Objective To investigate the levels of fatigue and depressive symptoms among workers in electronics manufacturing enterprises and explore their correlation, with the aim of providing a theoretical basis for preventing depression and promoting the physical and mental well-being of workers.

Methods From August to September 2021, a cluster sampling method was used to select frontline workers from two electronics manufacturing enterprises in Guangdong Province. Fatigue levels and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Self-Diagnostic Checklist for Workers'Accumulated Fatigue and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between fatigue and depression.

Results A total of 450 questionnaires were distributed, and 391 valid responses were collected, with a valid response rate of 86.9%. The rates of depressive symptoms and fatigue were 63.2% (247/391) and 25.8% (101/391), respectively. Higher fatigue prevalence was observed among females, workers aged 30 to 40 years, those with junior high school education or lower, unmarried or cohabiting individuals, monthly income below 5 000 RMB, and workers working on the assembly line (all P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that workers with a monthly income of ≥ 5 000 RMB were 0.194 times as likely to exhibit depressive symptoms as those earning < 3 000 RMB (P < 0.01); workers with fatigue were 10.469 times more likely to experience depressive symptoms compared to those without fatigue (P < 0.01).

Conclusions Fatigue and depressive symptoms among workers in electronics manufacturing enterprises could not be ignored. Fatigue was a major risk factor for depression. Enterprises should prioritize the physical and mental health of workers by appropriately allocating workloads, implementing timely measures to alleviate accumulated fatigue, and providing psychological support to mitigate depressive symptoms.