PT Journal AU Hannerz, H Albertsen, K Nielsen, ML Garde, AH TI Long working hours and psychiatric treatment: A Danish follow-up study SO Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health PD 4VL PY 2021 BP 191 EP 199 IS 3 DI 10.5271/sjweh.3936 WP https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3936 DE anxiety; long working hour; mood disorder; occupational health; prescription drug; psychiatric hospital treatment; psychiatric treatment; psychotropic medicine; stress-related disorder; working hour SN 0355-3140 AB '

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OBJECTIVE ': 'This study aimed to estimate prospective associations between long working hours and (i) redeemed prescriptions for psychotropic drugs and (ii) psychiatric hospital treatment due to mood, anxiety or stress-related disease, among full-time employees in Denmark.

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METHODS ': 'Full-time employees who participated in the Danish Labor Force Survey sometime in the period 2000–2013 (N=131 321] were followed for up to five years in national registers for redeemed prescriptions for psychotropic drugs and psychiatric hospital treatment due to mood, anxiety or stress-related disease. Rate ratios (RR) were estimated for 41–48 versus 32–40 and >48 versus 32–40 working hours a week. The analyses were controlled for sex, age, night shift work, calendar time of the interview and socioeconomic status (SES). Prevalent cases were excluded in primary analyses.

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RESULTS ': 'The RR for psychotropic drugs were estimated at 0.94 [99% confidence interval (CI) 0.88–1.01] for 41–48 versus 32–40 working hours a week and 1.08 (99% CI 0.99–1.18) for >48 versus 32–40 working hours a week. The corresponding RR for psychiatric hospital treatments were estimated at 0.90 (95% CI 0.75–1.08) and 0.96 (95% CI 0.76–1.21). We did not find any statistically significant interaction between weekly working hours and age, sex, SES or night shift work.

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CONCLUSION ': 'Long working hours as they occur in in the general working population of Denmark are not an important predictor of mental ill health.

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