Spouse Factors Related to the Leave Period of Employees on Temporary Leave for Depression

In depression, the health condition of family members (particularly spouses) may influence the reinstatement process of employees on temporary leave. The length of leave from work may reflect the quality of the process leading to the stage of reinstatement, and a short period to reinstatement may increase the possibility of a smooth reinstatement. In this study we investigated the relationship between spouse factors and length of leave period. The subjects were 63 permanent employees on temporary leave for depression and their spouses. We investigated demographic characteristics, spouse factors, individual factors, household factors, and workplace factors, and extracted the factors related to the length of leave period through hierarchical multiple regression analysis. Results revealed that the Frenchay Activities Index (FAI), a spouse factor, was consistently and significantly related to the length of leave (β = -0.37, P < 0.01). The higher the spouse FAI, the shorter the leave period of employees on temporary leave. In particular, the spouses' leisure activities were related to the leave period, whereas the effects of housework and work were unclear. The results suggest that the assessment and intervention of the spouses' activities of daily living are important in reinstatement support.