Work characteristics predict psychiatric disorder: prospective results from the Whitehall II Study

OBJECTIVES: The impact of work on the risk of future psychiatric disorder has been examined in few longitudinal studies. This was examined prospectively in a large epidemiological study of civil servants. METHODS: In the Whitehall II study, a longitudinal, prospective cohort study of 6895 male and 3413 female London based civil servants, work characteristics measured at baseline (phase 1: 1985-8) and first follow up (phase 2: 1989) were used to predict psychiatric disorder measured by a 30 item general health questionnaire (GHQ) at phase 2 and phase 3 follow up (phase 3: 1991-3). Work characteristics and GHQ were measured at all three phases. RESULTS: Low social support at work and low decision authority, high job demands and effort-reward imbalance were associated with increased risk of psychiatric disorder as assessed by the GHQ at follow up adjusting for age, employment grade, and baseline GHQ score. CONCLUSIONS: Social support and control at work protect mental health while high job demands and effort-reward imbalance are risk factors for future psychiatric disorder. Intervention at the level of work design, organisation, and management might have positive effects on mental health in working populations.