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Rural Response to Farmer Mental Health and Suicide Prevention – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Response to Farmer Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.

Developing and Implementing Farm Stress Training to Address Agricultural Producer Mental Health
Offers an overview of a U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency online training program for agribusiness professionals to offer mental health resources to farmers and ranchers. Describes issues of mental healthcare access for rural and farm populations and the process of developing the training program, as well as challenges, successes, and practical implications of the program.
Author(s): Courtney Cuthbertson, Alison Brennan, John Shutske, et al.
Citation: Health Promotion Practice, 1524839920931849
Date: 06/2020
Type: Document
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Association of Farm-Related Occupations with Psychological Distress & Mortality
Highlights the factors contributing to psychological distress and mortality among farm-related occupations. Discusses the health risks associated with agricultural labor and their psychological and physical outcomes. Slide presentation from the 2020 National Rural Health Association Annual conference.
Author(s): Ahmed A. Arif, James N. Laditka, Sarah B. Laditka, Oluwaseun Adeyemi
Date: 06/2020
Type: Presentation Slides
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Depression, Alcohol and Farm Stress: Addressing Co-Occurring Disorders in Rural America
Offers resources to help rural healthcare providers screen farmers, farmworkers, and farm families for alcohol use disorder and depression. Discusses farm stress and covers three categories of barriers to rural substance use and mental health services: accessibility, availability, and acceptability. Includes a hypothetical case scenario to illustrate the obstacles and challenges rural farm families experience when attempting to receive care for co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
Author(s): Maridee Shogren, Robin Landwehr, David Terry, Abby Roach-Moore, Andrew McLean
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network, Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Growing Stress on the Farm: The Expanding Economic and Mental Health Disparities in Rural Missouri
Identifies disparities in mental health outcomes and economic factors for farmers and other rural Missourians. Presents opportunities to promote access to mental health services, improve outcomes, and reduce stigma. Includes statistics on suicides in Missouri with breakdowns by metropolitan and rural areas, age, and gender, and hospital emergency visits by rural Missourians for psychiatric disorders, substance use disorder, and suicidality.
Author(s): M. Reidhead, J. Medows, K. Dothage, et al.
Date: 02/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Missouri Coalition for Community Behavioral Healthcare, Missouri Department of Mental Health, Missouri Farm Bureau, Missouri Hospital Association, University of Missouri Extension
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Farmer Stress in Georgia: Results of a Survey
Results of a survey measuring type and intensity of stressors affecting Georgia farmers, based on information gathered from 118 attendees at the 2019 Georgia Farm Bureau Convention. Features statistics with breakdowns by demographics, specific types of farming employment, and top stressors.
Author(s): Anna Scheyett
Date: 01/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Georgia School of Social Work
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Assessing Health and Safety Concerns and Psychological Stressors among Agricultural Workers in the U.S. Midwest
Results of a 2018 study of 540 farmers in Iowa, Ohio, Missouri, Minnesota, and Nebraska, identifying agricultural work stressors including chemical and equipment safety, finances, and health concerns such as hearing loss, respiratory problems, depression, and acute illnesses. Examines differences between mail and in-person survey modes, and compares their effectiveness in promoting farm workers' willingness to participate in the surveys. Features demographics and statistics on the types of stress experienced.
Author(s): Kanika Arora, Marsha Cheyney, Fredric Gerr, et al.
Citation: Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health, 26(1), 45-58
Date: 01/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
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Suicide Rates by Industry and Occupation — National Violent Death Reporting System, 32 States, 2016
Examines suicide rates for major industry and occupational groups and detailed occupational groups. Includes information on suicide rates for occupations that are largely rural, including farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers; agricultural workers; and fishing and hunting workers.
Additional links: Supplementary Table 1: Major Industry Groups, Supplementary Table 2: Major and Detailed Occupational Groups
Author(s): Cora Peterson, Aaron Sussell, Jia Li, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(3), 57-62
Date: 01/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Farm and Farm Family Risk and Resilience: A Guide for Extension Educational Programming
A guide for educators focused on programming to reduce risk and increase resilience for farms and farm families. Includes a risk and resilience framework, logic models for programming with three different audiences, tools for assessment and teaching, and teaching resources. Part of the Farm and Farm Family Risk and Resilience Toolkit.
Additional links: Creating a Thriving Farm Visuals, Descriptions and Stacking Game, Farm and Farm Family Risk and Resilience Logic Models, Farm and Farm Family Risk and Resilience Program Planning Tool
Author(s): Bonnie Braun, Maria Pippidis
Date: 01/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: University of Cooperative Delaware Extension, University of Maryland Extension
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Responding to Crisis: Farmer Mental Health Programs in the Extension North Central Region
Provides an overview of programs and resources to address the mental health needs of farmers and farm families in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Discusses outreach efforts in the region and best practices in developing materials.
Author(s): Shoshanah Inwood, Florence Becot, Andrea Bjornestad, Carrie Henning-Smith, Andrew Alberth
Citation: Journal of Extension, 57(6)
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
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Who and How: Exploring the Preferred Senders and Channels of Mental Health Information for Wisconsin Farmers
Presents a study on the dissemination of mental health information to farmers. Farmers were surveyed on how they would like to receive this information and who they think should present it to them.
Author(s): Josie M. Rudolphi, Richard Berg, Barbara Marlenga
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(20), 3836
Date: 10/2019
Type: Document
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Last Updated: 10/7/2024