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Prevalence and Factors of Anxiety, Depression, and Burnout Among App-Based Food Delivery Riders in Tamil Nadu: A Cross-Sectional Study
Samal, Janmejaya
Prevalence and Factors of Anxiety, Depression, and Burnout Among App-Based Food Delivery Riders in Tamil Nadu: A Cross-Sectional Study - pp96-101
ntroduction:
The rapid growth in the food delivery industry, driven by changing consumer habits and technology, has created job opportunities for gig riders, including food delivery riders.
Objectives:
The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and burnout and assess the associated factors among app-based food delivery riders in Tamil Nadu.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 425 app-based male food delivery riders in Tamil Nadu. The data were collected from June to July 2023 using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screener (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), and Oldenburg Inventory Burnout (OLBI) Scale to estimate the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and burnout, respectively.
Results:
The prevalence of low/medium and high burnout was 89.2% and 10.8%, respectively; the prevalence of moderate and moderate-severe/severe anxiety was 23.7% and 12.5%, respectively; and the prevalence of moderate and moderate-severe/severe depression was 26.8% and 16.2%, respectively. The multivariate logistic regression showed that monthly income (AOR 2.57) and severe depression (AOR 2.87) are significantly associated with burnout. Monthly income (AOR 3.18), burnout (AOR 2.52), and severe depression (AOR 7.35) are significantly associated with anxiety. Similarly, dehydration (AOR 3.16), place of work (AOR 3.18), burnout (AOR 2.57), and severe anxiety (AOR 6.87) are significantly associated with depression.
Conclusions:
The study underscores the urgent need for industry-wide interventions and support strategies to address the mental well-being of food delivery riders.
INTRODUCTION
The food delivery sector has grown rapidly in recent years as a result of changing consumer expectations, advances in technology, and the emergence of third-party delivery services.[1] The worldwide market for online food delivery is expected to reach $223.77 billion in 2025, up from $115.07 billion in 2020.[2] According to the International Labor Organization Report 2021, gig riders like food delivery riders now have more career options as a result of the expansion of the food delivery business.[3] In 2022, NITI Aayog highlighted the difficulty in predicting the number of platform riders and the problems in developing policies around them due to a lack of data. Platform riders, especially those who deliver food, and their compensation, benefits, work status, social security, health insurance, and other perks have been the subject of extensive discourse.[4] Food delivery companies view their riders as interchangeable or “gig riders,” and unlike other sharing economy sectors, they are typically not hired as full-time employees.[5] Food delivery drivers earn between Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 20,000 a month, according to Janata Daily. These riders work six days a week, an average of more than ten hours a day, to earn high compensation.[6] This results in a series of physical and mental health problems among the riders. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic’s emergence added to the stressors already experienced by these riders.[7] They discovered themselves navigating a high-stress environment with a rise in the demand for home delivery and strict safety protocols in place.[8] It is therefore crucial to evaluate the effects of these unique circumstances on their general and mental health. Although studies on burnout and other mental health aspects, such as anxiety and depression in a variety of work environments, have become more prevalent, there is a noticeable lack of similar research on food delivery riders in India, and the particular difficulties and problems they face are still mostly unknown.[9]
Gig workers
labor rights
mental health
well-being
work-life balance
Prevalence and Factors of Anxiety, Depression, and Burnout Among App-Based Food Delivery Riders in Tamil Nadu: A Cross-Sectional Study - pp96-101
ntroduction:
The rapid growth in the food delivery industry, driven by changing consumer habits and technology, has created job opportunities for gig riders, including food delivery riders.
Objectives:
The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and burnout and assess the associated factors among app-based food delivery riders in Tamil Nadu.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 425 app-based male food delivery riders in Tamil Nadu. The data were collected from June to July 2023 using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screener (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), and Oldenburg Inventory Burnout (OLBI) Scale to estimate the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and burnout, respectively.
Results:
The prevalence of low/medium and high burnout was 89.2% and 10.8%, respectively; the prevalence of moderate and moderate-severe/severe anxiety was 23.7% and 12.5%, respectively; and the prevalence of moderate and moderate-severe/severe depression was 26.8% and 16.2%, respectively. The multivariate logistic regression showed that monthly income (AOR 2.57) and severe depression (AOR 2.87) are significantly associated with burnout. Monthly income (AOR 3.18), burnout (AOR 2.52), and severe depression (AOR 7.35) are significantly associated with anxiety. Similarly, dehydration (AOR 3.16), place of work (AOR 3.18), burnout (AOR 2.57), and severe anxiety (AOR 6.87) are significantly associated with depression.
Conclusions:
The study underscores the urgent need for industry-wide interventions and support strategies to address the mental well-being of food delivery riders.
INTRODUCTION
The food delivery sector has grown rapidly in recent years as a result of changing consumer expectations, advances in technology, and the emergence of third-party delivery services.[1] The worldwide market for online food delivery is expected to reach $223.77 billion in 2025, up from $115.07 billion in 2020.[2] According to the International Labor Organization Report 2021, gig riders like food delivery riders now have more career options as a result of the expansion of the food delivery business.[3] In 2022, NITI Aayog highlighted the difficulty in predicting the number of platform riders and the problems in developing policies around them due to a lack of data. Platform riders, especially those who deliver food, and their compensation, benefits, work status, social security, health insurance, and other perks have been the subject of extensive discourse.[4] Food delivery companies view their riders as interchangeable or “gig riders,” and unlike other sharing economy sectors, they are typically not hired as full-time employees.[5] Food delivery drivers earn between Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 20,000 a month, according to Janata Daily. These riders work six days a week, an average of more than ten hours a day, to earn high compensation.[6] This results in a series of physical and mental health problems among the riders. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic’s emergence added to the stressors already experienced by these riders.[7] They discovered themselves navigating a high-stress environment with a rise in the demand for home delivery and strict safety protocols in place.[8] It is therefore crucial to evaluate the effects of these unique circumstances on their general and mental health. Although studies on burnout and other mental health aspects, such as anxiety and depression in a variety of work environments, have become more prevalent, there is a noticeable lack of similar research on food delivery riders in India, and the particular difficulties and problems they face are still mostly unknown.[9]
Gig workers
labor rights
mental health
well-being
work-life balance