Predictors of first‐onset major depressive episodes among white‐collar workers

Abstract

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.

Long working hours and depressive symptoms: systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies and unpublished individual participant data

“…Descriptive statistics for the identified eligible ten published studies (54)(55)(56)(57)(58)(59)(60)(61)(62)(63) are presented in supplementary table C, www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract. php?abstract_id=3712.…”

“…The range of study entry year varied between 1992-2010. Four studies were from Japan (54,58,59,62), two from Canada (56,61), and one each from the UK (57), Sweden (55), France (60), and South Korea (63). In three studies, there were separate estimates for men and women (54)(55)(56).…”

Psychosocial work environment and mental health—a meta-analytic review

“…Some studies were excluded for methodological reasons (there were no odds ratios to enter into the meta-analytic models or the outcome measure was not appropriate (38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47)(48)(49)(50), while in others the predictor was nonspecific work stress and did not distinguish between the component work characteristics (51)(52)(53)(54)(55)(56). In addition, some had only single-item measures of work characteristics (38,(57)(58)(59), and some were duplicate papers for the same study (56,(60)(61). Still, in other cases, there were too few (less than two) longitudinal studies to include in the meta-analysis (62)(63)(64).…”

“…Still, in other cases, there were too few (less than two) longitudinal studies to include in the meta-analysis (62)(63)(64). In summary, there were too few studies that measured either skill discretion or work conflict or worktime control (62) or various indices of work stress (including questions on work schedule, pressure, stress, negative events) (49,57) to analyze these as separate dimensions.…”

Effects of "Shinkeishitsu" on Occupational Stress in Japanese Workers

“…In a Cox's proportional hazard model analysis of the incidence of long-term sick leave because of depressive disorders, higher-level education, higher neuroticism, and having a white-collar job were associated significantly with sick leave because of depressive disorders [40]. Tokuyama [41] reported that the first onset of depression was associated with a past history of neuroticism. Additionally, links between self-esteem and neuroticism have been reported in past research.…”