Social factors and Australian farmer suicide: a qualitative study

Meg Perceval,Diego De Leo,Prasuna Reddy,Kairi Kõlves,Victoria Ross

doi:10.1186/s12889-018-6287-7

Meg Perceval, Diego De Leo + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-018-6287-7

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Abstract

BackgroundFarmers and farm workers have been recognised as a group at high risk of suicide in Australia; however this risk is not without geographic and demographic variation. This study aims to identify and better understand the complex interplay of risk and protective factors surrounding farmer suicide, with an emphasis on social influences, so as to inform tailored and effective suicide prevention initiatives.MethodsFocus groups were conducted in three diverse sites across two states in Australia with men and women separately to gain perceptions about suicide risk and protective factors and attitudes towards suicide and help seeking. The three communities in each state represented areas with a suicide rate similar to, above, and below the state average. The communities were also diverse in their population, types of farming, geographic location, distance from and access to services. There were a total of 33 female and 30 male participants.ResultsQualitative analysis indicated three major interrelated social factors: (1) changing rural communities, (2) community attitudes and stigma and (3) relationship issues.ConclusionsThe biopsycho-ecological model is considered useful to better understand and address social, as well as individual and environmental factors, pertaining to farmer suicide.

Highlights

Farmers and farm workers have been recognised as a group at high risk of suicide in Australia; this risk is not without geographic and demographic variation
Research into the factors contributing to elevated rural suicide rates has found that factors such as the prevalence of mental illness did not explain discrepancies in rural compared to urban suicide rates, as rates of mental
Geographic and demographic variations in suicide rates have continued to be noted in Australian farmers [2, 13]

Summary

Introduction

Farmers and farm workers have been recognised as a group at high risk of suicide in Australia; this risk is not without geographic and demographic variation. Farmers do not just belong to an occupational group, but are part of families, small and often tight-knit rural communities, and operate within a unique geographical, psychological, environmental and social context within Australia [15]. The farmers’ work environment has been described as characterised by “high stress” [16] with “relentless demands” [17] Social factors such as Perceval et al BMC Public Health (2018) 18:1367 relationship breakdown, isolation and loneliness, as well adherence to sociocultural norms of masculinity, stoicism and self-reliance have been implicated in Australian farmer suicide [10, 11, 18,19,20,21]. Farmers themselves perceive risk for suicide to result from a highly interactive combination of individual, environmental and social factors [20, 21]

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