Gender differences in managers’ attitudes towards employees with depression: a cross-sectional study in Sweden

Mangerini, Ilaria; Bertilsson, Monica; de Rijk, Angelique; Hensing, Gunnel

doi:10.1186/s12889-020-09848-2

BMC Public Health

Table 3 The distribution of attitudes to depression among Swedish managers in relation to individual and organizational characteristics (N = 2663)

From: Gender differences in managers’ attitudes towards employees with depression: a cross-sectional study in Sweden

	Gender, % (n = 1762 men, n = 901 women)	Low negative attitudes (score 12–35)	High negative attitudes (score ≥ 36)	χ² p value
Individual characteristics
Age
20–29 years	Women	87.5	12.5	Men < 0.830; Women < 0.631
20–29 years	Men	76.0	24.0
30–39 years	Women	91.3	8.7
30–39 years	Men	73.2	26.8
40–49 years	Women	86.1	13.9
40–49 years	Men	75.9	24.1
50–59 years	Women	87.4	12.6
50–59 years	Men	76.8	23.2
60 years and older	Women	88.4	11.6
60 years and older	Men	74.5	25.5
Level of education
Upper secondary school or lower	Women	74.6	25.4	Men < 0.000; Women < 0.001
Upper secondary school or lower	Men	67.5	32.5
Degree from college/university^a	Women	89.8	10.2
Degree from college/university^a	Men	77.3	22.7
Other post-secondary education	Women	85.1	14.9
Other post-secondary education	Men	78.4	21.6
Managerial position
Senior manager^b	Men	67.8	32.2	Men, < 0.000; Women < 0.001
Senior manager^b	Women	78.4	21.6
Middle management^c	Men	78.8	21.2
Middle management^c	Women	90.4	9.6
Middle management/first-line manager	Men	80.5	19.5
Middle management/first-line manager	Women	92.1	7.9
Group leader/supervisor	Men	77.8	22.2
Group leader/supervisor	Women	84.9	15.1
Expert/operations manager^d	Men	72.8	27.2
Expert/operations manager^d	Women	85.5	14.5
Current workplace experience in management
0–1 year	Women	91.0	9.0	Men < 0.002; Women < 0.115
0–1 year	Men	76.3	23.7
2–3 years	Women	89.7	10.3
2–3 years	Men	81.8	18.2
4–5 years	Women	86.0	14.0
4–5 years	Men	77.0	23.0
More than 5 years	Women	84.8	15.2
More than 5 years	Men	72.0	28.0
Lifetime experience in management
0–2 years	Women	91.2	8.8	Men < 0.325; Women < 0.099
0–2 years	Men	79.1	20.9
3–5 years	Women	91.4	8.6
3–5 years	Men	77.5	22.5
6–10 years	Women	87.0	13.0
6–10 years	Men	77.2	22.8
More than 10 years	Women	85.2	14.8
More than 10 years	Men	74.0	26.0
Organizational characteristics
Work sector
Governmental	Women	87.4	12.6	Men < 0.000; Women < 0.009
Governmental	Men	79.1	20.9
Municipal	Women	92.2	7.8
Municipal	Men	86.5	13.5
County council/regional	Women	92.9	7.1
County council/regional	Men	86.1	13.9
Private	Women	83.3	16.7
Private	Men	71.8	28.2
Non-profit organization/foundation	Women	90.2	9.8
Non-profit organization/foundation	Men	86.0	14.0
Distribution of women and men among the staff
Most are women	Women	88.6	11.4	Men < 0.001; Women < 0.277
Most are women	Men	79.3	20.7
There are about as many women as men	Women	88.6	11.4
There are about as many women as men	Men	79.5	20.5
Most are men	Women	84.0	16.0
Most are men	Men	71.5	28.5
Presence of staff members at current workplace who have had depression and/or anxiety disorders
Yes, several staff members	Women	90.3	9.7	Men < 0.000; Women < 0.173
Yes, several staff members	Men	79.8	20.2
Yes, one staff member	Women	87.0	13.0
Yes, one staff member	Men	78.7	21.3
No, no staff member	Women	84.0	16.0
No, no staff member	Men	71.2	28.8
Don’t know	Women	89.8	10.2
Don’t know	Men	67.6	32.4

^aMinimum 3 years
^bSuch as administration manager, managing director
^cManager of managers
^dSuch as personnel manager, finance manager

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ISSN: 1471-2458

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