There are many different elements within the workplace that can increase a person’s risk of depression, but a new study suggests that men and women are affected differently.

According to study researcher JianLi Wang, an associate professor of psychiatry and community health sciences at Canada’s University of Calgary, women had increased levels of depression when they felt like they weren’t appreciated at work or given adequate incentives for a job well done. Men appeared to be unaffected by these factors. Some 2,700 people were surveyed.

However, high levels of job strain seemed to increase the risk of depression among men working full-time, but not among women. In fact, 11 percent of men who worked full-time had an increased risk for depression if their job came with a high level of strain. This compared to a 1.5 percent increase in men whose jobs didn’t come with high job strain.

Women, on the other hand, had increased levels of depression while simply working 35-40 hours a week.

Researchers also found that conflicts between family and work affected the risk for depression in both sexes. The difference being that men were more affected when their family life got in the way of work, while women were more distressed when work obstructed their family life.

Professor Wang says,

Major depressive disorder has a significant impact on the health of employees, and affects job performance. Employers should monitor the magnitude of these factors, such as job strain, in order to prevent their full-blown negative effects.”

Researchers believe that these studies could assist in the advancement of strategies for employers to help avoid depression in their employees.

[Fox]

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