The relationship between job-related burnout and depressive disorders—results from the Finnish Health 2000 Study

Ahola, Kirsi; Honkonen, Teija; Isometsä, Erkki; Kalimo, Raija; Nykyri, Erkki; Aromaa, Arpo; Lönnqvist, Jouko

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2005.06.004

« Previous Next »Journal of Affective Disorders
Volume 88, Issue 1 , Pages 55-62, September 2005

The relationship between job-related burnout and depressive disorders—results from the Finnish Health 2000 Study

Kirsi Ahola
- Department of Psychology, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, FI-00250 Helsinki, Finland
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +358 30 474 2492; fax: +358 9 2413496.
Teija Honkonen
- Department of Psychology, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, FI-00250 Helsinki, Finland
Erkki Isometsä
- Department of Mental Health and Alcohol Research, National Public Health Institute, Finland
Raija Kalimo
- Department of Psychology, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, FI-00250 Helsinki, Finland
Erkki Nykyri
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Finland
Arpo Aromaa
- Department of Health and Functional Capacity, National Public Health Institute, Finland
Jouko Lönnqvist
- Department of Mental Health and Alcohol Research, National Public Health Institute, Finland

Received 7 February 2005; received in revised form 6 June 2005; accepted 10 June 2005.

Abstract

Background

Depression and burnout are common health problems in working populations today. They appear to be interrelated, and the need for their differential diagnosis has been highlighted in many reviews. We analysed the overlap of job-related burnout and depressive disorders, i.e., major depressive disorder, dysthymia, and minor depressive disorder.

Methods

We used the population-based ‘Health 2000 Study’ in Finland. Our nationally representative sample comprised 3276 employees aged 30–64 years. Burnout was assessed with the Maslach Burnout Inventory–General Survey. Diagnoses of depressive disorders were based on the Composite International Diagnostic Interview.

Results

Burnout and depressive disorders were clearly related. The risk of depressive disorders, especially major depressive disorder (12-month prevalence), was greater when burnout was severe. Half of the participants with severe burnout had some depressive disorder. Those with a current major depressive episode suffered from serious burnout more often than those who had suffered a major depressive episode earlier.

Limitations

This study was cross-sectional.

Conclusions

The concepts of burnout and depression complement each other and cover partly overlapping phenomena. Depressive disorders are related to job-related burnout, particularly when it is severe. A current major depressive episode is likely to be associated with the experience of burnout. When encountering working patients, it is recommended to assess both the occurrence of burnout and of depressive disorders.

Keywords: Burnout, Depressive disorders, Population study, MBI-GS, CIDI