Practical pathway for the management of depression in the workplace: a Canadian perspective

Pratap Chokka; Ash Bender; Stefan Brennan; Ghalib Ahmed; Marc Corbière; David J A Dozois; Jeff Habert; John Harrison; Martin A Katzman; Roger S McIntyre; Yang S Liu; Karen Nieuwenhuijsen; Carolyn S Dewa

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1207653

Practical pathway for the management of depression in the workplace: a Canadian perspective

Front Psychiatry. 2023 Sep 5:14:1207653. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1207653. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Grey Nuns Hospital, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
² Work, Stress and Health Program, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
³ Department of Psychiatry, University of Saskatchewan, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
⁴ Department of Family Medicine and Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
⁵ Department of Education, Career Counselling, Université du Québec à Montréal, Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
⁶ Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
⁷ Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁸ Metis Cognition Ltd., Kilmington, United Kingdom; Centre for Affective Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College, London, United Kingdom; Alzheimercentrum, AUmc, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
⁹ START Clinic for the Mood and Anxiety Disorders, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and Department of Psychology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada.
¹⁰ Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹¹ Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
¹² Department of Public and Occupational Health, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
¹³ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.

Abstract

Major depressive disorder (MDD) and other mental health issues pose a substantial burden on the workforce. Approximately half a million Canadians will not be at work in any week because of a mental health disorder, and more than twice that number will work at a reduced level of productivity (presenteeism). Although it is important to determine whether work plays a role in a mental health condition, at initial presentation, patients should be diagnosed and treated per appropriate clinical guidelines. However, it is also important for patient care to determine the various causes or triggers including work-related factors. Clearly identifying the stressors associated with the mental health disorder can help clinicians to assess functional limitations, develop an appropriate care plan, and interact more effectively with worker's compensation and disability programs, as well as employers. There is currently no widely accepted tool to definitively identify MDD as work-related, but the presence of certain patient and work characteristics may help. This paper seeks to review the evidence specific to depression in the workplace, and provide practical tips to help clinicians to identify and treat work-related MDD, as well as navigate disability issues.

Keywords: absenteeism; disability; major depressive disorder; mental health; occupational health; presenteeism; return to work; workplace.

Publication types

Review