A cross-sectional study about mental health of farm-workers

Objective In view of the shortage of population-based rural studies, this r esearch project evaluated the associations between the characteristics of r ural work and the occurrence of minor psychiatric disorders (MPD). Methods A cross sectional study was carried out on the 1,282 farm. Informat ion about the farms (land extension, agricultural activities, technology an d pesticide use) was collected. Demographic and socioeconomic data, charact eristics of the work process and mental health indicators were obtained fro m the workers. Results MPD were found in 37.5% of the farm workers. The risk,cas higher on farms with a land extension of from 26 to 50 hectares, and lover where the re was an increased level of job technology and schooling. The prevalence o f MPD was higher among bean producers and lower among apple producers. Desp ite the impossibility of defining the direction of the causal link, pestici de poisoning was strongly associated with MPD. Conclusion The results call attention to the dimension of the problem and t o the importance of adopting new policies for the protection of farm worker s' mental health.