Men with undiagnosed mental disorders are at risk of exclusion from the labor market

Mental disorders often lead to reduced work ability, complicating labor market engagement and income development. The University of Oulu's study compared the labor market position and income of individuals with a history of symptoms or diagnoses of mental disorders.

The findings revealed that men suffering from symptomatic but undiagnosed mental disorders had an elevated risk of weak labor market attachment, whereas no similar risk was observed in women. However, men and women with either diagnosed mental disorders – symptomatic or asymptomatic – were at higher risk. Both symptoms and diagnosed mental disorders were associated with lower income, regardless of gender.

The joint study by the Research Unit of Population Health and the Oulu Business School utilized survey-based data on symptoms and diagnoses of mental disorders to examine the labor market outcomes of individuals with undiagnosed, mild, or recovering mental disorders.

The study compared individuals’ labor market attachment and income up to middle age. The dataset included individuals with no symptoms or diagnoses, those with symptomatic but undiagnosed mental disorders, asymptomatic diagnosed disorders, and symptomatic diagnosed disorders. Analyses were conducted separately for men and women.

“Our findings suggest that support measures to enhance labor market attachment should be offered based on symptoms of mental disorders even before a clinical diagnosis is made. Symptoms can predict career challenges. Men with undiagnosed mental disorders, in particular, are vulnerable to poor labor market attachment, highlighting the need for more effective measures to help these men seek and receive adequate support,” explains Postdoctoral Researcher Tuomas Majuri.

The study utilized data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, combined with information from numerous national registers and follow-up surveys. Labor market engagement was analyzed between the ages of 16 and 45, and income was tracked up to age 50.

“Previous studies on the occupational outcomes of mental disorders have relied either on symptom or diagnosis data. Since we had access to both, we were able to investigate the outcomes of undiagnosed mental disorders, which had not been previously possible,” Majuri notes.

The study was published in the prestigious international psychiatry journal International Journal of Social Psychiatry: Majuri T, Huikari S, Jääskeläinen E, Ala-Mursula L, Rissanen I, Korhonen M (2024) Mental disorder symptoms and diagnoses are differently associated with labour market attachment and registered income until midlife: the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. Int J Soc Psychiatry, 2024.