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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 11/2015

01-11-2015 | Original Paper

Long-term effects of mental disorders on employment in the National Comorbidity Survey ten-year follow-up

Authors: Ramin Mojtabai, Elizabeth A. Stuart, Irving Hwang, Ryoko Susukida, William W. Eaton, Nancy Sampson, Ronald C. Kessler

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 11/2015

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Abstract

Purpose

Although significant negative associations of mental disorders with employment have been documented in epidemiological research, much of this research was based on cross-sectional samples and focused only on severe and persistent mental disorders. The present study examined the longitudinal associations of more common mental disorders with employment.

Methods

Data on the associations of common mental disorders with employment are presented here from 4501 respondents in the National Comorbidity Survey panel study, a two-wave community epidemiological survey of respondents aged 15–54 at baseline (1990–1992) who were re-interviewed in 2001–2003 and were employed, unemployed in the labor force or student at baseline. Lifetime mental disorders at baseline and disorders with onset after baseline were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, a fully structured interview that assessed lifetime prevalence of internalizing fear disorders (panic, phobias), anxiety/misery disorders (major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder), externalizing disorders (conduct disorder, alcohol and illicit drug abuse-dependence), and bipolar disorder.

Results

Both baseline lifetime disorders and disorders with onsets after baseline were associated with significantly reduced odds of subsequent employment among respondents who were either employed or students at baseline. Population projections based on the assumption that these associations represented causal effects suggest that the mental disorders considered here were associated with 1.7–3.2 million adults being unemployed in the US population at follow-up.

Conclusions

Expanded access to treatment among current employees and students with mental disorders might lead to improved employment outcomes in these segments of the population.
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Metadata
Title
Long-term effects of mental disorders on employment in the National Comorbidity Survey ten-year follow-up
Authors
Ramin Mojtabai
Elizabeth A. Stuart
Irving Hwang
Ryoko Susukida
William W. Eaton
Nancy Sampson
Ronald C. Kessler
Publication date
01-11-2015
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 11/2015
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-015-1097-z

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