Association between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms among male and female mining workers in Chile: a sex-stratified analysis and the mediating role of psychological distress

TL;DR

Workplace discrimination in Chilean mining is linked to depression, especially in men, with psychological distress playing a major role.

Contribution

This study provides sex-stratified evidence on the mental health impact of workplace discrimination in the mining industry and identifies psychological distress as a key mediator.

Findings

Perceived discrimination is strongly associated with depressive symptoms (adjusted OR = 5.17).

Psychological distress mediates 81.4% of the effect of perceived discrimination on depression.

Men experience stronger associations between discrimination and depression than women.

Abstract

Workplace discrimination is a recognised social determinant of mental health. However, evidence regarding its impact in highly masculinised and demanding industries, such as mining, remains limited, particularly in Latin America. This study aimed to estimate the association between perceived and observed workplace discrimination and depressive symptoms among mining workers in Chile, and to evaluate the mediating role of psychological distress.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 712 employees from a large-scale mining company, including both principal and subcontracted workers. Data were collected via an online survey between September and December 2024. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and psychological distress was measured with the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). Logistic regression models, stratified by sex, were used to assess associations. Causal mediation analysis was conducted within a counterfactual framework to decompose the total effect of workplace discrimination into direct and indirect effects through psychological distress.

The prevalence of perceived workplace discrimination was 13.56%, observed discrimination was 19.29%, and moderate/severe depressive symptoms were present in 8.31% of participants. Perceived workplace discrimination was associated with significantly higher odds of depressive symptoms (adjusted OR = 5.17; 95% CI: 2.70–9.91). Similar associations were found for observed discrimination (adjusted OR = 4.01; 95% CI: 2.20–7.31). Sex-stratified logistic regression analyses indicated that these associations were stronger among men than among women. Causal mediation analysis demonstrated that psychological distress mediated a substantial proportion of the association, accounting for 81.4% of the total effect for perceived discrimination and 65.9% for observed discrimination.

Workplace discrimination is a significant risk factor for depressive symptoms among mining workers, operating largely through increased psychological distress. These findings highlight the need for organisational interventions that address both discriminatory practices and their psychological consequences, particularly in male-dominated industries such as mining.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-025-25787-2.

Workplace discrimination is strongly associated with depressive symptoms in mining workers.

Psychological distress mediates most of the discrimination-depression relationship.

Men show stronger associations between discrimination and depressive symptoms than women.

Observing discrimination also increases workers’ risk of depression.

Organisational policies must address both discriminatory practices and emotional consequences.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-025-25787-2.