Prevalence and factors associated with depression, anxiety and stress symptoms among construction workers in Nepal

Abstract

Introduction The construction industry in Nepal, which employs a significant proportion of the population, ranks as one of the largest industries in the country. Construction work is physically demanding and can be risky due to the use of heavy machinery and the presence of intense physical labor. However, the physical and mental health of construction workers in Nepal is often neglected. This study aimed to assess psychological distress (depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms) and its association with socio-demographic, lifestyle, and occupational factors among construction workers in Kavre district, Nepal. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study from 1st October 2019 to 15th January 2020 among 402 construction workers in Banepa, and Panauti municipalities of Kavre district, Nepal. We collected data with face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire consisting of a) socio-demographic characteristics; b) lifestyle and occupational characteristics; and c) depression, anxiety and stress symptoms. We collected data using electronic forms in KoboToolbox and imported them into R version 3.6.2 for statistical analysis. We present parametric numerical variables as mean and standard deviation, and categorical variables as percentage and frequency. The confidence interval around proportion was estimated with the Clopper-Pearson method. We applied univariate and multivariable logistic regression to determine factors associated with depression symptoms, anxiety, and stress. The result of logistic regression was presented as crude odds ratio, adjusted odds ratio (AOR), and their 95% confidence interval (CI). Results The prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms were 17.1% (95%CI: 13.6–21.2), 19.2% (95%CI: 15.5–23.4) and 16.4% (95%CI: 12.9–20.4), respectively. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, depression symptom was positively associated with poor sleep quality (AOR = 3.51; 95%CI: 1.5–8.19; p-value: 0.004); stress symptom was positively associated with Brahmin ethnicity (AOR = 3.76; 95%CI:1.34–10.58; p-value: 0.012) and current smoking (AOR = 2.0; 95%CI: 1.11–3.82 p-value: 0.022). But anxiety symptoms were not associated with any of the variables. Conclusions The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms were high among construction workers. Developing evidence-based and appropriate community-based mental health prevention programs among laborers and construction workers is recommended.

A Review on the Prevalence of Poor Mental Health in the Construction Industry

“…Studies using self-report screening tools tended to show a higher prevalence of psychopathology in the context of construction. At the lowest end of the range, a regional study of 402 Nepalese construction workers measured a 17% prevalence of depressive symptoms [ 33 ]. At the highest end, a national study of 430 Korean field workers measured a 38% prevalence of depressive symptoms [ 7 ].…”

“…In addition to depression, the documents included in this review also found a high prevalence of anxiety symptoms in construction populations in different parts of the world. A regional Nepalese study of workers on building construction sites measured a 19.2% prevalence of anxiety [ 33 ]. In construction participants living in China, moderate to extremely severe anxiety was measured at a prevalence of 33.6% [ 9 ]; in Australia, mild/moderate to severe anxiety was measured at a prevalence of 36% [ 35 ].…”

Development of the Diversity Concept for the Construction Sector: A Bibliometric Analysis

“…The inclusion criteria for the articles were those focused on diversity in the CS and those related to construction workers and professionals. The irrelevant records were those that did not focus on diversity [37], articles belonging to other disciplines like medicine [38] or the electrical industry [39], and those articles that do not relate to construction workers or professionals [40].…”

A Study of Brain Function Characteristics of Service Members at High Risk for Accidents in the Military

“…Stress, anxiety, and depression are important markers that can affect the brain, behavior, and cognition, and stress and depression have been linked to the occurrence of accidents [17,113,114]. Worker stress levels have been shown to have a negative impact on safety behavior [115][116][117], and it has been argued that reductions in occupational stress can improve safety compliance. Alonso et al [117] reported a high prevalence of job stress and emotional exhaustion symptoms.…”