Factors Associated with Depression among Thai Female Workers in the Electronics Industry
Supisara Charoenpaitoon MS*, Ann Jirapongsuwan PhD**, Sopin Sangon PhD***, Pratana Sativipawee PhD****, Surintorn Kalampakorn PhD**
Affiliation : * Baromrajonani College of Nursing, Bangkok, Thailand ** Department of Public Health Nursing, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand *** School of Nursing, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand **** Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Objective : To determine the factors associated with depression among female workers in the electronics industry.
Material and Method: A cross-sectional study was performed during the period of March 2010. A sample of 444 females
working in the electronics industry-located in Ayutthaya province, Thailand-were selected by stratified random sampling.
Data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire. Depression was assessed through utilization of the Center
Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D). Data regarding socio-demographics, employment history, personal crises,
family relationships, effort-reward imbalance and personal resources were included to assess all factors influencing depression.
Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the predictability of factors.
Results : The prevalence of depression in female workers was 28.8%. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that those
with poor family relationships, low reward and poor social support had 5.83 times (95%CI: 2.66-12.79), 2.58 times (95%CI:
1.20-5.53) and 4.63 times (95%CI: 1.60 to 13.40) higher risk of suffering from depression, respectively.
Conclusion : The results suggest that improving family relationships, rewards and social support can be important strategies
in the prevention of depression in female workers. Surveillance on depression in female workers should be conducted in the
industry. Existing rewards should be reviewed and family relationships and social support should be enhanced, in order to
decrease the impact of depression in female workers.
Keywords : Depression, Female workers, Effort-reward imbalance, Electronic industry
