Depression among migrant workers in Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia.

Author: Nadim, W., AlOtaibi, A., Al-Mohaimeed, A., Ewid, M., Sarhandi, M., Saquib, J., Alhumdi, K., Alharbi, A., Taskin, A., Migdad, M., Alshammari, J., Alharbi, S., Saquib, N.

Source:
Journal of affective disorders, 206, 103-108.
Background: Mental disorders are common among migrant workers. There is no data on depression in Saudi Arabia among them; although, they are a third of the population. Objective: To determine the prevalence of depression and to assess its relationship with duration of stay and living condition in a sample of migrant workers. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 400 migrant workers was conducted in Al-Qassim region of Saudi ArabiExposure and covariate factors were assessed with a standardized questionnaire, depression with the CES-D (Center for Epidemiological Studies on Depression) scale, and physical indices (e.g. weight, height, and blood pressure) with a general examination. Logistic regression was used to identify significant correlates of depression. Results: Depression prevalence was 20%; it did not vary by duration of stay or living condition but by age, stress, and self-reported health. In the multivariate model, those who reported ‘moderate’ or ‘high’ levels of stress were 1.7 (95% CI: 0.9, 3.1) and 3.9 (95% CI: 1.7, 9.1) times more likely to have depression (reference = ‘low’ level), respectively. Similarly, those who rated their health either ‘good’ or ‘fair to very poor’ were 3.4 (95% CI: 1.9, 6.1) and 4.8 (95% CI: 2.3, 10.1) times more likely to have depression (reference = ‘excellent/very good’), respectively. Limitations: The data were collected from one company and pertained to only male participants, and the study design could not establish temporal sequence between the exposure and outcome variables. Conclusion: Depression is considerably high in this population; a large-scale and nationally representative survey is needed to validate the findings.