Research Plus

Workplace interventions to tackle depression

A systematic review of interventions to reduce depression in the workplace found just one paper meeting all inclusion criteria. Twenty-seven of 28 potentially relevant studies were rejected on methodological grounds, for example, due to poor study design, because they examined a direct depression treatment rather than a workplace intervention, or because they lacked a validated depression screening instrument. The one paper meeting all inclusion criteria, a secondary prevention programme in two French utility companies – delivery of screening test results, psycho-education and a recommendation to consult a GP, psychiatrist or occupational physician – produced positive outcomes after six weeks and six months.

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 2011; online first: doi 10.1007/s00420-011-0634-7

Tags depression evidence based practice

Occupational Health at Work June/July 2011 (vol. 08/1) pp40