Primary Presenter: Athena K. Ramos, MS, MBA, CPM, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Center for Reducing Health Disparities.
Additional Authors:Gustavo Carlo, PhD, University of Missouri; Kathleen Grant, MD, VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System & University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Learning Objectives:
- To describe the relationship between occupational injury, stress, and depression among migrant farmworkers in Nebraska.
- To examine whether such relations are evident while accounting for demographic factors, alcohol use, and health insurance.
Abstract:
Background: Migrant farmworkers are an economically, socially, and legally vulnerable workforce. Between May and September 2013, 200 migrant farmworkers were interviewed in five central Nebraska counties: Adams, Clay, Hall, Holt, and York as part of the Nebraska Migrant Farmworker Health Study. The sample was 93% male, 93% Mexican descent, 59% had less than a high school education, and 59% had been in the United States less than 10 years.
Methodology: Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to model the relations between stress, depression, and occupational injury. Measures included the Migrant Farmworker Stress Inventory (MFWSI), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D), and the question, “Have you ever been injured on the job?”
Findings: Stress and depression are positively correlated with occupational injury (p<.01). Depression is significantly related to occupational injury (p<.05 level), after controlling for sex, age, English language proficiency, education, nativity, hours worked per week, type of work, health insurance coverage, stress, and alcohol/at risk for problem drinking. Those that were depressed were 6.8 times more likely to experience an occupational injury.
Implications: Stress and depression may affect physical health and increase the risk of occupational injury. Interventions to address mental health may reduce injury rates. Improving access to health and social services as well as policies to reduce barriers to culturally and linguistically appropriate occupational health and safety information are imperative.
No A/V Needs
Poster