Several countries have seen an increase in the number of accepted mental disorders in recent years, but the possible variations of this change in the workforce are yet to be explored.

This study examines the breakdown over time in accepted mental disorders by occupation, industrial sector, sex, and age in Quebec.

Incidence rates and trends in mental disorders vary by occupation and industrial sector. While the rate is generally higher in mixed occupations and the tertiary sector, the increase in these rates is more marked in non-manual occupations and the primary sector. Significant variations are also observed by sex and for certain age groups.

The use of administrative data on accepted mental disorders complements survey data on mental health at work for different groups of workers. The growth in rates of accepted mental disorders points to the groups to be prioritized for prevention of this category of occupational injury..