New Data Bulletin, Data Dashboards Focus on Construction Worker Health

The January 2022 issue of CPWR’s Data Bulletin examines anxiety and depression among construction workers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The industry already suffers from an alarmingly high and increasing suicide rate, making it particularly important to understand workers’ mental health at this difficult time. In 2020, nearly one out of every six construction workers reported experiencing anxiety/depression, with a higher prevalence among those who were ages 18 to 34 (18%), female (24%), living below the poverty line (18%) or working part time (19%). The Bulletin also reveals that among workers surveyed in both 2019 and 2020, 43% reported increases in the frequency or level of anxious/depressed feelings between the two years.

Accompanying the Data Bulletin are two Data Dashboards related to construction workers’ health. One provides detailed information on mental health, including anxiety, depression and psychological distress; the other explores medical expenditures, healthcare and the impact of health insurance. Both break down data by a range of worker characteristics, such as demographics and socioeconomic status.