title: Depression-related work disability: socioeconomic inequalities in onset, duration and recurrence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Depression is a major cause of disability in working populations and the reduction of socioeconomic inequalities in disability is an important public health challenge. We examined work disability due to depression with four indicators of socioeconomic status.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort study of 125 355 Finnish public sector employees was linked to national register data on work disability (>9 days) due to depressive disorders (International Classification of Diseases, codes F32-F34) from January 2005 to December 2011. Primary outcomes were the onset of work disability due to depressive disorders and, among those with such disability, return to work after and recurrent episodes of work disability due to depression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a consistent inverse socioeconomic gradient in work disability due to depression. Lower occupational position, lower educational level, smaller residence size, and rented (vs. owner-occupied) residence were all associated with an increased risk of work disability. Return to work was slower for employees with basic education (cumulative odds ratio = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.05-1.39) compared to those with higher education. Recurrent work disability episodes due to depression were less common among upper-grade non-manual workers (the highest occupational group) than among lower-grade non-manual (hazard ratio = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.07-1.25) and manual (hazard ratio = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.02-1.26) workers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data from Finnish public sector employees show persistent socioeconomic inequalities in work disability due to depression from 2005 to 2011 in terms of onset, recovery and recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Development of Work and Organizations, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Jenni
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ervasti
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vahtera
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pentti
authors.forename: Tuula
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oksanen
authors.forename: Kirsi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ahola
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kivimäki
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Virtanen
mesh_terms: D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors