An article published in today's edition of The Globe and Mail:
Mental illness costs the Canadian economy a staggering $51-billion annually. That number includes:
- $5-billion in direct medical costs
- $9.3-billion in lost productivity due to short-term sick leave
- $8.5-billion in lost productivity due to long-term disability
The World Health Organization estimates that by 2020, depression will be the leading cause of disability on the planet. Employers see the impact of mental illness every day:
- $28-billion is attributed to "reductions in health-related quality of life" - a method used to put a dollar figure on pain and suffering.
- 500,000 Canadians daily are absent from work because of psychiatric and psychological problems.
- 40 per cent of all disability claims, short-term and long-term, involve mental-health conditions.
- 18 per cent of workers in Canada have had a diagnosis of clinical depression.
- 8 per cent of workers currently on the job are taking drugs for a mental-health condition.
Sources: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health; Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace; World Health Organization
- 6 per cent of all workers are under the care of a physician for treatment of a psychiatric or psychological condition.
Also see:
When the office gives back
Breaking Through
1 comment:
These are all well known from loss of appetite to stunted growth and sleep challenges. But there is another worrying aspect which is that the pills will never teach skills.
Post a Comment