Good mental health in Denmark is associated with a reduction of USD $0.9-1.3bn per year in productivity losses to the economy, according to a new study published in the Mental Health and Prevention Journal.
It finds people with good mental health are less absent from work due to sickness compared to others. This translates into lower productivity losses to the economy.
The study was conducted by researchers at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), University of Southern Denmark (SDU), Copenhagen University, Warwick University, University of Barcelona, and The Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen.
Several international studies have examined the costs associated with poor mental health specifically, such as mental illness, depression or stress. But only a few studies have focused on the reduction in costs associated with good mental health, i.e., a high level of mental wellbeing.
This new study shows that there is a connection between good mental health and lower costs in the form of productivity loss. Productivity loss means the economic value to society of the work that people could have performed if they had not been absent due to sickness.
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