Supporting Farming Communities' Mental Health Challenges
Addressing Mental Health Challenges in Farming Through Community-Based Support Programs
Mental health - one of the long terms impacts of
Covid 19?
As I sat on the bus yesterday morning, I remembered a
conversation with my friend Tim during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. In
April 2020, amidst global lockdowns and restrictions, we discussed the varied
public perceptions of these measures across different EU countries. We also
discussed the unique challenges, such as limited transport options and high
flight costs, making it difficult for people to return to their hometowns and
countries. Additionally, we touched on the significant health impacts,
particularly in rural regions where isolation was exacerbated by fewer social
and healthcare resources. The surreal nature of the pandemic highlighted the
stark differences in mobility, accessibility, and health support between urban
and rural regions.
However, one topic has stuck with me: mental health.
We talked about isolation (physical and professional),
coping mechanisms, mortality rates, infections, and spikes in certain areas. We
drew examples from rural communities we worked with, which reported lower
infection rates but higher mortality rates than urban areas. Tim mentioned,
"I worry that what we’re seeing now is nothing compared to the mental
health crises we’ll encounter in the next decade as an aftermath of the
pandemic."
Observing the world over the past four years, I would agree
with him. We often revisit that conversation in our catch ups, always finding
new angles to explore the topic. According to the WHO,
in the first year alone of the Pandemic, the global prevalence of anxiety and
depression increased by 25%. We could potentially attribute this surge to
extreme social isolation, inability to connect with support networks, family,
and friends, insecure work conditions, financial challenges, uncertainty,
displacement, loss of loved ones, and exhaustion, all contributing to
increasing risks of suicidal thinking and self-harming behaviours.
Rural areas and mental health
This rise in mental health problems coincided with severe
disruptions to mental health services, leaving significant gaps in care for
those who need it most. In rural communities,
where many of these services were lacking even before the Pandemic, the
pressure on both services and informal support systems was further amplified.
By the end of the 2021, WHO reported certain improvements, but there is still
limited understanding of the extent of the mental health issues in rural areas,
specifically among farmers. Considering that farming often involves a lifestyle
with limited disposable time, income, and access to community programmes, it can
also lead to isolation and reduced social interaction. Older farmers, in particular,
may face early disability and chronic illness, combined with societal
expectations that discourage seeking support.
In the UK, research indicates
that agriculture has one of the highest mortality rates, significantly
affecting farmers' health, family life, productivity, and animal welfare. Rural
Australians face barriers to accessing mental health support, with few
receiving specialists’ care. Governments in Australia, Canada and the UK have
made farmers' mental health a priority, especially post-COVID-19, due to its
impact on animal welfare and food security.
Community-led approaches to addressing mental
health
One of the ways to tackle this challenge is through
community- based programmes tailored for farmers, such as the ‘men’s shed’ initiative.
These grassroots groups offer men opportunities to socialise through activities
like woodwork, repair projects, and volunteering. Men’s sheds also promote
health initiatives and provide a non-compulsory, informal setting for male
interaction. These places have been shown to increase health-seeking behaviours
and improve health management and recovery among members.
Community organisations like Men’s Sheds may be playing an
increasingly important role in providing mental health support in rural
areas, but these organisations may be
struggling with supporting their staff and users with mental health
challenges. One measure of the need for
more mental health support for rural community organisations is the increase in
training being provided by support organisations on the topic, such as by Community Land Scotland or
Development Trust Association Scotland. We need to better understand how to best
support rural community mental health providers, such as Men’s Sheds.
New research on the Agriculture and Health
nexus
In collaboration with the WHO, our team at the RPC is
currently looking into this matter through the lens of integrated rural
development planning: the Agriculture and Health Policy Nexus in the context of
climate change. We are well aware that these community-based initiatives can
significantly enhance resilience and well-being in rural communities. By
recognising the value of integrated approaches and developing reciprocal agriculture
and health policies, we can promote sustainable development and improve overall
quality of life for farmers and rural populations across different landscapes.
USEFUL LINKS:
Relevant research:
Canada. Parlement.
Chambre des communes. Comité permanent de l'agriculture et agro-alimentaire and
Finnigan, P. (2019). Mental Health: A Priority for Our Farmers:
Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food.
Cox, T., Barnett, T., Cross, M. (2019). Older Aboriginal
men creating a therapeutic Men’s Shed: an exploratory study. Ageing &
Society, 40, pp. 1455-1468.
Finnigan, P. (2019). Mental Health: A Priority for Our
Farmers. Report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food. House
of Commons Canada.
Hagen, B.N.M., Sargeant, J., Winder, C.B., Harper, S.L.,
O’Sullivan, T.L., et al. (2019). Research trends in farmers’ mental health: A
scoping review of mental health outcomes and interventions among farming
populations worldwide. PLOS ONE, 14, pp. 1-20.
Hull, M.J., Vallury, K., Jones, M., Dollman, J. (2017). A
comparison of barriers to mental health support-seeking among farming and
non-farming adults in rural South Australia. The Australian Journal of Rural
Health, 25, pp. 347-353.
Kessler, R.C., Andrews, G., Colpe, L.J. et al. (2002).
Short screening scales to monitor population prevalences and trends in
non-specific psychological distress. Psychological Medicine, 32, pp.
959–976.
King Forbes, V. (2019). Mental Health Risks to Farmers in
the UK. UK Parliament: University of Oxford.
King, E., Lamont, K., Wendelboe-Nelson, C. et al. (2023).
Engaging the agricultural community in the development of mental health
interventions: a qualitative research study. BMC Psychiatry, 23, 399. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04806-9
Milligan, C., Payne, S., Hanrattys, B., Irwin, P., Dowrick,
C. (2016). Older men and social activity: a scoping review of Men’s Sheds and
other gendered interventions. Ageing & Society, 36, pp. 895-923.
Nurmi, M. A., Mackenzie, C. S., Roger, K., Reynolds, K.
& Urquhart, J. (2018). Older men’s perceptions of the need for and access
to male-focused community programmes such as Men’s Sheds. Ageing &
Society, 38, pp. 794-816.
Seaman, C.E., Smith, B. (2021). Reaching at-risk rural men: An evaluation of a health promotion activity targeting men at a large agricultural event. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 32, pp. 65-71.