Emerging Mental Health Challenges in Construction Industry through Web Crawling

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Journal of Engineering Project and Production Management

Publication Date

1-1-2025

Abstract

The construction industry faces a mental health crisis, with rates of suicide and substance abuse that outstrip those in other sectors and significantly contrast with the improvements seen in general worker safety. While prior studies have documented the prevalence of mental health issues in construction, little is known about whether the industry itself recognizes and addresses these issues. To this end, this study aims to examine how mental health is represented within recent construction industry discourse. This goal is achieved through an analysis of 6,280 Engineering News-Record (ENR) articles published between 2017 and 2024, employing topic modeling to identify trends in language and thematic evolution. Findings reveal a notable increase in mental health mentions post-2020, likely influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, with discussions often framed around crisis terms such as “stigma,” “substance abuse,” and “suicide prevention.” Language promoting preventive and resilience-building measures, however, remains scarce. These patterns suggest the need for a revised safety protocol within the construction industry, one that formally integrates mental health support with physical safety protocols, advancing a more comprehensive approach to worker well-being.

Volume

15

Issue

5

First Page

1

Last Page

9

DOI

10.32738/JEPPM-2025-171

ISSN

22216529

E-ISSN

22238379

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