Association Between Work and Common Mental Disorders in School Adolescents: The ERICA Study

Area of Science:

• Adolescent health
• Mental health epidemiology
• Occupational health

Background:

• Adolescence involves significant physical, mental, and social changes.
• Early labor market entry may negatively impact adolescent well-being.
• Common mental disorders (CMD), including depression and anxiety symptoms, are increasingly prevalent.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors associated with CMD in adolescents.
• To evaluate the relationship between work and CMD in school-going adolescents.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 3424 adolescents aged 12-17.
• Self-administered questionnaires assessed work history.
• Common mental disorders were identified using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire.

Main Results:

• The prevalence of CMD was 28.72% and work history was 19.63% in the past year.
• Multivariate analysis indicated CMD was associated with female gender (OR=2.72) and work (OR=1.70) after adjustments.
• Both female gender and recent work history were independent risk factors for CMD.

Conclusions:

• A high prevalence of CMD was found in the studied adolescent population.
• Female gender and work experience in the past year are independently associated with increased CMD.
• These findings underscore the importance of considering work and gender in adolescent mental health interventions.