Employee psychological distress and treated prevalence by indices of rurality.

Objective: Although there is population data on the prevalence and treated prevalence of mental disorders by urban-rural indices, there is a lacuna of information pertaining to employees. This paper examines the prevalence and treated prevalence of psychological distress in employees by urban-rural indicators.

Methods: Cross-sectional employee Health and Performance at Work Questionnaire responses (n=78,726 from 58 large companies) are interrogated by indices of remoteness (Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia), psychological distress (Kessler 6) and treatment-seeking behaviours for mental health problems.

The association between mental disorders and productivity in treated and untreated employees.

Objectives: In a large cross-sectional study, this article investigates associations between employee work productivity, psychological distress, and the treatment of mental disorders.

Methods: Sixty thousand five hundred fifty-six Australian employees completed the Health and Work Performance Questionnaire (HPQ). The HPQ quantified treatment seeking behavior for depression, anxiety, or other mental disorders.

Employee absenteeism measures reflecting current work practices may be instrumental in a re-evaluation of the relationship between psychological distress/mental health and absenteeism.

Absenteeism rates are the cornerstone metrics guiding corporate policy for health care investment in employees. However, traditional absenteeism measures do not reflect the contemporary workplace milieu. It is accepted practice that employees work evenings or weekends to makeup time.

Mental ill-health and the differential effect of employee type on absenteeism and presenteeism.

Objective: Mental ill-health results in substantial reductions in employee productivity (absenteeism and presenteeism). This paper examines the relationship between employee psychological distress, employee type and productivity.

Method: Utilizing the Health and Performance at Work Questionnaire, in a sample of 60,556 full-time employees, the impact that psychological distress (Kessler 6) imposes on employee productivity by occupation type is examined.

The prevalence of psychological distress in employees and associated occupational risk factors.

Objective: There is limited occupational health industry data pertaining to 1) the prevalence of psychological distress in various employee subtypes and 2) risk factors for employee psychological distress.

Method: The employees of 58 large public and private sector employers were invited to complete the Kessler 6 (K6) as part of the Health and Performance at Work Questionnaire. A K6 score of > or =13 was chosen to indicate high psychological distress.