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The role of empowerment and quality of life in depression severity among unemployed people with affective disorders receiving mental healthcare

Johanson, Suzanne LU and Bejerholm, Ulrika LU (2017) In Disability and Rehabilitation 39(18). p.1807-1813
Abstract

Purpose: Sick leave and unemployment are highly prevalent among people with affective disorders. Their depression severity is disabling and inversely related to having employment. No evidence-based vocational rehabilitation exists for this target group. Knowledge is therefore needed to understand the psychosocial factors that affect depression severity in order to develop new rehabilitation interventions. This study examined relationships between depression severity and empowerment, working life aspirations, occupational engagement, and quality of life in unemployed people with affective disorders receiving mental healthcare. Method: In this cross-sectional study of 61 participants, instruments on psychosocial factors and questions on... (More)

Purpose: Sick leave and unemployment are highly prevalent among people with affective disorders. Their depression severity is disabling and inversely related to having employment. No evidence-based vocational rehabilitation exists for this target group. Knowledge is therefore needed to understand the psychosocial factors that affect depression severity in order to develop new rehabilitation interventions. This study examined relationships between depression severity and empowerment, working life aspirations, occupational engagement, and quality of life in unemployed people with affective disorders receiving mental healthcare. Method: In this cross-sectional study of 61 participants, instruments on psychosocial factors and questions on descriptive sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were administered. Descriptive, correlation, and regression statistics were applied. Results: Correlation and regression analyses showed significant inverse relations between depression severity and empowerment and quality of life. The odds for more severe depression decreased with higher empowerment and quality of life. However, neither extent of engagement in daily life nor working life aspiration was related to depression severity. Conclusions: An empowerment approach and strategies, which support the quality of life, are needed in development of vocational rehabilitation interventions, and bridging of mental healthcare and vocational services.Implications for RehabilitationEnhancing empowerment and quality life in the return to work process can decrease depression severity in unemployed people with affective disorder.There is a need to address work issues in addition to symptom reduction in primary and mental healthcare.Bridging the service and time gap between vocational rehabilitation and healthcare is recommended for mitigating long-term unemployment for people with affective disorders who want to work.

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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
bipolar disorder, Depression, return to work, sick leave, vocational rehabilitation
in
Disability and Rehabilitation
volume
39
issue
18
pages
1807 - 1813
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • pmid:27684543
  • wos:000403420600003
  • scopus:84982181847
ISSN
0963-8288
DOI
10.1080/09638288.2016.1211758
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8947aa03-3b04-446d-80d4-faf676d615d2
date added to LUP
2016-09-20 13:35:27
date last changed
2024-04-19 09:51:30
@article{8947aa03-3b04-446d-80d4-faf676d615d2,
  abstract     = {{<p>Purpose: Sick leave and unemployment are highly prevalent among people with affective disorders. Their depression severity is disabling and inversely related to having employment. No evidence-based vocational rehabilitation exists for this target group. Knowledge is therefore needed to understand the psychosocial factors that affect depression severity in order to develop new rehabilitation interventions. This study examined relationships between depression severity and empowerment, working life aspirations, occupational engagement, and quality of life in unemployed people with affective disorders receiving mental healthcare. Method: In this cross-sectional study of 61 participants, instruments on psychosocial factors and questions on descriptive sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were administered. Descriptive, correlation, and regression statistics were applied. Results: Correlation and regression analyses showed significant inverse relations between depression severity and empowerment and quality of life. The odds for more severe depression decreased with higher empowerment and quality of life. However, neither extent of engagement in daily life nor working life aspiration was related to depression severity. Conclusions: An empowerment approach and strategies, which support the quality of life, are needed in development of vocational rehabilitation interventions, and bridging of mental healthcare and vocational services.Implications for RehabilitationEnhancing empowerment and quality life in the return to work process can decrease depression severity in unemployed people with affective disorder.There is a need to address work issues in addition to symptom reduction in primary and mental healthcare.Bridging the service and time gap between vocational rehabilitation and healthcare is recommended for mitigating long-term unemployment for people with affective disorders who want to work.</p>}},
  author       = {{Johanson, Suzanne and Bejerholm, Ulrika}},
  issn         = {{0963-8288}},
  keywords     = {{bipolar disorder; Depression; return to work; sick leave; vocational rehabilitation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{18}},
  pages        = {{1807--1813}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Disability and Rehabilitation}},
  title        = {{The role of empowerment and quality of life in depression severity among unemployed people with affective disorders receiving mental healthcare}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2016.1211758}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/09638288.2016.1211758}},
  volume       = {{39}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}