Comorbidity and Labor Force Activity Among People With Psychiatric Disorders

Objective: Comorbidity among people with psychiatric disorders with respect to other health conditions is extensive yet is rarely explored in-depth in occupational studies. We investigated how other ICD-10 comorbidity impacted on the labor force activity of people with psychiatric disorders. Methods: A secondary analysis of data files was conducted provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) from a 2003 population survey (N = 36,088). The reference group was working age community residents without long-term health conditions. Results: Comorbidity with a broad range of ICD-10 health conditions can be characterized by both type and extent of comorbidity. Both dimensions are needed to explain impacts on labor force activity. Conclusions: Health professionals, policymakers, and administrators can utilize these results to identify people with psychiatric disorders and comorbidity profiles most likely to need more intensive vocational services.