Abstract

Objectives: Depression, anxiety, and alcohol use disorders are common mental health problems in the working population today. Team climate at work related to these disorders has not been studied using standardised interview methods and it is not known whether poor team climate predicts antidepressant use. This study examined how team climate at work associated with DSM-IV depressive, anxiety, and alcohol use disorders and subsequent antidepressant medication in a random sample of Finnish employees.

Methods: The nationally representative sample comprised 3347 employees aged 30-64 years. Team climate was measured with a self-assessment scale. Diagnoses of depressive, anxiety, and alcohol use disorders were based on the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Purchases of antidepressant medication in a 3-year follow-up were collected from a nationwide pharmaceutical register of the Social Insurance Institution.

Results: In the risk-factor-adjusted models, poor team climate at work was significantly associated with depressive disorders with an odds ratio of 1.61 and 95% CI of 1.10-2.36, but not with alcohol use disorders. The significance of the association between team climate and anxiety disorders disappeared when adjusted with job control and job demands. Poor team climate also predicted antidepressant medication (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.02-2.30).

Conclusion: Poor team climate at work is associated with depressive disorders and subsequent antidepressant use. Keywords: Antidepressants; Mental disorders; Team climate at work