Effective interventions for mental health in male-dominated workplaces

Nicole Lee, Ann Roche, Vinita Duraisingam, Jane Fischer, Jacqueline Cameron

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify mental health interventions within male-dominated industries. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic literature review was undertaken, examining mental health interventions within male-dominated industries. Major electronic databases, grey literature and reference lists for English language studies published January 1990-June 2012 were searched. Independent extraction of the studies was completed by two reviewers using predefined data fields including study quality measures. Findings: Five studies met inclusion criteria. The available evidence suggests that effective interventions to address anxiety and depression in male-dominated industries include: improving mental health literacy and knowledge, increasing social support, improving access to treatment, providing education for managers and addressing workload issues. Practical implications: Working conditions and the workplace can have a significant impact on a worker's mental health. Work-related factors including working conditions, job demands and social support in the workplace are particularly important for the mental health workers. Indeed, poor work conditions have been associated with poorer mental health outcomes in particular anxiety and depression, however, little work has been conducted on mental health interventions in the workplace and further the impact on male-dominated industries. Originality/value: Overall, the body of evidence supporting effective interventions for mental health problems among workers in male-dominated industries is limited. Nonetheless, the evidence does suggest that mental health interventions in male-dominated industries is logistically feasible and can have some positive impact on the mental health of workers, particularly for high prevalence low severity disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)237-250
Number of pages14
JournalMental Health Review Journal
Volume19
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2 Dec 2014

Keywords

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Male-dominated workplaces
  • Mental health
  • Work related health

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Effective interventions for mental health in male-dominated workplaces'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this