Job stress,social support and health amongst shrimp fishermen |
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Authors: | G. David Johnson J. Stephen Thomas Catherine A. Riordan |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Sociology and Anthropology , University of South Alabama , Mobile, Alabama, 36688-0002, USA;2. Dean's Office, College of Arts and Sciences , Mobile, Alabama, 36688, USA;3. Management Systems, University of Missouri-Rolla , Rolla, Missouri, 65401-0249, USA |
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Abstract: | Abstract Samples of shrimp fishermen (n = 211) and land-based workers (n = 99) drawn from a US Gulf Coast community are compared with regard to their degree of exposure to occupational stressors, level of social support, and extent of non-clinical depression and somatization. As hypothesized, shrimp fishermen report significantly greater levels of stressor exposure, support, depression and somatization at the zero-order level. At the multivariate level, with several covariates controlled, shrimpers report greater levels of stressor exposure, support and somatization. A model of the stress process which hypothesizes positive effects of stressors, and direct and indirect negative effects of social support on distress, is evaluated for each group. Occupational stressors predict as hypothesized, but social support does not. An explanation is offered which emphasizes the migratory character of shrimping as an occupation. |
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Keywords: | Stress Mental health Shrimp fishing Social support |
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