Depression, anxiety, burnout, and substance use disorders among auto workers and COVID-19 as a stressor in Mexico

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic intensified psychosocial risks, exposing vulnerabilities in labor conditions. Findings aim to inform mental health interventions and workplace policies tailored to industrial workers in post-pandemic settings. Methods We evaluated the prevalence of occupational stress and associated psychiatric problems, including anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, and burnout among automotive workers, examining COVID-19 as a significant stressor. Participants were workers in the automotive industry ( N = 1,020) from two manufacturing plants in Guanajuato, Mexico. We assessed four mental health outcomes: depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and burnout, using validated instruments. Results Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the associations between COVID-19 stressors and mental health symptoms, while adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. Prevalence rates were 311 (30.5%) for burnout, 299 (29.3%) for anxiety symptoms, 248 (24.3%) for depressive symptoms, and 142 (13.9%) for substance use problems. Experiencing COVID-19 stressors (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 2.65, 95% CI: 1.26–3.26) and feeling vulnerable to infection (AOR: 3.34, 95% CI: 2.17–4.06) significantly increased the odds of having comorbid anxiety and depressive symptoms, as well as burnout, compared to workers without these stressors. Despite 763 (74.8%) of workers reporting feeling supported by their company to seek psychological help, only 259 (25.3%) had received mental health treatment in the past year. Discussions These findings demonstrate that COVID-19-related stressors significantly impacted automotive workers’ mental health. The substantial gap between symptom prevalence and treatment-seeking, despite perceived workplace support, highlights the need for proactive mental health interventions.