title: The association between mental disorders and productivity in treated and untreated employees.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In a large cross-sectional study, this article investigates associations between employee work productivity, psychological distress, and the treatment of mental disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty thousand five hundred fifty-six Australian employees completed the Health and Work Performance Questionnaire (HPQ). The HPQ quantified treatment seeking behavior for depression, anxiety, or other mental disorders. The HPQ also evaluated the level of psychological distress (Kessler 6 [K6]) and employee productivity measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The productivity of employees without psychological distress and who have not been in treatment of a mental disorder was 20% (SE = 0.3%). The productivity of a successfully treated employee (low K6) for a mental disorder was 17% (SE = 0.6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment of mental disorders resulting in normalization of symptoms is associated with employees' productivity returning to values approaching those of employees without a history of a mental disorder.
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia. michael_hilton@qcmhr.uq.edu.au
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Hilton
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Scuffham
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sheridan
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cleary
authors.forename: Nerina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vecchio
authors.forename: Harvey A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Whiteford
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004526:Efficiency; D004650:Employee Performance Appraisal; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011793:Queensland; D012016:Reference Values; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult