Stress and Distress: Mental Health Among Latinx Farmworkers in the Eastern United States

Migrant and seasonal farmworkers experience substantial stress resulting from their difficult work, low income, separation from family, experiences of discrimination, and poor housing. This chapter is centered on a stress/distress model. This model posits that stressors are both structural and situational. Stress levels can be countered by positive or negative coping behaviors. Distress results from chronic, unmitigated stress and may contribute to mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and alcohol use disorders. The chapter summarizes the current sparse literature on mental health research among farmworkers in the eastern United States. Symptom levels for anxiety and depression are highly variable, with studies reporting 0–23% prevalence for anxiety and 7–52% for depression. Alcohol use disorders are common, particularly among men, with most studies reporting more than 30% prevalence. Although variable, the evidence suggests that farmworkers in the eastern US have a substantial burden of mental distress that is untreated. Future directions for research, practice, and policy are suggested.