Depression and Perceived Stress Among Cash Grain Farmers in Ohio

The mean level of depressive symptoms among male cash grain farmers in Ohio (N = 1388) was compared to that of a representative sample of employed males in the United States (N = 1375). An age-adjusted comparison indicated that the farmers reported higher levels of depressive symptoms. Age-specific comparisons indicated that farmers aged 30 to 44 years experienced higher levels of depressive symptoms and a greater likelihood of having a depressive disorder than did their similarly-aged national counterparts. Among the farmers, the elevated levels of depressive symptoms for the younger farmers were due to high levels of perceived stress, whereas the slightly elevated levels among farmers aged 65 years and older were not.