Major depression is a multifactorial disorder. Previous studies have mainly evaluated work stress to determine the risk factors for depression among workers. The present study aimed to determine factors predictive of the first depressive episode 1 year later among white-collar workers, and to examine whether work 'stress' is associated with an elevated risk of depression.A 5 year opencohort study was carried out in a Japanese company. The odds ratios (OR) of the development of depression 1 year later were calculated. Ninety-eight first-onset cases were compared with 1267 never-ill cases. Forward stepwise multiple logistic regression indicated that the first onset of depression was associated with a past history of panic attack (OR: 5.14; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1. 1.18-1.90) but they did not differ from never-ill cases in subjective job stress. The development of major depression in white-collar workers is associated with multiple factors, as is depression in the community.

Women who continue to be depressed across the 10 postpartum years have less optimal outcomes compared to women who are not depressed and those who are only intermittently depressed. Pregnancy and delivery and subsequent pediatric visits are important times to identify women who are depressed.

Work and Family Life of Childrearing Women Workers in Japan: Comparison of Non‐Regular Employees with Short Working Hours, Non‐Regular Employees with Long Working Hours, and Regular Employees: Masako Seto, et al. Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine— This study assessed the working and family life characteristics, and the degree of domestic and work strain of female workers with different employment statuses and weekly working hours who are rearing children. Participants were the mothers of preschoolers in a large Japanese city. We classified the women into three groups according to the hours they worked and their employment conditions. The three groups were: non‐regular employees working less than 30 h a week (n=136); non‐regular employees working 30 h or more per week (n=141); and regular employees working 30 h or more a week (n=184). We compared among the groups the subjective values of work, financial difficulties, childcare and housework burdens, psychological effects, and strains such as work and family strain, work‐family conflict, and work dissatisfaction. Regular employees were more likely to report job pressures and inflexible work schedules and to experience more strain related to work and family than non‐regular employees. Non‐regular employees were more likely to be facing financial difficulties. In particular, non‐regular employees working longer hours tended to encounter socioeconomic difficulties and often lacked support from family and friends. Female workers with children may have different social backgrounds and different stressors according to their working hours and work status.

Among women workers with young children, work-family conflict and various work-related factors such as perceived bad relationships at work, job insecurity, and underutilization of skills had a significant relationship with depressive symptoms. Much more research is needed to explore ways to support working mothers.

Objective: In a Japanese metropolis, we examined the effects of work-related factors and workfamily conflict on depressive symptoms among working women living with young children.Methods: Data was derived from women (n=501) who lived with at least one preschool child and worked for 20 hours or more per week. As work-related factors, we chose job pressure, skill underutilization, dissatisfaction with personal income, inflexible work schedule, job insecurity, and relationships in the workplace. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. The effects of work-related factors and work-family conflict on depressive symptoms were explored by hierarchical regression analysis.Results: Work-related factors except job pressure were significantly correlated with depressive symptoms. Multiple regression analyses revealed that women who had more frequent work-family conflict and more work-related stressors such as bad relationships in the workplace, job insecurity, and underutilization of skills were likely to have more depressive symptoms.Conclusions: Among women workers with young children, work-family conflict and various work-related factors such as perceived bad relationships at work, job insecurity, and underutilization of skills had a significant relationship with depressive symptoms. Much more research is needed to explore ways to support working mothers.