Mental Health of Women F-Commerce Entrepreneurs in South-West Bangladesh

Women's entrepreneurship in F-commerce is gaining popularity in Bangladesh. Women from rural and urban areas tend to start as entrepreneurs through Facebook marketing, as it does not require specific qualifications or massive capital. This study examined the mental health-related challenges faced by female F-commerce entrepreneurs to bolster the notion that both physical and mental health are equally important for completing any activity effectively. It followed a qualitative approach in which 15 in-depth interviews were conducted to collect data using a semi-structured interview guide. The primary data collected from in-depth interviews was thematically analyzed with the NVivo-14 software program. Participants in the study are women entrepreneurs who have been conducting their businesses actively on Facebook pages or groups. This study focuses on the mental health issues of women F-commerce entrepreneurs, emphasizing the interactions between gender and entrepreneurship. The findings revealed cyberbullying and harassment from customers, lack of reliability, financial hardships, family problems, and gender roles as mentionable factors relating to mental health concerns. Other factors include depression, isolation, low mood, pressure, panic attacks, and dominance, which can lead to stress and anxiety. The study suggests cooperation between government and non-government institutions and enhancing mental health awareness for women entrepreneurs in F-commerce in Bangladesh. This study may contribute to achieving three of the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals: good health and well-being (SDG 3), gender equality (SDG 5), and decent work and economic growth (SDG 8).