Chronic conditions can have a significant impact on working people and their employers, affecting individuals’ physical health and well-being while having profound implications on workplace performance.

These conditions, which include cancer, musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders, and cardiodiabesity, also can have an impact on mental health, which can further impede job productivity and increase health care costs.

Below, we’ve curated statistics and other facts that illustrate the effect chronic conditions can have on mental health and vice versa.

Cancer may lead to comorbid mental health issues

1. Cancer patients are more likely than those without cancer to acknowledge that their mental health and the mental health of their family has declined in the past 12 months. (Source: Evernorth Research Institute)
2. One in 3 cancer patients struggle with mental health-related issues such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorder. (Source: Translational Psychiatry)

MSK disorders are associated with behavioral health conditions

3. Among patients suffering from MSK wear and tear, 18% experience anxiety, 12% suffer from depression, and 3% have a substance use disorder. (Source: Evernorth Research Institute)
4. The risk of opioid use disorder is especially high with work-related MSK disorders, common in construction, manufacturing, and other physically intense occupations. (Source: CDC)

Cardiodiabesity conditions may increase the likelihood of depression

5. Patients with heart disease are up to three times more likely to experience depression than the general population (Source: The American Journal of Medicine)
6. People living with diabetes are two to three times more likely to have depression than those without diabetes. (Source: CDC)
7. Obese adults have a 55% higher risk of developing depression over their lifetime. (Source: Psychiatry Investigation)

Depression correlates with increased risks of chronic physical conditions

8. The overall risk of cancer diagnosis increases by 18% among people with depression, with the most pronounced surge observed in lung cancer (39% increase), gastrointestinal tract cancers (30% increase), breast cancers (23% increase) and urinary cancers (23% increase). (Source: Brain Sciences)
9. Depression is a substantial risk factor for MSK pain, including of the neck, shoulder, and back. (Source: International Association for the Study of Pain)
10. Depression and anxiety are associated with an amplified risk for cardiovascular diseases, including strokes and heart attacks. (Source: European Journal of Preventive Cardiology)
11. Depression also increases the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes by disrupting insulin signaling, which regulates blood sugar levels. (Source: European Journal of Neuroscience)
12. People with depression have a 58% increased risk of obesity. (Source: Psychiatry Investigation)

By encouraging prevention and early detection, implementing wellness programs, and offering comprehensive benefit plans that cover specialized care and evidence-based behavioral health treatments, employers can help minimize the risks of chronic conditions and their impact on mental health while fostering a healthy, productive workforce.