February 10, 2026
Emerging Technologies in Mental Health Monitoring of App Drivers
Sabrina Johansen Tadei; Ingrid de Matos Martins
Summary prepared by the ResumeAI tool, an artificial intelligence solution developed by the Pecege Institute focused on synthesis and writing.
The objective of this research was to investigate how emerging technologies can contribute to the monitoring and psychological support of app drivers in Brazil, considering working conditions with long hours, low pay, and emotional overload that impact their mental health. The study sought to identify the main stress factors, assess drivers’ receptiveness to digital solutions for well-being, and explore the opportunities and challenges in implementing tools such as mindfulness apps and Artificial Intelligence-based systems. The investigation started from the premise that, although digital platforms have revolutionized urban mobility, the well-being of the workers who sustain this ecosystem remains in the background, creating a gap that technology, applied ethically, could help fill.
The labor market has been reconfigured by the platform economy, a phenomenon known as “uberization”. This app-mediated model alters traditional employment relationships (Anwar & Graham, 2020). Embedded in the fourth industrial revolution, which integrates technologies such as Big Data and IoT, this paradigm dissolves the boundaries between the physical and digital domains (Antunes, 2020). The term “uberization”, originating with the rise of Uber, describes a labor organization that, under the banner of flexibility, often masks precarious conditions and algorithmic control (Abílio et al., 2021).
Studies associate gig work with high levels of psychological distress. Research with app drivers reveals emotional exhaustion, weakening of social bonds, and difficulty in recognition, factors that negatively impact mental health (Ferreira et al., 2023; Sousa, 2024). The pressure for productivity, financial instability, and the absence of institutional support create an environment conducive to disorders such as anxiety, depression, and chronic stress. This reality is aggravated by the solitary nature of the work and exposure to risks in traffic and in interactions with passengers.
In parallel, emerging technologies arise as a strategy to mitigate mental health problems. Solutions such as mindfulness applications, vital signs monitoring devices, and AI systems for stress detection have been proposed to offer remote psychological support and reduce occupational stress (Campos et al., 2024). However, implementation faces barriers such as data privacy, digital access inequality, user resistance, and lack of regulation, which require ethical and institutional attention for their effective use (Filipak et al., 2024; Freitag et al., 2023).
In Brazil, the relevance of the topic is amplified by socioeconomic data. In 2022, the IBGE indicated that 1.5 million Brazilians worked through apps, with 778,000 dedicated to passenger transport. This contingent faces a struggle for basic rights, such as benefits, safety, and regulated rest, in a scenario of uncertainty that affects their well-being (Weege et al., 2024). The high unemployment rate drives adherence to this work modality, aggravating the category’s vulnerability (Candido, 2020). It becomes imperative to investigate the potential of emerging technologies as a support tool, filling a gap in the literature that still incipiently explores the application of these solutions with these workers (Melo et al., 2022).
The research had an applied nature, a descriptive objective, and a mixed approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods for a comprehensive analysis. The target population consisted of active app drivers in Brazil, over 18 years old, operating on platforms such as Uber, 99, and Indrive, with a focus on major urban centers. Participation was voluntary and conditioned on free and informed consent, in accordance with the General Data Protection Law (Law No. 13.709/2018), ensuring the confidentiality of information.
Data collection was carried out through an online survey, with a hybrid questionnaire composed of structured and unstructured questions, based on previous studies on platform work, mental health, and technology (Silva, 2024; Alves et al., 2021). The structured questions included measurement scales for quantitative analysis, inspired by validated instruments (Almeida et al., 2022), allowing the collection of data on stress frequency and work schedule. The open-ended questions were designed to capture individual experiences, exploring working conditions, emotional state, and receptivity to new technologies.
The analysis of quantitative data was conducted using descriptive statistics with Jamovi software to calculate frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations, focusing on pattern identification. For qualitative data, Bardin’s content analysis was employed, following the stages of pre-analysis, material exploration, and results treatment. Thematic categorization resulted in central categories such as occupational stress, perception of exploitation, impacts on family life, absence of emotional support, and receptivity to the use of technologies for mental health care.
The study has limitations. The sample of 101 respondents was non-probabilistic, by convenience, with a majority concentration of drivers from São Paulo and of the male gender. Consequently, the results are not generalizable and should be interpreted as exploratory indicators. The cross-sectional design, based on self-report, captures a specific moment and is subject to biases, not allowing the establishment of causal inferences. The absence of inferential statistical analyses also limits the depth of the conclusions.
The profile of the 101 participants is predominantly cisgender men (89.1%), with an average age of 36.5 years, a productive age range associated with pressures for financial stability (Dejours, 2020). The majority (63.1%) work in the city of São Paulo. Regarding years of experience, 36.0% have been working in the activity for between 1 and 3 years, suggesting a concentration of professionals with intermediate experience.
A central finding relates to working hours: 47.5% of drivers reported working between 9 and 12 hours per day, while 14.9% exceed 12 hours daily. Combined, more than 62% of the sample are subjected to extended working hours. This reality reinforces the thesis that the flexibility of app-based work translates into a self-imposition of long hours to achieve a viable income, transferring the responsibility for their livelihood entirely to the worker (Silva and Henning, 2022).
The correlation between working hours and the impact on mental health is evident: 79.3% of drivers feel stressed with some regularity, with 34.7% reporting stress “frequently” and 44.6% “sometimes”. When asked if their work routine affects their mental health, 68.3% responded affirmatively. Among the negative effects, stress (32.3%) leads, followed by the perception of exploitation (27.7%) and anxiety (13.8%). The weariness transcends work, with reports of interference in personal life. One respondent illustrated: “I arrive so tired that I can’t even talk to my family properly. I just want to switch off.”
Despite the wear and tear, most drivers do not intend to abandon the activity, a paradox anchored in financial necessity and the difficulty of reinsertion into the formal market. Remaining in the activity highlights a complex relationship of dependence, even with the recognition of psychological harm (Oliveira and Coutinho, 2021). This scenario is reinforced by the perception that, although self-employed, they are subject to the control of platform algorithms, which dictate prices and routes, configuring new forms of subordination (Brasil, 2021).
The data reveal a gap between the perception of the problem and the search for help. Only 18.8% of drivers who feel affected sought psychological help in the last 12 months. This low rate can be attributed to stigma, costs, and lack of time (Kohn et al., 2021). Most drivers are unaware of the mental health programs offered by the platforms, and the charging for these services exacerbates the access barrier, contradicting recommendations from the World Health Organization for precarious populations (World Health Organization, 2020).
In contrast, drivers showed remarkable receptiveness to the use of technologies for mental health care. The majority (61.5%) stated they had already used some digital resource for this purpose. When asked about what types of technology could assist, applications were the most mentioned option (44.4%), followed by online therapy (22.2%). This data suggests a fertile ground for the implementation of tools such as chatbots and fatigue sensors. According to Honorato et al. (2025), AI-based technologies can offer resources for remote emotional support. The analysis also revealed that drivers with less than three years of experience showed a greater propensity to use these tools.
However, the adoption of monitoring technologies raises concerns for 27.5% of participants. The main concern was data privacy (44.4%), followed by lack of time to use the technologies (27.8%) and complexity of use (22.2%). One driver summarized the fear: “I’m afraid my data will be used against me.” This perception highlights the need for any initiative to be implemented with transparency and security, preserving ethical principles (Mamykina et al., 2022). The balance between monitoring for well-being and corporate surveillance is crucial for the tools to be perceived as support, rather than control (Torous et al., 2020).
Drivers’ perception of the platforms is mostly critical. The data show that 72.3% of respondents agree that there is a lack of emotional support from the companies. A testimonial illustrates this frustration: “The companies don’t care about our mental exhaustion, only about the number of rides.” This view is corroborated by the belief of 51.5% of drivers that mental health monitoring should be an obligation of the companies themselves. Although the platforms have consolidated through innovation, this potential has not been directed towards the care of human capital, generating the perception that the focus lies on profit (Ravanelle, 2019).
The results confirmed that the work routine of app drivers significantly compromises mental health, resulting in high levels of stress and anxiety. However, the study revealed a considerable openness to the use of digital solutions, such as mindfulness apps and AI-monitored break systems. These tools are perceived as viable resources to support psychological care, provided their implementation is guided by ethics and data security. The research has limitations, such as the concentration of the sample in São Paulo, which restricts the generalization of findings, and its cross-sectional design based on self-report, which prevents causal inferences. The analysis, limited to descriptive statistics, positions the results as exploratory.
For future investigations, it is recommended to expand the sample to cover different regions of Brazil, adopt longitudinal studies, and conduct intervention research to test the effectiveness of specific emerging technologies. It is relevant to explore the potential of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence to identify early signs of mental illness, as well as to deepen the investigation into the ethical, privacy, and regulatory aspects of digital tools. It is concluded that the objective was achieved: it was demonstrated that emerging technologies, when applied with ethics and institutional support, present significant potential to promote mental health and improve the quality of life of app drivers in Brazil.
References:
ABÍLIO, Ludmila C.; BELLINI, Rafaela; SANTOS, Mariana M. Asymmetric partners: work and health of app drivers. Ciência & Saúde Coletiva, Rio de Janeiro, v. 26, n. 12, p. 5915-5924, Dec. 2021.
ALMEIDA, A. N. de; PEREIRA, M. R.; SANTOS, F. L. Using the Technology Acceptance Model to Characterize Barriers and Opportunities of Telemedicine in Rural Populations: Survey and Interview Study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, v. 24, n. 4, e35436207, 2022.
ALVES, Aline et al. Mental health and precariousness: well-being of app drivers. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, 2021.
ANTUNES, Ricardo. Uberization, digital work, and industry 4.0. São Paulo: Boitempo, 2020.
BRASIL, P. M. A. Digital platforms and app-based work: new forms of control and organization. Revista do Tribunal Superior do Trabalho, Brasília, v. 87, n. 1, p. 87–109, Jan./Mar. 2021.
CAMPOS, Israel Marques; SOARES, Anna Carolina Guedes; FROEDE, Clara de Souza; et al. The role of digital technologies in promoting the mental health of healthcare professionals. Humanidades e Tecnologia (FINOM), v. 31, n. 1, 2024.
CANDIDO, L. A. C. Psychic, social, and political impacts of uberization. 2020. Undergraduate Thesis (Graduation in Psychology) – Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, 2020.
DEJOURS, Christophe. Psychodynamics of work: suffering and mental health. São Paulo: Cortez, 2020.
FERREIRA, Fabrício Gonçalves; MENDES, Elzilaine Domingues; NAVES, Emilse Terezinha. Malaise in uberization: reflections on work from the perspective of neoliberal logic. Cadernos de Psicologia Social do Trabalho, São Paulo, v. 26, n. 2, 2023.
FILIPAK, Larissa Elisa; ARAÚJO, Marília Daniella Machado; et al. Digital technology in mental health: limits and potential. Revista da Unidade de Investigação do Instituto Politécnico de Santarém, v. 12, n. 1, 2024.
FREITAG, Abel Felipe; ARDENGUE, Mariana; MARCHINI, Kauana Borges; et al. Technological tools used to improve the physical and mental health of the population: a systematic review. Arquivos de Ciências da Saúde da UNIPAR, v. 27, n. 1, 2023.
HONORATO, E. J. S. et al. Mental health in the post-Covid-19 era: exploring the contribution of artificial intelligence in a literature review. Revista Foco, São Paulo, v. 18, n. 7, p. 1-25, 2025.
INSTITUTO BRASILEIRO DE GEOGRAFIA E ESTATÍSTICA (IBGE). Unemployment. Brasília: IBGE, 2025.
KOHN, R.; ALI, A. A.; PUAC-POLANCO, V.; FIGUEROA, C.; LÓPEZ-SOTO, V.; MORGAN, K. et al. Barriers to mental health care: global perspectives. The Lancet Psychiatry, London, v. 8, n. 11, p. 983–992, 2021.
MAMYKINA, L.; SMALDONE, A.; BAKKEN, S. Ethical considerations in the use of big data for mental health research. Journal of Medical Internet Research, Toronto, v. 24, n. 3, e34567, 2022.
MELO, a. S. O. et al. Navigating virtual waves: barriers and facilitators to digital inclusion. Research, Society and Development, Lisbon, v. 11, n. 9, e19111931685, 2022.
OLIVEIRA, E. L. de; COUTINHO, M. C. Psychic suffering and mental health at work: new configurations under digital capitalism. Revista Psicologia e Sociedade, Belo Horizonte, v. 33, n. 1, p. e020017, 2021.
RAVANELLE, Alexandrea J. Hustle and gig: struggling and surviving in the gig economy. Oakland: University of California Press, 2019.
SILVA, A. P.; HENNING, C. Flexibilization and intensification of work on digital platforms: impacts on psychic health. Revista Brasileira de Saúde Ocupacional, São Paulo, v. 47, p. 1-13, 2022.
SOUSA, Ana Laís Carvalho de. Experiences of uberized work and mental health of food delivery app drivers. 2024. Master’s Thesis (Psychology) – Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, 2024.
TOROUS, John; NICHOLAS, Jennifer; LARSEN, Mark E.; FIRTH, Joseph; CHRISTENSEN, Helen. Digital mental health and COVID-19: using technology today to accelerate the curve on access and quality tomorrow. JMIR Mental Health, Toronto,
Executive summary from the Final Course Work of Specialization in Digital Business from the MBA USP/Esalq
Learn more about the course; click here:
