Citation

Väänänen A, Ahola K, Koskinen A, Pahkin K, Kouvonen A. J. Epidemiol. Community Health 2011; 65(8): 682-687.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/jech.2010.126482

PMID

21676937

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Prospective studies on the relationship between organisational merger and mental health have been conducted using subjective health indicators. The objective of this prospective occupational cohort study was to examine whether a negative change during an organisational merger is an independent predictive factor of psychiatric morbidity.
METHOD: Survey data on organisational characteristics, health and other factors were collected prior to (1996) and after the merger (2000); register data on psychiatric morbidity were collected at baseline (1/1/1994-30/9/2000) and during the follow-up (1/10/2000-31/12/2005). Participants were 6511 (77% men) industrial employees aged 21-65 years with no register-based diagnosed psychiatric events prior to the follow-up (the Still Working Study). During the follow-up, 252 participants were admitted to the hospital due to psychiatric disorders, were prescribed a psychotropic drug or attempted or committed suicide.
RESULTS: A negative self-reported change in the work organisation during the merger was associated with increased risk of postmerger psychiatric event (HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.19 to 2.14). This association was independent of mental health-related factors measured before the merger announcement, such as demographic characteristics, occupational status, personal orientation to life, self-rated health, self-reported psychiatric morbidity or chronic disease.
CONCLUSION: A negative change in work organisation during an organisational merger may elevate the risk for postmerger psychiatric morbidity.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Adult; Aged; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Finland; Adolescent; Prospective Studies; Young Adult; Cohort Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Data Collection; Stress, Psychological; Mental Disorders; Organizational Innovation; Organizational Affiliation