Which Stress Does Influence Returning to Work in Japan, Inside or Outside the Workplace?

BACKGROUND: In this cohort study, we investigated the background factors promoting and inhibiting a return to work after long-term absence from work due to sickness among psychiatric outpatients. METHODS: We surveyed 73 psychiatric outpatients who were absent from work for a long time (POAWs), and 42 POAWs who were followed up until the 2-year time point. GHQ-30, NEO-FFI, MPS, RSS and questionnaires in-quiring about background factors, including relationships with others, were used, and the data were compared those who had returned to the work by the 2-year time point with those who had not. RESULTS: Factors promoting a return to work were “extroversion (NEO-FFI)”, “organization (MPS)”, and “neuroticism (NEO-FFI)”, whereas “concern over mistakes (MPS)” was an inhibitory factor. Period of absence from work was markedly associated with psychological stress outside the workplace, while depression, anxiety, and even psychological stress inside the workplace were not. CONCLUSIONS: POAWs left from work by the result of psychiatric problems like depression, anxiety and so on. These were the result of their background factors, their characteristics, and psychological stress in/outside the workplace. After two-year psychiatric treatment, their psychological stress outside the workplace remained as an essential matter. These were inescapable because they were set in private place, while stress at the workplace could be left at the workplace.