Farming communities
- Research suggests there are higher rates of stress and depression in farming communities; as well as higher risk of suicide compared to other occupations (Hagen et al., 2019).
- The ‘Big Farming Survey’ found that over a 1 in 5 people in the farming community in England are likely to be depressed (RABI, 2021)
Local population
The 2021 Census found that there were 5,600 people within Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who had jobs within agriculture, forestry and fishing (ONS, 2022).
Risk factors for poor mental health
- A review of research found that there are a range of factors that impact the mental health of farming communities, particularly financial difficulties, poor physical health and climate variability/extreme weather events (Yazd et al., 2019).
- Research suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the drivers of poor mental health in farming communities, such as loneliness, with many farmers reporting that they felt more stressed and anxious as a result (Rose et al., 2023).
- Farming communities in the UK have faced additional uncertainty in recent years due to the wider changes resulting from Brexit (RABI, 2021).
Access
International research suggests that farmers may face specific barriers to accessing mental health support, including a lack of accessible services (due to rurality and working hours), stigma within small farming communities, and a lack of farming knowledge amongst healthcare professionals (Rose et al., 2023).
Experience
There is limited information on experiences of farming communities within and mental health services.
Outcomes
There is limited information on outcomes of farming communities within mental health services.
Additional resources
- The local data pack gives an overview of key data and trends
- Supporting farming communities at times of uncertainty: An action framework to support the mental health and well-being of farmers and their families
References
Full list of references is included at the end of this chapter.