Health Week, charity Elizabeth Finn Care and Roehampton University have revealed new research highlighting a significant increase in mental health illness among UK workers, directly attributable to worries related to the economic downturn.

The study shows that an alarming 47% of people have experienced depressive symptoms during the recession – some four-to-five times higher than levels recorded amongst the general population before the slump.

Of those who have lost their jobs over the past year, 71% have suffered depressive symptoms. Furthermore, the figures show that people in the middle Social Economic Status (SES) groups are more likely to suffer from depression if they lose their jobs (59.8%), compared to those in the lower SES groups (44.9%) and the higher SES groups (46.7%).

Meanwhile, young people (aged 16 to 30 years) are more likely to be suffering from depressive symptoms than any other age group in the recession, with 43% suffering from anxiety and 45% from stress. Recent research by the charity showed that 1 in 20 unemployed young people had contemplated suicide because of their lack of work.

Principal Lecturer Dr Joerg Huber of Roehampton University, said: “What makes our findings worrying is the high percentage of people reporting symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. This applies even more so to those who have lost their job or experienced a major loss of income.

"Given the continued economic challenges these individuals are exposed to and the acknowledgement by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence that depression is frequently not noticed during visits to GP practices, these symptoms may become chronic which will create a vicious cycle of depression, related disability and an inability to work."

From a business perspective, improved health and wellbeing at work leads to:

• increased employee productivity,
  
• reduced absences,
  
• lower costs associated with ill health,
  
• decreased voluntary staff turnover,
  
• greater employee engagement / morale,
  
• improved perceptions and positioning as an employer of choice,
  
• reduction of long term disability and ill health retirement.
  

The wellbeing of the workforce can be the means of developing and promoting a positive and profitable organisation. Through lifestyle screening we can help you identify where an employee’s lifestyle may be adversely affecting their work performance, helping you to manage this for the benefit of the employee and your business. Further details can be found at: http://www.connaughtoccupationalhealth.co.uk/