Pre-Existing and New-Onset Depression and Anxiety Among Workers With Injury or Illness Work Leaves

OBJECTIVES: To examine the influence of depression and/or anxiety on work leaves and the impact of work leaves on experiencing a new-onset depression and/or anxiety disorder. METHODS: IBM's MarketScan® research databases were linked to investigate depressive and anxiety disorders in workers with a work leave due to an injury or non-mental health illness (n = 467,930) and without a work leave (n = 2,764,447). RESULTS: The odds of a work leave within a year were 2.10 times higher (95%CI: 2.08-2.13) in individuals with depression and/or anxiety compared to those without. The odds of developing a new-onset depression and/or anxiety within a year was 4.21 times higher (95% CI: 4.14-4.27) in individuals with a work leave compared to those without. CONCLUSION: Depression and anxiety are both risk factors for and subsequent outcomes of injuries or illnesses that require a work leave.