Mental Health of Older Professionals and Agricultural Workers from a Gender Perspective in India

Abstract

Background: We spend a significant portion of our lives at the workplace. Hence, the nature of occupation is essential for mental well-being. This study aimed to compare the mental health status of professional and agricultural sector workers over 60 in India, considering gender differences. Methods: This study was based on the longitudinal ageing study in India (LASI, 2020) and focused on 11792 individuals aged 60 years and above who have worked for at least three months in their lifetime. This study used the international classification of diseases (ICD-10) to assess mental health symptoms. We used an odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval to evaluate the relationship between mental health symptoms and occupation types. Results: Occupation had a direct effect on mental health. Agricultural workers had a 1.59 and 2.06 times higher chance of depression for males and females, respectively, compared to professional sector workers. Additionally, agricultural workers were 0.70 times less likely to be diagnosed with a psychiatric problem (95% CI, 0.49%, 0.99%) for males and 0.55 times less likely (95% CI, 0.31%, 1.01%) for females than professional workers. Conclusion: According to the findings, work environment and type of occupation affect mental health. Furthermore, workers in the agricultural sector, especially women, are more likely to exhibit symptoms of poor mental health compared to workers in the professional sector. The government should take initiatives to improve working conditions in the agriculture sector, particularly for women, to enhance mental well-being and increase productivity.

Keywords

• mental health
• ageing
• gender
• india