Impact of Social Environment on the Mental Well-being of Migrant Construction workers in Chengalpattu District

Background Mental well-being among migrant construction workers is a critical public health concern, particularly in urbanizing rural areas where social and environmental stressors are prevalent. Limited access to social support, discrimination, and poor living conditions exacerbate psychological distress, impacting health and productivity. This study aims to evaluate the impact of the social environment on the mental well-being of migrant construction workers in Chengalpattu District. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 260 migrant construction workers (aged 18–60 years) in rural Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, using multistage sampling technique. Data were collected via a pre-tested, semi-structured, interviewer administered questionnaire, focusing on social environmental factors (e.g., family separation, trust, leisure, discrimination, language barriers) and mental well-being (WHO-5 Well-Being Index). Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 25. Results Among 260 participants, 61.2% exhibited poor mental well-being. Key social environmental factors included living without family (87.3%), lack of trusted personnel (48.8%), infrequent leisure activities (72.7%), discrimination (69.2%), and language barriers (85.0%). Multivariate logistic regression identified lack of trusted personnel (AOR = 0.15, 95% CI: 0.05–0.45, p < 0.001), infrequent leisure (AOR = 5.23, 95% CI: 2.10–13.02, p < 0.001), discrimination (AOR = 4.69, 95% CI: 1.38–15.68, p = 0.013), and language barriers (AOR = 3.78, 95% CI: 1.45–9.87, p = 0.017) as significant predictors of poor mental well-being. Conclusion The study highlights the significant impact of social environmental factors on migrant construction workers’ mental well-being. Addressing these through targeted interventions, such as multilingual support, anti-discrimination policies, and recreational programs, is essential to enhance mental health equity in this vulnerable population.