AUTHOR=Zhang Hong , Ren Xiaohui , Zhou Yongzhao 

TITLE=How Does Subjective Social Status Associate With Depression Among the Labor Force Population in China? — Analysis of the Mediation Effect Based on the Sense of Social Equity

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 70 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2025.1607942

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2025.1607942

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=ObjectivesWith the rising prevalence of depression and its growing disease burden, and given that few studies have examined the link between subjective social status (SSS) and depression among the labor force, this study aimed to explore the association between SSS and depression in the workforce and to examine potential mediating factors.MethodsWe analyzed data from the 2018 China Labor-force Dynamic Survey, with a final sample of 10,065 participants. Depression was assessed using the 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. SSS was measured via the MacArthur Scale. Linear regression models examined the association between SSS and depression, while structural equation modeling tested the mediating effect of sense of social equity.ResultsIn total, 12.37% of participants were identified as having probable depression. SSS was significantly associated with depression (β = −0.08, P < 0.05). Sense of social equity accounted for approximately 33% of the total effect.ConclusionAmong China’s labor force population, SSS is independently related to depression, and sense of social equity plays an important mediating role. Depression in the labor force - those with low SSS - warrants greater attention.