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Berufliche Gratifikationskrisen und depressive Störungen

Aktuelle Forschungsevidenz

Effort-reward imbalance at work and depression

Current research evidence

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Zusammenfassung

Angesichts der infolge steigender Arbeitsintensivierung und wachsender Arbeitsplatzunsicherheit weit verbreiteten Belastungen des modernen Erwerbslebens stellt sich die Frage, ob bestimmte psychosoziale Belastungskonstellationen bei Erwerbstätigen das Risiko einer depressiven Störung erhöhen. Im Beitrag wird die aktuelle Forschungsevidenz zu dem international intensiv untersuchten Arbeitsstressmodell beruflicher Gratifikationskrisen in einem kurzen Überblick dargestellt. Befunde aus 7 prospektiven epidemiologischen Studien belegen zusammenfassend eine Verdoppelung des relativen Risikos einer klinisch relevanten depressiven Symptomatik in einem mittleren Beobachtungszeitraum von 2,7 Jahren bei Exponierten im Vergleich zu Nichtexponierten. Zusätzlich werden aus experimentellen und quasiexperimentellen Studien Zusammenhänge zwischen beruflichen Gratifikationskrisen und proinflammatorischen Zytokinen sowie Markern einer reduzierten Immunkompetenz als potenzielle psychobiologische Bindeglieder nachgewiesen. Eine verstärkte Beachtung dieser neuen Erkenntnisse durch behandelnde Ärzte kann zu einer Optimierung des therapeutischen und präventiven Handelns beitragen.

Summary

In view of highly prevalent stressful conditions in modern working life, in particular increasing work pressure and job insecurity, it is of interest to know whether specific constellations of an adverse psychosocial work environment increase the risk of depressive disorder among employed people. This contribution gives a short overview of current research evidence based on an internationally established work stress model of effort-reward imbalance. Taken together, results from seven prospective epidemiological investigations demonstrate a two-fold elevated relative risk of incident depressive disorder over a mean observation period of 2.7 years among exposed versus non-exposed employees. Additional findings from experimental and quasi-experimental studies point to robust associations of effort-reward imbalance at work with proinflammatory cytokines and markers of reduced immune competence. These latter markers may indicate potential psychobiological pathways. In conclusion, incorporating this new knowledge into medical treatment and preventive efforts seems well justified.

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Siegrist, J. Berufliche Gratifikationskrisen und depressive Störungen. Nervenarzt 84, 33–37 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00115-012-3667-6

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