DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE STRESS, ANXIETY, AND DEPRESSION IN PERUVIAN WORKERS: INCIDENCE AND RISK FACTORS IN A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT

Vera-Ponce V.J.; Ballena-Caicedo J.; Delgado-Toro H.E.; Zuzunaga-Montoya F.E. · Revista de la Asociacion Espanola de Especialistas en Medicina del Trabajo (2026)

Resumen

Introduction: Occupational mental health disorders represent a growing burden on health systems and labor productivity in Latin America, although epidemiological evidence regarding their incidence in the Peruvian working population is limited. Objective: This study investigates the incidence of severe stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, and evaluates the demographic, occupational, and behavioral risk factors associated with their development in a cohort of Peruvian workers. Material and Methods: A retrospective cohort design was used, including workers evaluated between 2013 and 2021 with at least one follow-up assessment. Outcomes were defined using PHQ-9 ≥15 (depression), GAD-7 ≥15 (anxiety), and PSS-10 ≥27 (stress). Incidence rates and adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: A total of 12,049 workers (84.9% male, mean age 37.2 years) were analyzed, with 32,540 person-years of follow-up. Incidence rates were 9.62, 3.69, and 4.49 per 1,000 person-years for stress, anxiety, and depression, respectively. Night shift work was consistently associated with a higher risk for all three outcomes (aHR: 2.33, 2.22, and 3.17). Male sex was associated with a lower risk of stress (aHR 0.44) and depression (aHR 0.52). Greater employment seniority was associated with a higher risk of stress (aHR 4.00 for ≥10 years vs <1 year). Sitting time >4 hours was specifically associated with depression (aHR 1.68). Conclusions: In this clinical cohort, night shift work emerged as the most consistent independent risk factor for the development of severe stress, anxiety, and depression. Specific vulnerability profiles were identified, including healthcare professionals and workers with greater employment seniority for stress risk, and prolonged sedentary behavior as a specific risk factor for depression. These findings support the need to target occupational surveillance on these groups and on the organization of night shift work.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Toribio Rodríguez de Mendoza de Amazonas