Social inequalities in health in the gig economy: the case of digital platform delivery workers – SANTE-COURSE

Background and objectives: Digital platform delivery workers seem to be particularly exposed to occupational and psychosocial risks. Although press reports and field reports from associations indicate that this exposure is all the greater among undocumented immigrant workers, this issue is still little explored in the scientific literature. We will conduct a study to assess the digital platform delivery workers’ exposure to occupational risks in the Greater Paris area. These risks include work-related accidents, psychological disorders, exposure to air pollution, etc. We will adopt an outreach approach to reach people who are often far from both health systems and health surveys. We will then conduct an intervention research for and with delivery workers in order to prevent occupational risks and moderate their health-related financial impacts.
Team: The project will be jointly coordinated by the Ceped research center and the CoopCycle association, which operates the Maison des Coursiers (Paris 18th arrondissement), a rest and refreshment center for delivery workers. This association also offers moral support and administrative and legal assistance, including help with administrative legalization for workers without residence permits, who represent three quarters of the association’s users. The research will be co-constructed by an intersectoral (associations, peer groups and research teams) and interdisciplinary (economics, epidemiology, demography, public health and statistics) team.
Methods: We will first conduct an observational study articulating quantitative and qualitative approaches, collecting original data in the Greater Paris area. We will adopt an outreach approach, by recruiting participants in the main gathering places of platform delivery workers as well as at the Maison des Coursiers. We will collect quantitative data on (i) several dimensions of health, by face-to-face questionnaire and using standardized measurement tools (self-perceived health, health-related quality of life, depression, anxiety and stress), and (ii) occupational risks (incidence and severity of work-related accidents and psychosocial risks, exposure to pollution, sleep-wake rhythm disorders related to working atypical hours). The qualitative study will be based on individual semi-directive interviews and focus groups organized at the Maison des Coursiers. It will focus in particular on the as yet little-studied effects of algorithmic management on workers’ mental health.
Expected results: Our project is in line with recent calls to step up research on (i) the health of digital platforms delivery workers and (ii) the health of immigrants in Europe. It will strengthen the science-society link and have positive impacts for all stakeholders, including better knowledge of work-related health risks, better support for delivery workers by the associations, better access to health rights and services in relation to workers' administrative and professional situation, a reduction in occupational and psychosocial risks, and an original contribution to the health/work and health/migration literatures. This project will also be useful for decision-makers in charge of public health policies. Our results will indeed help identify the main needs for prevention and healthcare in this population. Finally, our intervention research will help define occupational health strategies adapted to the needs of the people directly concerned, including undocumented immigrants workers.