When Workers Go On Disability, It Could Have More to do With Depression Than Pain

You would think disability would be the reason most workers take disability leave. Turns out, that may not be the case.

A recent German study shows that a middle-aged worker who develops arthritis is much more likely to take a disability pension and retire early if she is feeling depressed than if she is struggling physically to perform her job but isn’t suffering mentally. Overall, musculoskeletal disorders such as arthritis are the most common cause (pdf) of early retirement in Europe.

Read more at Quartz.