In 2016, 10,000 cases of mental disorders were recognized as accidents at work and 600 as occupational diseases. Figures on the rise, and which primarily concern women.
Stress, burn-out, moral harassment, anxiety disorder or even depression… So many disorders revealing the deterioration of working conditions and which have repercussions on the well-being and health of workers.
While a few years ago, this suffering in the workplace was little considered, today it is at the heart of a global awareness, both on the part of workers, but also of health professionals.
10,000 cases recognized as accidents at work
This is highlighted by an article on psychosocial risks at work published in the journal Prescribeand spotted by the site Progress. According to the review, these mental disorders linked to the professional environment are increasingly recognized as accidents at work or occupational diseases. Thus, in 2016, 10,000 cases were recognized as accidents at work, while 600 were recognized as occupational diseases.
According to the editors of the review, work stoppages related to mental disorders recognized as accidents at work are on average 112 days: this is double the time observed for all accidents at work. Work stoppages related to mental disorders recognized as occupational illnesses last 400 days on average.
Women on the front line
Last November, a study conducted by the Pierre Deniker Foundation revealed that 22% of French people presented with distress leading to a mental disorder when they were at their workplace. This suffering at work affects more women (26%) than men (19%).
Review Prescribe establishes a similar observation: in nearly 6 out of 10 cases, these mental disorders affect women. One of the reasons put forward is that they are over-represented in professions exposing them to psychosocial risks: this is the case in the medico-social sector, but also in passenger transport and the retail trade.
Last year, the study by the Pierre Deniker Foundation also showed that women were more subject to stress, particularly in the event of harassment in the workplace. “The risk that weighs the heaviest is not not being able to lead a professional life and a family life at the same time, it is rather being exposed to someone who takes pleasure in causing pain at work, so it refers to a problem of harassment in the workplace”, analyzed psychiatrist Astrid Chevance, who analyzed the data from the study.
Limits under study
Review Prescribe recognizes, however, limits to these data, which “only relate to a fraction of employees, mainly in the private sector”. In addition, it notes that “not all work-related mental disorders are declared” due to “employers’ opposition to making the declaration, employees’ fears for their jobs, reluctance or insufficient information from doctors”.
She therefore concludes that it remains difficult to know “to know what part of the observed increase in mental disorders recognized as work-related is due to a real increase in psychosocial risks, or to a greater awareness on the part of workers and doctors”.
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