Cited by 108Bipolar Disorder and TreatmentSchizophrenia research and treatmentMental Health Treatment and Access

Bipolar disorder and depression in early adulthood and long-term employment, income, and educational attainment: a nationwide cohort study of 2,390,127 individuals

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Hakulinen, Christian, Musliner, Katherine L., Agerbo, Esben·2019·Depression and Anxiety

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Mood disorders are known to be associated with poor socioeconomic outcomes, but no study has examined these associations across the entire worklife course. Our goal was to estimate the associations between bipolar disorder and depression in early adulthood and subsequent employment, income, and educational attainment. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide prospective cohort study including all individuals (n = 2,390,127; 49% female) born in Denmark between 1955 and 1990. Hospital-based diagnoses of depression and bipolar disorder before age 25 were obtained from the Danish psychiatric register. Yearly employment, earnings, and education status from ages 25 to 61 were obtained from the Danish labor market and education registers. We estimated both absolute and relative proportions. RESULTS: Population rates of hospital-diagnosed depression and bipolar between ages 15-25 were 1% and 0.12%, respectively. Compared to individuals without mood disorders, those with depression and particularly bipolar disorder had consistently poor socioeconomic outcomes across the entire work-life span. For example, at age 30, 62% of bipolar and 53% of depression cases were outside the workforce compared to 19% of the general population, and 52% of bipolar and 42% of depression cases had no higher education compared to 27% of the general population. Overall, individuals with bipolar disorder or depression earned around 36% and 51%, respectively, of the income earned by individuals without mood disorders. All associations were smaller for individuals not rehospitalized after age 25. CONCLUSIONS: Severe mood disorders with onset before age 25, particularly bipolar disorder, are associated with persistent poor socioeconomic outcomes across the entire work-life course.

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Authors
Hakulinen, C., Musliner, K. L., & Agerbo, E.
Affiliations
  • University of Helsinki (FI)
  • Aarhus University (DK)
Corresponding author
Hakulinen, Christian
Venue
Depression and Anxiety
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2019-09-11
Volume
36
Issue
11
Pages
1080-1088
ISSN
  • 1091-4269 (ISSN-L)
  • 1520-6394
OpenAlex
W2973042877
Cited by
108
References
42
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 1 · 2015: 1
FWCI
7.95
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Depression and Anxiety (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Academy of Finland (310591)
  • Stanley Medical Research Institute
  • Lundbeckfonden
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
Keywords
bipolar disorder, depression, mood disorders, early adulthood, employment, income, educational attainment, socioeconomic outcomes, hospital readmission, psychiatric hospitalization
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Bipolar Disorder, Denmark, Depression, Depressive Disorder, Educational Status, Employment, Female, Humans, Income, Male, Middle Aged, Prospective Studies

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