Occupational stress among farm and ranch operators in the midwestern United States

Male Farm and Agricultural Worker Suicides in Kansas, 2016-2020

OBJECTIVES

There is limited research on the factors that contribute to suicides among farm and agriculture workers. The purpose of this analysis was to examine the socio-demographic characteristics and circumstances that may increase risk of suicide for a farm worker by using the detailed data from the Kansas Violent Death Reporting System (KS-VDRS).

METHODS

KS-VDRS is a state-based system and was used to look at suicides among farm and agricultural workers that occurred in Kansas from 2016 to 2020. Frequencies, percentages, and age-adjusted rates were calculated to compare trends between farm/agriculture workers and other major occupational groups (non-farm/agriculture). Females were not included in this analysis due to low counts in the occupational group.

RESULTS

In Kansas, male farm and agriculture workers die by suicide at a rate of 147.5 per 100,000 population, which is 3 times that of the average male workers (45.2 per 100,000 population). Male suicide decedents in farming and agriculture-related occupations were older with a mean age of 54 years and less educated (73% had a high school diploma or less) than their non-agriculture counterparts (mean age 44 years, and 57% had a high school diploma or less). Common circumstances around time of death were current depressed mood (58.6%), current mental health problem (41.4%), and physical health problem (31.4%).

CONCLUSION

KSVDRS provides valuable information on the circumstances surrounding suicides, and this can inform prevention efforts within and across states. Numerous factors may contribute to the increased risk of suicide among farmers and those who work in agriculture. Physical health problems, family relationship problems, and financial problems are more commonly reported among this population compared to other male workers. Findings from this report highlight the complexity of suicide risk within the farm and agriculture industry in Kansas and reinforce the need for state-specific data and tailored prevention efforts.

What Do Farmers Need for Suicide Prevention: Considerations for a Hard-to-Reach Population

Purpose

Farmers have suicide rates much higher than the general population, with elevated mental health symptoms and high stress levels. Farmers are a hard-to-reach population due to occupational demands and a culture where conversations about mental health are often stigmatizing. This study explored ways to tailor suicide prevention strategies to unique characteristics of farmers by speaking with groups close to farmers who were open to discussing stress and suicide prevention: women married to farmers and agricultural Extension agents.

Methods

Focus groups with women married to farmers (N=29) and interviews with agricultural agents from the university's local Cooperative Extension offices (N=13) from rural Georgia counties explored effective ways outreach and education about suicide prevention, mental health, and coping could be provided to farmers. Using a thematic analysis approach, qualitative coding was completed by two researchers (Cohens kappa=0.86), with initial codes collapsed into common themes.

Results

Four themes were identified: 1) Barriers due to the nature of farming, including time demands of farming and cultural stigma in help-seeking; 2) Acceptable messaging, including framing conversations as part of general health; 3) Make information accessible by making it brief, clear, and omnipresent through multiple media; and 4) Elements of effective information and education, including emphasizing "you're not alone" and connection, how to access supports and crisis services, educating people close to farmers, and motivating farmers by emphasizing that they could help another farmer with the information.

Conclusion

Due to farmers' stoic identities and reluctance to admit mental health struggles, speaking with those close to farmers may help us better understand what is needed to tailor farmer suicide prevention strategies. The insights shared by participants suggest that culturally responsive outreach and education strategies, strengthening relationships through peer support, and gatekeeper training with specific trusted others are important ways to tailor suicide prevention strategies for this hard-to-reach group.

Injury, Musculoskeletal Symptoms, and Stress as a Function of Aging in Agricultural Operators in the Central United States

BACKGROUND

Studies show conflicting evidence on the association of age and occupational injury in agriculture, and few studies have addressed the effect of age on work-related chronic conditions or preventive practices among farmers.

METHODS

We examined the probability of injury, work-related stress, musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS), and preventive practices for MSS as a function of aging using surveillance data of 7,711 farm and ranch operators in the central United States.

FINDINGS

Segmented regression analyses of men (85% of sample) indicated that the probability of all four outcomes increased up to a certain age and then decreased; the changepoints in years of age being 59.6 for injury, 55.4 for work-related stress, 59.6 for MSS, and 67.9 for MSS preventive practices. Female operators had an increasing trend for stress up to age 29.7, while they showed no changepoints across their age spectrum in the proportion of injury, MSS, and prevention techniques.

CONCLUSION/APPLICATION TO PRACTICE

These findings emphasize the need for preventive efforts particularly among younger and middle-aged farmers and ranchers, and the need to modify work duties to match work abilities at older ages.

A cross-sectional study of alcohol, opioid use, and anxiety in agriculturally based occupations

PURPOSE

Although there are many studies that have examined substance use and mental health concerns in rural areas, there is a paucity of research related to the prevalence of substance use and mental well-being in agriculturally based occupations. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of alcohol and opioid misuse and anxiety among adults in agriculturally based occupations in the rural Midwest and to determine the risk factors for alcohol misuse.

METHODS

Data were collected via mailed surveys with 1,791 surveys returned. Participants completed the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test, the Drug Abuse Screening Test-1, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screener, and reported demographic data. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with alcohol misuse.

RESULTS

Younger age, male, not married, agriculturally based workers were significantly associated with alcohol misuse. For opioid use, the highest prevalence rate (10%) was found among direct agricultural workers who were not married and in the age group 19-39. The highest anxiety prevalence rate was found in participants aged 19-39 (15.5%) who also scored in the highest level of alcohol misuse with a prevalence rate of 27.9%.

CONCLUSIONS

Future research is suggested in the areas of gender identity and anxiety in agricultural populations and agriculturally based occupations as protective factors for opioid misuse.

Self-rated health status and associated factors in rural workers

BACKGROUND

Self-rated health status can be considered a good predictor of morbidity and mortality and has been used due to its easy assessment and applicability. The instrument is efficient for understanding sociodemographic, environmental and clinical conditions that may be related to the self-rated health status. Thus, this study aims to analyze the self-assessment of health status in rural workers and its association with socioeconomic characteristics, lifestyle, clinical condition and work characteristics.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study carried out with 787 male and female rural reporting agriculture as their main source of income in the municipality of Santa Maria de Jetibá. A simple and direct question was used "In general, compared to people your age, how do you rate your own state of health?" to see how rural workers rate their current health status. The independent variables analyzed were socioeconomic, clinical, health and work conditions. The magnitude of the associations was evaluated by means of hierarchical logistic regression.

RESULTS

It was found that 42.1% of rural workers self-rated their health status as regular or poor. Belonging to socioeconomic classes C (OR = 1.937; 95% CI = 1.009-3.720) or D/E (OR = 2.280; 95% CI = 1.178-4.415), being overweight (or having excess weight) (OR = 1.477; 95% CI = 1.086-2.008), multimorbidity (OR = 1.715; 95% CI = 1.201-2.447) and complex multimorbidity (OR = 1.738; 95% CI = 1.097-2.751) were risk factors for worse self-rated health.

CONCLUSION

It was concluded that chronic diseases, socioeconomic status and overweight are risk factors for negative self-rated health. The identification of these determinants through self-rated status can support the planning of actions aimed at improving the health of the rural population.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Health Sciences Center of the Federal University of Espírito Santo (Protocol No. 2091172; CAAE No. 52839116.3.0000.5060). All research participants gave their informed consent.

Stressor or succour? Examining the association between conflict, livestock assets, and farmers' mental health in Nigeria

Farmers are disproportionately vulnerable to violent attacks in the conflict situation in Nigeria, with potential traumatising effects due to the destruction of agricultural livelihoods. In this study, we conceptualise the links between conflict exposure, livestock assets, and depression, using a cross-sectional nationally representative survey of 3021 Nigerian farmers to quantify the relationships. We highlight three main findings. First, conflict exposure is significantly associated with farmers exhibiting depressive symptoms. Second, holding higher herds of livestock, more cattle, and more sheep and goats while exposed to conflict is associated with higher risk of depression. Third, keeping more poultry is negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Finally, this study accentuates the significance of psychosocial support for farmers in conflict situations. The relationships between different livestock species and farmers' mental health may interest further research in strengthening the evidence.

Farmers Supporting Farmers: Livestock Auctions as Spaces to Reconstruct Occupational Community and Counter Mental Health Issues

Social isolation within agricultural communities is prevalent within the United Kingdom (UK). Along with other social and economic determinants, social isolation is considered to be a contributing factor towards the high rates of mental health issues experienced among people working in agriculture. The livestock auction mart is one of the remaining spaces upon which many livestock farmers rely for consistent social interaction and to experience community, both determinants proven to improve physical and mental health. However, the importance of the social contribution of livestock auction marts to farmer wellbeing appears rarely in associated literature. The aims of this study, therefore, were i) to determine levels of isolation experienced by livestock farmers who attend auction marts and ii) to identify the role of the mart as a system of social support, with an emphasis on the informal support system attendees provide for one another. Findings from 90 qualitative interviews demonstrate that the auction mart is an important social site where occupational community and identity can be produced and reproduced for all attending stakeholders, positively impacting upon mental health and wellbeing. The strength of the occupational community among livestock farmers should be considered as a key element among a basket of options approach in the development of support interventions, and as a pathway to negotiating barriers to both help-seeking behaviors and reaching the hard-to-reach.

The Role of Social Work in Confronting the Farmer Suicide Crisis: Best Practice Recommendations and a Call to Action

Although estimates of prevalence vary, suicide rates among farmers are high and pose an important challenge for mental health policy and practice. The lack of mental health resources in many rural communities is a significant barrier to improving farmer mental health outcomes. The current paper will review (1) current findings related to the psychosocial functioning of agriculturalists including rates of suicide and common mental health concerns within this population; (2) describe stressors and risk factors associated with mental health symptoms in rural and agricultural communities; and (3) discuss barriers associated with accessing mental health treatment. This article also includes recommendations for increasing the cultural competence of social work practitioners working with rural communities. Finally, existing research on using technology and workforce development approaches for increasing access to mental health in rural communities is presented and recommendations for future research are explored.

The wellbeing paradox in Hungarian local sustainable agriculture: a health psychology approach

BACKGROUND

The literature suggests that farmers' work involves a number of operational difficulties. Although alternative food networks address the majority of their problems, they can potentially generate new hardships. The aim of this study is to examine the situational and engagement-related work difficulties associated with the everyday world of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farmers.

METHODS

This study used the health psychology approach, namely interpretive phenomenology, to understand the social determinants of farmers' working lives in CSA and to explore mental health challenges within the practices of local sustainable farming. To collect data, semi-structured, in-person interviews were conducted with CSA farmers in Hungary.

RESULTS

Our study shows that new modes of consumer-producer connectivity create novel situations and issues which farmers are forced to address. Three personal experiential themes emerge from the data to describe CSA farmers' work difficulties: (1) Conflicted autonomy; (2) The pressure of boxes; (3) Social overload. The difficulties for CSA farmers seem to be rooted in the economic characteristics of alternative agriculture where farmers organize food production for the satisfaction of consumer needs. In addition, structural conditions require several different CSA farmer roles, which could even be conflicting.

CONCLUSION

This study provides participants' perspectives on the health and wellbeing costs of sustainable farming. Newer producer-consumer connections require both time and experience and involve extra effort or skills, but farmers often lack these abilities. The results show how perceptions of work processes relate to the general framework of CSA, which necessitates a distinct strategy for farm management.

Occupational stress and associated risk factors among 13,867 industrial workers in China

Objective

Occupational stress is a critical global public health problem. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of occupational stress among the workers in the electricity, heat, gas, water production and supply (EHGWPS), manufacturing, and transportation industries in Beijing, China. We explored the demographic differences in occupational stress status among workers in industrial enterprises.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 13,867 workers. The self-administered New Brief Job Stress Questionnaire was used to evaluate high occupational stress status, which includes four sub-dimensions (job stressors, stress response, social support, job stressors & social support). Multiple regression and logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between high occupational stress and the four occupational stress sub-dimensions with risk factors.

Results

A total of 13,867 workers were included. The prevalence of high occupational stress was 3.3% in the EHGWPS industries, 10.3% in manufacturing, and 5.8% in transportation. The prevalence of high occupational stress was higher than in the other two categories (p < 0.05) in manufacturing industries. Logistic regression analysis showed that male workers with lower educational status, more job experience, and working in manufacturing were vulnerable to high occupational stress. Further analysis of the four occupational stress sub-dimensions showed that male workers, older adult workers, workers with lower educational levels, and longer working time were associated with higher scores in job stressors, stress response, social support, and job stress & social support (all p < 0.05). Moreover, divorced or widowed workers had higher occupational stress scores.

Conclusion

Male workers with lower educational levels and longer working time may have an increased risk of occupational stress.