Mental health problems of children of migrant and seasonal farm workers: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
Children of migrant and seasonal farm workers constitute important populations for study because they chronically experience extreme poverty and parental unemployment. Also, migrant children are exposed to chronic residential and school mobility.


METHODS
Mothers and children were interviewed using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version 2.1.


RESULTS
The results indicated that 66% of the children had one or more psychiatric diagnoses based on mother or child reports, with anxiety disorders being the most prevalent diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest the need for a larger, epidemiological study of the psychiatric morbidity of rural children of farm workers.
Kupersmidt
J B
JB
Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 27599-3270, USA.
Martin
S L
SL
D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012494:Sampling Studies; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000523:psychology*