A clinical perspective on workplace depression: Current and future directions

OBJECTIVE: To identify and propose potential solutions to challenges encountered by clinical and consulting occupational and environmental medicine practitioners in the management of workplace depression. METHOD: A review of English-language medical literature from 1960 to the present. RESULTS: Numerous consequences and challenges to clinical management of workplace depression are recognized. Several potential present and future roles of the practitioner-in prevention, initial recognition and management, appropriate referral, care integration, stakeholder advocacy and education, and administration-are identified, and specific interventions are proposed and explored. CONCLUSION: Numerous opportunities exist for clinical and consulting practitioners to intervene to improve the current management of workplace depression.