The impact of psychological distress on absence from work.
The aims of this study were to examine the impact of psychological distress on absence from work; to compare psychological distress and job satisfaction as predictors of absence; and to compare the relative effects of 2 components of psychological distress, depression and anxiety, on absence. Organizational records of absence over a 3-year period were obtained for 323 health service staff in the United Kingdom, who also completed self-report measures of psychological distress and job satisfaction at the beginning of the study and 2 years later. Psychological distress, particularly depression, was found to predict absence, with higher levels of distress predicting a greater number of days and number of times absent. Job satisfaction and psychological distress independently predicted levels of absence. The psychological distress-absence relationship was not moderated by demographic variables.
Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom. g.hardy@sheffield.ac.uk
Gillian E
GE
Hardy
David
D
Woods
Toby D
TD
Wall
D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014937:Work