The status of worker’s mental health disorder in manufacture enterprises of Vietnam

To assess the occurrence of mental health disorders, including anxiety, stress, and depression, among production workers in Vietnam›s steel and ceramic tile manufacturing sectors.

This research involved 1,228 production workers — 836 from the steel sector and 392 from ceramic tile manufacturing — to evaluate the prevalence of mental health issues, including anxiety, stress, and depression. The methodology included clinical assessments of the employees, featuring observations, job requirement analyses, interviews, and mental health evaluations using the DASS 21 scale.

The study reveals significant exposure of workers to challenging conditions like high temperatures, dust, and noise, contributing to workplace stress. A considerable part of workers (74,0%) faced a stressful environment, with higher exposure reported among steel workers (79,1%) compared to ceramic tile workers (63,2%), p<0,001. The overall prevalence of mental health disorders was 20,8%, with comparable rates between steel workers (21,1%) and ceramic tile workers (20,2%), not statistically significant (χ²=0,13, p=0,72). Specifically, the rates for anxiety, stress, and depression were 18,7%, 7,4%, and 7,2% across both worker groups. Among steel workers, these rates were 18,4% for anxiety, 7,4% for stress, and 6,6% for depression, whereas ceramic tile workers showed slightly higher rates of 19,4% for anxiety, 7,4% for stress, and 8,7% for depression.

The study identified a higher depression rate of 10,0% among workers aged ≥35, nearly double the rate found in those under 35 (5,4%), indicating a significant age-related risk factor (OR= 1,96; 95%CI=1,26–3,02). Workers experiencing stress at work reported a 24,3% prevalence of mental disorders, 1,35 times higher than their unstressed counterparts (19,2%) (OR= 1,35; 95%CI=1,01–1,81). To combat these challenges, the authors propose several strategies aimed at mitigating mental health risks among workers.

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