Country
Work Package 1
1) Work Environment and Health in Denmark study (WEHD)
The Work Environment and Health in Denmark (WEHD) study is a large-scale national survey combined with linkage to administrative health registers. It is designed to monitor working conditions, health, and wellbeing among the Danish workforce over time, enabling both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses through repeated survey waves and register follow-up.
Denmark.
Type of Study
A repeated survey study with linkage to nationwide health and administrative registers, allowing for prospective analyses.
Data Collection
Data have been collected in repeated waves in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018. Survey data are linked at the individual level to national registers using unique personal identifiers. This enables follow-up on health outcomes before and after survey participation.
Sample Size
The study includes approximately 88,000 unique individuals across waves, with around 22,000 participants contributing data in at least two consecutive waves, enabling longitudinal analyses.
Sample Size Characteristics
Participants were aged 18 to 64 years at recruitment and were part of the employed population. The sample is designed to be representative of the Danish workforce, with repeated participation from a subset of individuals across waves.
Measurement of Mental Health
Mental health is assessed using both survey-based measures and register-based data.
In the survey, depressive symptoms and depressive disorder are measured using the Major Depression Inventory (MDI), while anxiety symptoms and disorder are assessed using the SCL-ANX4 subscale of the Symptom Checklist.
Through linkage to national health registers, additional information is obtained on clinically diagnosed mental disorders and treatment. This includes in- and outpatient psychiatric hospital contacts recorded in the Danish National Patient Register (based on ICD diagnoses), as well as redeemed prescriptions for antidepressants and anxiolytics from the Danish National Prescription Registry.
Cohort Profile Available
Yes, Sørensen JK et al. Cohort Profile: the Work Environment and Health in Denmark study. International Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 54, Issue 3, June 2025, DOI:10.1093/ije/dyaf085.
Key Publications
- Dalsager L et al. Time trends in prevalence of depressive disorder in the Danish working population from 2012 to 2018. Journal of Affective Disorders, Volume 385, September 2025, DOI:10.1016/j.jad.2025.119449.
- Sørensen K et al. Leadership at work and risk of treatment for depressive and anxiety disorders in Denmark. A nationwide prospective study with register-based follow-up, Psychiatry Research, Volume 337, July 2024, DOI:10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115870.
Open Access
No. The dataset is not publicly available. Access typically requires collaboration with the research team and approval in accordance with Danish data protection regulations.
Contact For Collaboration and Possible Access
Dr. Jeppe Karl Sørensen, National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark. Email: jks@nfa.dk