Health and Safety Executive

Table THORP09

Work-related mental ill-health: estimated number of cases of other work-related stress 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 1151 52 21 19 1130 53
  1.0 Factors intrinsic to the job (unspecified)                                                                                 128 6 4 4 124 6
1.1 Workload /over demand /pressure of work                                                                                    639 29 12 11 627 30
1.2 Work schedule /hours /shift work                                                                                           58 3 - - 58 3
1.5 Organisational factors, role poor defined, low job control, perceived lack of support and poor management                  367 16 5 5 361 17
1.7 Responsibilities                                                                                                           16 1 - - 16 1
2. Changes at work 306 14 28 25 278 13
  2.0 Changes at work (unspecified)                                                                                              88 4 - - 88 4
2.1 Change of management /organisational change /company take over                                                             72 3 9 8 63 3
2.2 Changes in ways of work, e.g. using new technology                                                                         16 1 4 4 12 1
2.3 Change of work content (new job, added responsibilities, capability problems, real or perceived)                           81 4 18 16 63 3
2.4 Reduction in resources available including staff                                                                           54 2 1 1 53 2
3. Interpersonal relationships 619 28 14 13 605 29
  3.0 Interpersonal relationships (unspecified)                                                                                  130 6 - - 130 6
3.1 Interpersonal difficulties with manager /foreman                                                                           175 8 3 2 172 8
3.2 Interpersonal difficulties with other workers                                                                              101 5 5 5 96 5
3.3 Interpersonal difficulties with patients /clients /relatives /pupils                                                       29 1 1 1 29 1
3.4 Bullying /sexual harassment                                                                                                222 10 7 6 215 10
4. Inequality 16 1 - - 15 1
5. Personal Development 102 5 14 13 88 4
  5.1 Job not secure                                                                                                             15 1 - - 15 1
5.2 Redundancy /unemployment /threat of redundancy /sacked                                                                     30 1 8 7 22 1
5.6 Exams /training pressures /courses /OFSTED /appraisal                                                                      22 1 1 1 21 1
6. Physical working environment 9 - - - 9 -
7. Traumatic Events 201 9 23 21 178 8
  7.0 Traumatic Events (unspecified)                                                                                             19 1 - - 19 1
7.1 Violence at work /verbal abuse /sexual assault                                                                             39 2 8 8 31 1
7.4 Disciplinary action /accusation /legal proceedings etc                                                                     109 5 2 2 107 5
8. Home - work interface 125 6 25 23 100 5
8.1 One or more physical illness                                                                                               29 1 12 11 17 1
8.3 Family responsibilities /home-work interface /pregnancy /childbirth /children /severe health problem in close relative     55 2 8 7 47 2
9. Others 215 10 21 19 194 9
  9.2 Personal characteristics, e.g. loss of confidence, felt not good enough for the job or over expectation for the job        33 1 4 4 29 1
9.3 Unspecified work stress                                                                                                    69 3 8 8 61 3
9.9 No reason given                                                                                                            104 5 4 4 100 5
Total(a)  2223 100 110 100 2113 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 t
  • (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 21.09.09