Prevalence and determinants of depression among garments workers in Chittagong, Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Depression among garment workers is a growing public health issue in both developed and developing countries. And depression is an overlooked issue among garment workers in Bangladesh. This study aims to assess the prevalence determinants of depression among garment workers in Chittagong, Bangladesh. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted in three selected Ready-Made Garment (RMG) factories, total participants was 300 but I analysed 150 participants data. Among 150 participants were 47 males and 103 females, aged 18 and above. Data were collected through structured, interview-based surveys using a random sampling method. Informed consent was prepared and written in an easy way based on the participant’s comfort level. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS to identify relationships between socio-demographic factors and depression levels among the participants. Result: This study found that 36.7% of garment workers in Chattogram suffer from severe depression, with socio-demographic factors influencing its prevalence. Severe depression was more common among females (69.1%) than males (30.9%). The highest prevalence was observed in the 24–29 age group (38.2%) and among married participants severe depression is (45.5%). Education and family size also influence the prevalence, with 49.1% of those with secondary education and 58.2% of workers with 5–8 family members experiencing severe depression. Economic status showed an inverse relationship with depression, as 36.4% of participants earning 11,000–20,000 BDT reported severe depression. Conclusion: This study demonstrates a high prevalence of moderate-to-severe depression (36.7%) among garment workers in Chittagong, Bangladesh. Gender, age groups, marital status and lower income levels were key factors influencing depression rates. These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted mental health interventions and workplace support to improve the well-being of garment workers.