Working Conditions and Anxiety. An Analysis on the Sixth European Working Conditions Survey Data

In 2015, the 16% of the European workers experienced anxiety (EWCS 2017). Data show that anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health problems. According to the literature, poor working conditions hurt both physical and mental health. The paper studies the association between working conditions and anxiety for European workers (EU15), using data from the Sixth European Working Conditions Survey realised in 2017. The dependent variable is anxiety. Independent variables are selected taking into account that working conditions and support at work help to understand causes of anxiety. The association between working conditions and anxiety is tested using a standard probit model. Results show that high job demand increases anxiety and social support on the job reduces it.