Related Experiment Videos
The community initiative on depression: report from a multiphase work site depression intervention
Andrea Charbonneau1, William Bruning, Teresa Titus-Howard
1Division of General and Geriatric Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas 66160, USA. acharbonneau@kumc.edu
Objective:
We sought to further understand depression, a common, disabling condition with considerable ramifications for the workplace, including higher costs, absenteeism, and reduced work performance.
Methods:
A multidisciplinary health care coalition recently implemented a multiphase workplace depression initiative in Kansas City. We report results from its first phase, a 22-item, self-administered survey of depression knowledge and attitudes among employees of 13 large, local work sites.
Results:
There were 6,399/38,945 respondents (16% response rate). Most respondents (>90%) appropriately recognized the signs and symptoms of depression. A minority (29%) would feel comfortable discussing depression with their supervisor. Sixty-two percent knew how to access company resources for depression care.
Conclusions:
Employees were knowledgeable about depression but were less aware of employee-assistance programs for depression care. These findings support increased attempts to raise the awareness of depression and promote of help-seeking behavior in the workplace.
Clinical Significance:
Depression is a prevalent illness with risk for many deleterious outcomes if under-recognized or undertreated. Depression is a leading cause of work-related disability worldwide. Most people with depression are employed (an estimated 68%). Recognizing and initiating depression care in the workplace will facilitate depression treatment in clinical settings.