Sunday, October 14, 2007

Report Ranks Jobs by Rates of Depression

I find it interesting that people who work with the public tend to be the most depressed.

People who tend to the elderly, change diapers and serve up food and drinks have the highest rates of depression among U.S. workers.

Overall, 7 percent of full-time workers battled depression in the past year, according to a government report available Saturday.

Women were more likely than men to have had a major bout of depression, and younger workers had higher rates of depression than their older colleagues.

Almost 11 percent of personal care workers—which includes child care and helping the elderly and severely disabled with their daily needs—reported depression lasting two weeks or longer.

[...]

In a tie for third were health care workers and social workers at 9.6 percent.

The lowest rate of depression, 4.3 percent, occurred in the job category that covers engineers, architects and surveyors.