Depression symptoms and risk of sick leave: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives Depression symptoms are one of the most common psychiatric disorders and affect all aspects of life. The impact of depression symptoms on sick leave in the working population is a major issue that requires a more comprehensive examination. Methods This systematic review used the PRISMA method to identify eligible studies (n = 15). Subsequently, the association between depression symptoms and sick leave was examined and several important subgroup analyses were performed. Results Depression symptoms were associated with sick leave, with an overall risk ratio (RR) of 1.52 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.34-1.73]. In men, the result displayed RR 2.19 (95% CI 1.17-4.09) and in women, the result showed RR 1.54 (95% CI 1.35-1.76). Additional subgroup analyses that account for methodological differences across studies based on the method of assessing depression symptoms and sick leave showed that this association was consistent. Conclusion Depression symptoms are associated with sick leave. Given that sick leave can have an economic and social burden, more attention to depression symptoms is necessary.