Mental well-being and work capacity: a cross-sectional study in a sample of the Swedish working population

Abstract Background Mental health problems are common in the working-age population. More knowledge is needed on how to support work participation and reduce sickness absence. The objective of the study was to estimate the distribution of mental well-being and work capacity in women and men in a working population and assess the association between mental well-being and work capacity, while adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, health status, and working positions. Methods Cross-sectional data were collected through an online survey distributed to individuals who were currently working. The study population consisted of 8462 employees (58% women). The WHO-5 Mental Well-being Index (scale ranging from 0 to 100 with higher scores representing a better mental well-being) and the Capacity to Work Instrument (C2WI) (scale ranging from 14 to 56 with higher scores representing a more strained work capacity) were used. Univariable and multivariable linear regressions were used to assess the associations between self-perceived mental well-being and capacity to work, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, health status, and working positions. Results Low self-perceived mental well-being and strained work capacity were more common among women, particularly younger aged (18–34 years). Poor health status was associated with strained work capacity in both men and women. Regression analyses showed that lower self-perceived mental well-being was significantly associated with strained work capacity. Among women, the fully adjusted model showed a regression coefficient (B) of − 0.253 (95% CI: −0.264 to − 0.242); among men, it was − 0.225 (95% CI: −0.237 to − 0.213). Conclusions This study, focusing on a currently working population, identified disparities in self-perceived mental well-being and work capacity across gender and age groups. These findings underscore the importance of early workplace interventions to support mental well-being and work capacity in these sub-groups. Notably, the association between the WHO-5 and C2WI may be partly attributable to item-level overlap, as certain C2WI items may capture symptoms related to mental health. This potential overlap should be considered when interpreting the findings.