Factors associated with work participation and work functioning in depressed workers: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Psychiatry
• Mental Health Research

Background:

• Depression is linked to adverse work outcomes, including reduced work participation (WP) and impaired work functioning (WF).
• Understanding factors influencing WP and WF is essential for creating evidence-based interventions to support affected workers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review existing literature identifying factors associated with work participation and work functioning in currently depressed workers.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature review was conducted.
• Studies focusing on factors related to work participation (WP) and work functioning (WF) in depressed individuals were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Thirty studies were reviewed, examining factors for WP (19 studies) and WF (11 studies).
• Disorder-related factors were most frequently studied. Strong evidence links long depressive episode duration to work disability.
• Moderate evidence supports associations between severe depression, comorbidities, older age, prior sick leave, and work disability. Severe symptoms correlate with work limitations; clinical improvement relates to productivity.

Conclusions:

• Knowledge gaps exist regarding predictive factors for WP and WF in depressed workers.
• Longitudinal studies are recommended to identify modifiable factors, particularly work-related and personal ones, for intervention development.