Depressive Symptoms and Perceived Stress among Estate Rubber Tappers in Southern Sri Lanka

Authors

  • Hemajith Tharindra Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ruhuna, Karapitiya, Galle
  • Gregory Daniel Brown Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC and Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC
  • Kayla Stankevitz Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, and Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC
  • Ashley Schoenfisch Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC and Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, NC,
  • Sarath Amarasinghe Department of Sociology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Ruhuna, Wellamadama, Matara
  • Vijitha De Silva Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ruhuna, Karapitiya, Galle and Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC
  • L. Gayani Tillekeratne Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC and Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC
  • Truls Østbye Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke Univer-sity Medical Center, Durham, NC, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Ruhuna, Wellamadama, Matara and Program in Health Service and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3126/ijosh.v1i1.15379

Keywords:

depression, perceived stress, psychosocial issues, rubber tappers, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Background: Rubber production is an important component of the Sri Lankan economy. Prior reports have raised concerns about poverty and poor physical and social living conditions among rubber tappers.

Objective: To assess rubber tappers’ psychological health and distress.

Methods and Material: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 300 rubber tappers in two large rubber plantations in southern Sri Lanka from September to November 2014. Structured questionnaires including the Peradeniya Depression Scale (PDS) and the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) were administered. The prevalences of depression and stress were calculated, including across sociodemographic and work history variables of interest.

Results: Each plantation contributed 150 of the 300 participants. The majority were women (n = 183, 61%) with a median age of 47 years (range 21 to 89). Based on the PDS, 9% of the rubber tappers screened positive for depression. While on the PSS-10, 10% demonstrated a high level of perceived stress. On log-binomial regression, persons who were widowed, divorced, or separated compared to being married had a higher prevalence of depression and high stress. A higher prevalence of stress was found in Tamil versus Sinhalese as well as Christian versus Buddhist participants. A higher prevalence of depression was seen in workers with over 30 years of experience compared to less experienced counterparts.

Conclusions: Depression was more common in rubber tappers in this study than among other non-plantation Sri Lankan populations. Further research is needed to elucidate factors associated with psychological distress and to foster support mechanisms for the rubber tappers.

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Author Biography

Gregory Daniel Brown, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC and Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC

Medical Instructor in Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences and in Department of Medicine

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Published

2018-06-13

How to Cite

Tharindra, H., Brown, G. D., Stankevitz, K., Schoenfisch, A., Amarasinghe, S., De Silva, V., Tillekeratne, L. G., & Østbye, T. (2018). Depressive Symptoms and Perceived Stress among Estate Rubber Tappers in Southern Sri Lanka. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, 6(1), 2–7. https://doi.org/10.3126/ijosh.v1i1.15379

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Section

Original Articles

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