Teachers Have Highest Rates of Stress; Detailed HSE Research into Work-related Ill Health

A major new report giving detailed information on the extent of work-related ill-health has been published by the HSE. Some of the more revealing findings include:

- Males carried a higher prevalence rate (for people who have ever worked) of musculoskeletal disorders (3.0%) than females (2.2%) whereas the corresponding rates of stress, depression or anxiety were both the same (1.3%).

- Two occupations carried the highest prevalence rates of stress, depression or anxiety: teaching and research professionals with a rate of around 3.7% and protective service occupations with a rate between 2.1% and 4.9%. They were followed by health and social welfare associate professionals and business and public service associate professionals with rates of around 2% and corporate managers and administrative occupations with rates of around 1.7%.

- Prevalence rates were higher among employees than among the self-employed for stress, depression or anxiety (1.4% of employees and 0.8% of the self-employed). The opposite was true for musculoskeletal disorders (1.9% of employees and 3.0% of the self-employed).

The main headline figures from this report appeared in 'Health and Safety Statistics Highlights 2001/02' [reported on the Workplacelaw Network, 11 December 2002]. Full results are now presented in this new report, which is available in PDF format from: www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/swi0102.pdf

Results are based on 5,015 people living in Great Britain in 2001/02 who reported a work-related illness caused or made worse by current or past work.
This document is for general guidance and research purposes only, and does not purport to give professional advice. Please check the date at the top of the article; the Workplace Law Network retains historic articles for general research.