Health and Safety Executive

Table THORP06

All Work-related mental ill-health: estimated number of cases reported by psychiatrists to SOSMI and by occupational physicians to OPRA and estimated rates per 100 000 workers per year, by precipitating event 2006-2008

Major category Subcategory Psychiatrists & Occupational physicians(p) Psychiatrists (SOSMI)(p) Occupational physicians (OPRA)(b)(p)
Annual average estimated cases(c) 2006-2008 % of total Annual average estimated cases(c) 2006-2008 % of total Annual average estimated cases(c) 2006-2008 % of total
1. Factors intrinsic to the job 2481 44 559 35 1922 47
  1.0 Factors intrinsic to the job (unspecified)                                                                                 261 5 40 2 222 5
1.1 Workload /over demand /pressure of work                                                                                    1445 26 369 23 1076 27
1.2 Work schedule /hours /shift work                                                                                           154 3 49 3 105 3
1.3 Travel /working away from home                                                                                             51 1 33 2 19 -
1.4 Isolation                                                                                                                  27 - 13 1 14 -
1.5 Organisational factors, role poor defined, low job control, perceived lack of support and poor management                  676 12 67 4 609 15
1.6 Under load /boredom /monotony                                                                                              43 1 37 2 6 -
1.7 Responsibilities                                                                                                           69 1 42 3 27 1
2. Changes at work 707 13 216 14 490 12
  2.0 Changes at work (unspecified)                                                                                              159 3 13 1 146 4
2.1 Change of management /organisational change /company take over                                                             161 3 52 3 109 3
2.2 Changes in ways of work, e.g. using new technology                                                                         35 1 9 1 25 1
2.3 Change of work content (new job, added responsibilities, capability problems, real or perceived)                           224 4 110 7 114 3
2.4 Reduction in resources available including staff                                                                           127 2 40 3 87 2
2.5 Relocation                                                                                                                 24 - 1 - 23 1
3. Interpersonal relationships 1531 27 356 22 1175 29
  3.0 Interpersonal relationships (unspecified)                                                                                  364 6 40 3 324 8
3.1 Interpersonal difficulties with manager /foreman                                                                           415 7 110 7 305 8
3.2 Interpersonal difficulties with other workers                                                                              246 4 90 6 156 4
3.3 Interpersonal difficulties with patients /clients /relatives /pupils                                                       132 2 23 1 110 3
3.4 Bullying /sexual harassment                                                                                                558 10 159 10 399 10
4. Inequality 50 1 14 1 36 1
  4.1 Racism                                    28 - 9 1 18 -
5. Personal Development 273 5 115 7 158 4
  5.0 Personal Development (unspecified)                                                                                         35 1 20 1 15 -
5.1 Job not secure                                                                                                             34 1 5 - 29 1
5.2 Redundancy /unemployment /threat of redundancy /sacked                                                                     56 1 23 1 32 1
5.3 Business failure, bankruptcy                                                                                               32 1 26 2 6 -
5.4 Lack of opportunities /demotion                                                                                            18 - 10 1 8 -
5.6 Exams /training pressures /courses /OFSTED /appraisal                                                                      87 2 40 3 47 1
5.7 Lack of training                                                                                                           20 - - - 20 1
6. Physical working environment 38 1 6 - 32 1
6.0 Physical working environment (unspecified)                                                                                 34 1 4 - 30 1
7. Traumatic Events 655 12 259 16 396 10
  7.0 Traumatic Events (unspecified)                                                                                             36 1 5 - 30 1
7.1 Violence at work /verbal abuse /sexual assault                                                                             176 3 67 4 109 3
7.2 Accidents and physical injury                                                                                              103 2 83 5 20 1
7.3 Traumatic experience of other people injury or fatality at work                                                            91 2 47 3 44 1
7.4 Disciplinary action /accusation /legal proceedings etc                                                                     267 5 70 4 197 5
8. Home - work interface 435 8 248 16 187 5
  8.0 Home - work interface (unspecified)                                                                                        34 1 13 1 21 1
8.1 One or more physical illness                                                                                               109 2 75 5 34 1
8.2 Previous psychiatric illness /family history of psychiatric illness                                                        53 1 33 2 20 -
8.3 Family responsibilities /home-work interface /pregnancy /childbirth /children /severe health problem in close relative     156 3 58 4 97 2
8.4 Severe event, death in family or close friend, separation, marital break up or marital problem                             95 2 86 5 9 -
9. Others 762 13 255 16 507 13
9.1 War /strife /combat related                                                                                                62 1 58 4 4 -
9.2 Personal characteristics, e.g. loss of confidence, felt not good enough for the job or over expectation for the job 94 2 20 1 74 2
9.3 Unspecified work stress                                                                                                    297 5 121 8 176 4
9.4 Alcohol and drup abuse 56 1 20 1 36 1
9.9 No reason given                                                                                                            265 5 44 3 221 5
Total(a) 5650 100 1597 100 4053 100

Notes

  • (a) At least one precipitating event was given to each case. In some cases, more than one precipitating event was given, therefore the sum total of individual precipitating events will exceed the total number of cases. Figures are shown in light type if
  • (b) Comparisons based on OPRA reports are likely to be misleading because workers in some occupations are much more likely to have access to occupational physicians than those in others.
  • (c) Some physicians report on a sample basis, for one month in each year. Estimated totals for these are calculated by multiplying the actual number of cases reported by 12.
  • "-" Means zero
  • (p) Provisional

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Updated 10.09.09