Change, connection and community: A qualitative exploration of farmers' mental health

Abstract

Western Australia is a geographically diverse area and major contributor to Australia's agricultural production, however the specific challenges and resources associated with farmers' mental health have not been examined. Farmers face significant challenges such as variability in weather, unpredictable commodity markets, and increasing isolation as rural community populations decline. This qualitative research study adopted a social constructionist epistemology to explore the main risk and protective factors for the mental health of farmers in Western Australia. Sixteen farmers (37% female; 28–64 years old, M = 41.75 years) and thirteen service providers (38% female, 27–64 years of age M = 47.23) participated in semi-structured interviews. Through inductive thematic analysis the findings suggest that the main risk factors contributing to poor mental health of farmers included rate of change, family business, declining communities, drinking culture and weather variability. Our findings indicate that communication and connection with others and taking time away from farming were important protective factors for farmers' mental health. However, different aspects of some factors comprised both mental health risks and protections. These findings highlight mental health as a significant concern in rural areas and that building community awareness and initiatives around mental health are vital to support farming communities.