Impact of unemployment on mental disorders, physical health and quality of life: Findings from the Singapore Mental Health Study

: This study examines: (1) the employment rate among those with a mental disorder in the12 months preceding the survey (referred henceforth as 12-month mental disorder); (2) the sociodemographiccorrelates of unemployment; and (3) the association of unemployment with 12-monthmental disorders and chronic physical conditions in the adult resident population in Singapore.Methods: Data are from the Singapore Mental Health Study 2016, a household survey of a nationallyrepresentative sample of 6,126 Singapore residents. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview(CIDI) was used to assess mental disorders and physical health conditions. Employment-relatedinformation was collected using a modified employment module of the CIDI.Results: Of the 6,125 participants who took part in the study, 4,055 (72%) were employed, 1,716 (22.7%)were economically inactive, and 354 (5.3%) were unemployed. The unemployment rate was twice ashigh among those with a 12-month mental disorder (11.5%) than those without (4.8%). The proportionof unemployed individuals increased sharply with the increasing severity of mental disorders. Beingmarried and higher household income were significantly associated with a higher likelihood of beingemployed than unemployed. In contrast, the presence of one 12-month mental disorder was significantlyassociated with a lower likelihood of being employed.Conclusion: Our findings provide information on the significant association of mental disorders withunemployment. Clinicians should remain vigilant and consider the loss of employment a potential riskfactor for adverse physical and mental health changes. Management of unemployed patients with acombination of pharmacotherapy and work-directed interventions can facilitate their re-entry into theworkforce and improve health outcomes.Keywords: Employment, epidemiology, mental health, survey