Background An increasing number of employees is notified with a mental disorder in the Danish Workers’ Compensation System (WCS). However, only few are recognized and even less are granted a compensation. Research shows that notification in WCS increases the risk of work disability (WD), but research exploring workers' experiences of the WCS and what factors can lead to and protect against WD are lacking. This study aims at bridging this gap.
Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 workers notified with a mental disorder. The interview guide was developed based on a literature review and interviews with experts in the area and WCS' representatives. Interviews were verbatim transcribed and analyzed thematically based on open and selective coding and memo writing.
Results The WCS was experienced as developed specifically for physical diseases. Questionnaires were hard to fill out, and questions addressing the psychosocial work environment were missing. Communication from the Board of industrial Injuries (BOII) was lacking, and procedure and timelines unclear. Workers' goal was not to achieve eeconomical compensation, but that their disorder was recognised as caused by the work environment, and the hope that the notification could draw attention to the negative working conditions and prevent others from getting sick. Rejection by the BOII was experienced the system saying it was their own fault or that they were not really sick.
Discussions Multiple factors can be addressed to improve the WCS. Generalizability of these findings will be ascertained through a questionnaire survey.