Absenteeism among employees treated for depression

Depression-related costs include a relatively large share of indirect costs . We describe the impact of antidepressant treatment on absenteeism among w orkers diagnosed and treated for depression, Monthly absenteeism counts fro m employers were summed in the 6 months before and after the initiation of antidepressant therapy in 630 workers treated for depression with a tricycl ic antidepressant or a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (fluoxetine s ertraline, paroxetine). Monthly mean absenteeism was compared using pairwis e t tests. Absenteeism increased before antidepressant initiation and decre ased after the treatment began for all antidepressant cohorts. Absenteeism in the selective serotonin. reuptake inhibitor cohorts decreased at similar rates for 4 months but was higher in the paroxetine cohort in months five and six after the treatment initiation. Our data suggest that alternative t reatments ts for depression may have differential impact on indirect costs, but further research is warranted.