Sex differences in depressive symptoms, psychological distress and workplace discrimination among workers in Chilean large-scale mining: implications for human-centered ergonomics and sustainable work

Abstract

Objectives To examine sex-related differences in depressive symptoms, psychological distress, and perceived workplace discrimination among workers in a large-scale mining company in Chile, considering these outcomes as indicators of occupational wellbeing and sustainable work from a human-centered and organizational ergonomics perspective. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted between September and December 2024, including both direct employees and contractor workers from a large-scale mining company. Data were collected through an online questionnaire that included sociodemographic and occupational variables, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6), and a discrimination questionnaire developed by the authors. Overall and sex-specific prevalence estimates were calculated. Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated using Poisson regression models with robust variance. Results Among the 712 participants, 79.9% were men and 20.1% were women. The overall prevalence of depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥10) was 8.3%, with a significantly higher prevalence among women (14.5%) than men (6.8%) (adjusted PR = 1.81; 95% CI: 1.01–3.25). Psychological distress (K6 ≥7) was reported by 15.2% of workers and was more prevalent among women (21.2%) than men (13.8%) (adjusted PR = 1.30; 95% (0.85–1.97). Perceived workplace discrimination was reported by 13.6% of participants and was also more common among women (18.5%) than men (12.4%) (adjusted PR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.04–2.68). Conclusions This study identified a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms, psychological distress, and perceived workplace discrimination among women compared with men working in the large-scale mining sector. However, only the differences in depressive symptoms and perceived workplace discrimination remained statistically significant after adjustment for sociodemographic and occupational factors.