Mental health status and its associations with psychosocial working conditions among platform delivery workers in China: comparative analyses of migrant status

Abstract

The rapid expansion of delivery labor platforms in China has driven many people to move from rural to urban areas. Previous studies indicated that platform-based delivery work can be demanding, subject to algorithmic control, and lacking employment protections. While migrant workers are more likely to be exposed to adverse psychosocial working conditions and more vulnerable due to limited social services, few studies have examined the role of migrant status in mental health and its associations with psychosocial working conditions among platform delivery workers. This study employed a cross-sectional online survey to compare the mental health status of platform delivery workers in China and the associations with psychosocial working conditions by migrant status. Of the 923 delivery workers surveyed, 492 (53.3%) were rural-to-urban migrants. The findings indicated that rural-to-urban migrant delivery workers experienced high levels of mental disorders and burnout. Regression analyses revealed that workplace violence and high job demands were significantly associated with mental disorders and high burnout, and these associations were more pronounced among rural-to-urban migrant workers. Greater attention should be paid to this growing urban workforce, and context-specific interventions are essential to protect their mental health and wellbeing.