Excessive Workload Beyond Measured Exercise Tolerance Affects Post-Discharge Mental Health in Workers With Heart Disease: A Case-Based Observational Study.

Abstract

We evaluated work intensity, exercise tolerance, and mental health among workers with heart disease and assessed the relationship between return to work (RTW) status and changes in mental health 3 months post-discharge. Patients were enrolled from 2014 to 2019. Data were collected on admission and 3 months post-discharge. Mental health was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Jobs were defined as "reasonable workload (RW)" or "over workload (OW)" based on metabolic equivalents. Twenty-six patients responded (81.3%). RTW after 3 months was higher in the RW group (100%) than in the OW group (63.6%). Mental health in the OW group significantly deteriorated compared with baseline and was higher than that in the RW group. Patients whose work intensity was higher than their exercise tolerance had worsened mental health 3 months post-discharge.