Farmer suicides: a qualitative study from Australia

Farmers in Australia, in general, have poorer health outcomes, including higher rates of suicide. To investigate risk and protective factors and attitudes towards suicide and help-seeking among farmers living and working in New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. A qualitative study in which th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Occupational medicine (Oxford) 2017-07, Vol.67 (5), p.383-388
Main Authors: Perceval, M, Kõlves, K, Reddy, P, De Leo, D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Farmers
Female
Focus Groups
Help-Seeking Behavior
Humans
Male
New South Wales
Protective Factors
Qualitative Research
Queensland
Risk Factors
Suicide - psychology
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Summary:Farmers in Australia, in general, have poorer health outcomes, including higher rates of suicide. To investigate risk and protective factors and attitudes towards suicide and help-seeking among farmers living and working in New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. A qualitative study in which three farming sites were selected in each state to represent an area with a suicide rate equal to, below and above the state average. Focus groups were conducted with men and women separately. Focus groups involved 30 men and 33 women. Inductive thematic analysis showed three broad themes characterized responses: environment and society; community and relationships; and individual factors. There was considerable overlap and dynamic interaction between themes. A combination of individual factors, as well as social and environmental stressors, was described as most likely to increase risk of suicide death and reduce help-seeking. The vast majority of known farmer suicides described involved men and many of the issues discussed pertained specifically to male farmers. Participants found suicide as an act complex, intertwined with many factors, and hard to fathom. A common belief was that an individual must feel a complete lack of hope and perceive their situation vastly differently from others to contemplate suicide. Future suicide prevention efforts for farmers should take a biopsycho-ecological approach. Physical, psychological and cultural isolation could be addressed with education and training programmes and public campaigns. These could also improve people's ability to recognize possible suicidality.
ISSN:0962-7480
1471-8405
DOI:10.1093/occmed/kqx055