The core of this report consists of country reports from Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. In addition it contains one short chapter on gender differences of sickness absenteeism and work disability at the EU level. To improve the readability and coverage of the publication, the writers prepared a short description of emerging international activities and illustrative country examples in the promotion of mental health and prevention of mental ill-health. Further, they review the evidence available on the effects of such activities and examine what research needs are evident from the social insurance point of view.

The current publication has its background in observations that the role of mental ill health in causing sickness absenteeism and work disability may be increasing in Europe. Prompted by this, researchers from four European countries, all of whom are active in social insurance related research in their respective countries, committed to the idea of preparing country reports that would analyse available statistics on disorders behind sickness absenteeism and work disability, discuss time trends and epidemiological evidence available on morbidity, and attempt to interpret trends and describe what had been done to promote mental health and prevent mental ill-health.

The findings of the country reports can be summarized in the following statement: mental ill-health issues are an increasing cause of sickness absenteeism and work disability pensions. Yet as mental disorders have a complex aetiology, mental health promotion strategies must take various approaches. A key issue is that prevention of harmful stress and anxiety at work should be addressed primarily at workplaces and in working life – yet good practices of prevention of work stress are well-known but less practised. Another issue is the need to develop good practices for the maintenance, rehabilitation and re-integration into employment of employees who are mentally susceptible to impairment in working life.

The Social Insurance Institution of Finland
Mr. Jorma Järvisalo, tel. + 358 40 5446389

01/01/2005

J. Järvisalo, B. Andersson, W. Boedeker and I. Houtman (eds.)

research

Urban Policy > Economy knowledge & employment > Urban economy

Employment