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This is an analysis of the determinants of psychological depression and coping behaviors of Tennessee farm residents. It seeks to fill the gap in knowledge about depression and its etiology and related mental health behaviors in farm populations. In a sample of 134 farm respondents, demographic, medical, life event, personal, and social resource covariates of depressive symptoms are explored, together with various coping behaviors. Symptoms of depression are measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Comparisons are made to similar analyses completed on 783 rural non-farm Tennesseans. The number of chronic medical problems is found to be the most important predictor of depressive symptoms for the farmers. Differences with respect to the effects of social support, race, and age on distress are noted for the farm and rural non-farm samples.
Linn et al. (1987) studied this question.