Global absenteeism and presenteeism in mental health patients referred through primary care

Disability from mental health (MH) symptoms impairs workers' functioning. Most of what is known about the MH of workers relates to their experiences after intervention or work absence.

To profile the clinical symptoms, self-reported absenteeism and presenteeism and treatment response of workers with MH symptoms at the point of accessing MH care and compare the characteristics of patients referred with or without problems related to work.

Analysis of 11 years of patient data collected in a Shared Mental Health Care (SMHC) clinic referred within a primary care setting in Ontario, Canada. Multiple regression with MH disorders was used to predict absenteeism and presenteeism. Absenteeism and presenteeism were assessed using the 12-item self-administered version of the WHO-DAS 2. Symptom profiles were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ).

Some psychiatric disorders (depression, somatization, anxiety) contributed more to predicting absenteeism and presenteeism than others. Patients referred with work-related problems differed from the general SMHC population in terms of sex and type and number of symptoms. Treatment response was good in both groups after a mean of three treatment visits.

Patients with work-related mental health complaints formed a distinct clinical group that benefitted equally from the intervention(s) provided by SMHC.