WORK AND PSYCHIATRIC-DISORDER IN THE WHITEHALL-II STUDY

It is important that the effects of work on mental health are investig ated when work practices are changing rapidly and there is decreasing job security. This has been examined in the Whitehall II Study, a coho rt study of 6895 male and 3413 female, London-based civil servants, ag ed 35-55 years at baseline in 1985. Work characteristics were measured by modified Karasek indices in a self-report questionnaire: Psychiatr ic disorder was measured by the 30-item General Health Questionnaire ( GHQ). In longitudinal analyses in men and women, high work social supp ort predicted lower GHQ scores, and high job demands predicted higher GHQ scores at follow-up. High work social support and high skill discr etion were protective against taking short spells of psychiatric sickn ess absence. The protective effects of social support at work and the potential risk of job demands have implications for management, job de sign, training, and further research. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.