Workplace risk factors for anxiety and depression in male-dominated industries: a systematic review

November 2014
Citation: 
Battams, S., Roche, A.M., Fischer, J., Lee, N., Cameron, J., & Kostadinov, V. (2014). Workplace risk factors for anxiety and depression in male-dominated industries: a systematic review. Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine. DOI:10.1080/21642850.2014.954579.

This systematic review examined risk factors for anxiety and depression among workers in male-dominated industries and forms part of NCETA’s broader program of work on worker wellbeing. Previous reviews have considered risk factors for anxiety and depression in the workplace, but none has specifically focused on male-dominated industries, despite workers in these industries showing higher than average rates of anxiety and mood disorders.

The review identified four groups of risk factors associated with anxiety and depression, with many factors mediated by personal, demographic and role characteristics. Risk factors associated with anxiety and depression included:

  1. individual factors (life events, job fit and demographic factors)
  2. team environment (workplace relationships)
  3. work conditions (job demand, job variety, job control)
  4. work-home interactions.

The present findings support the need for workplace mental health interventions and policies that are organisationally focused and that address structural factors. The findings also underscore the potential for primary prevention and early intervention strategies to improve the mental health and well-being of a large proportion of the population while simultaneously increasing economic productivity. It is further noted that many of the risk factors for mental health problems in the indicated reports are similar to the factors for alcohol and other drug problems.