Depression and disability in seasonal and migrant Hispanic agricultural workers

To examine the relationship between depression and disability in seasonal and migrant Hispanic agricultural workers.

A total of 315 adult Hispanic agricultural workers living in northwest farmworker housing were interviewed to diagnose major and minor depression and assess disability. Statistical analysis determined demographic and clinical factors significantly related to a diagnosis of depression and examined the association between depression and disability.

The rate of major depression was 3.2% (n=10) and of minor depression, 6.3% (n=20). The sole demographic factor significantly associated with depression was female gender (P<.02). Controlling for gender, regression analysis demonstrated increased disability in those diagnosed with major and/or minor depression (P<.001). Those diagnosed with depression had a significantly higher mean total disability score [20.6 (95% CI 16.8-24.4) vs. 6.8 (95% CI 5.6-8.0)] than those without such diagnosis. Nondepressed subjects were significantly more likely (39% vs. 3%) to be completely free of functional impairment than those with depression (P<.001).

This study confirms the known association between depression and disability and extends it to the seasonal and migrant Hispanic farmworker population. The severity of disability found in the depressed group was such that it could affect performance of agricultural work compared with that found in the nondepressed group.