Workers Have High Rates of Psychological Distress

Aug. 1, 2008
Nearly five percent of employees suffer from psychological distress levels associated with a high likelihood of a mental disorder, reports a study in

Nearly five percent of employees suffer from psychological distress levels associated with a high likelihood of a mental disorder, reports a study in the July Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Led by Michael F. Hilton, Ph.D., of the University of Queensland, Australia, the study was based on a survey of more than 60,500 full-time employees of 58 Australian companies. Workers anonymously completed a questionnaire that asked how often they felt sad, nervous, hopeless, etc. Scores of 13 or higher (on a 24-point scale) indicated high psychological distress, with a high likelihood of a mental disorder.

Overall, 4.5 percent of the employees had high psychological distress. Another 9.6 percent had moderate psychological distress (score of 8 to 12), indicating a “possible” mental disorder.

Just 22 percent of workers with high psychological distress were currently receiving treatment for a mental health condition. Another 29 percent said they had a mental disorder but had never sought treatment, while 31 percent denied having any problem.

About the Author

Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is the former content director of EHS Today, and is currently the EHSQ content & community lead at Intelex Technologies Inc. She has written about occupational safety and health and environmental issues since 1990.

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