Purpose:

This paper analyzes the relationship between psychosocial factors associated with working conditions, assessed based on working hours, and occupational stress, measured in terms of mental health.

Methodological design:

The analysis is carried out using a linear regression analysis for Mexico at the state level for the year 2023, where the number of mental health consultations is used as the dependent variable, while there are four explanatory variables related to the percentage of the employed population with a certain length of the working day (less than 15 hours per week, from 15 to 34, from 35 to 48 and more than 48 hours per week), as well as a series of variables associated with working conditions (income and access to health services).

Results:

There is a positive relationship between working hours and the number of mental health consultations, in other words, longer working hours lead to increased occupational stress.

Research limitations:

The main issue has been how people's mental health status is measured, regardless of whether they are employed or not. That is, given the availability of information, identifying whether a mental health consultation was given to a person who is employed or unemployed.

Findings:

Very long working hours are linked to poorer mental health. However, it has also been found that very short working hours are associated with worse mental health.

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