Depression Leads To Higher Disability Retirement Rates

Last year around 4000 people were left their jobs for permanent disability pensions because of the effects of chronic depression.

Depression-based disability pensions first started showing a rise in the mid-1990s. However, the overall incidence of depression among the population has not increased over the past decade.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has started a special project aimed at reducing disability caused by depression. It focuses on supporting on-the-job mental health, better treatment for depression and developing better guidelines for job absences.

The project is being chaired by Minister for Social Affairs and Health Liisa Hyssälä, who says that the aim is to cut the number of disability retirements caused by depression by half.

In addition to the human suffering involved, Hyssälä points out that there are sound economic reasons to deal with the issue. Last year disabilities caused by depression cost the state 324 million euros in pension payments.

She says that most early retirements could be avoided by early intervention, better treatment and more efficient rehabilitation.

Experts attribute the growth in depression-related disabilities in part to rapid changes seen in many workplaces. YLE