Study examines stress, social support and mental health for male and female farmers

Farming is a stressful occupation, and farmers suffer from anxiety and depression at higher levels than the general population. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign examines the differences in mental health issues for male and female farmers, focusing on the role of social support in reducing stress. The findings are published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

“We were interested in understanding depression and anxiety among farmers in Illinois, and we wanted to draw attention to social support and location, especially as it relates to gender. When we think about mental health and agriculture, we also want to think about the person in a broader context.

“In addition to what they find stressful, what are the supports and coping mechanisms that people might have? Our findings highlight some of the complexities in these relationships,” says co-author Courtney Cuthbertson, extension specialist in Illinois and assistant professor. in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at Illinois.

The researchers surveyed 536 farmers in Illinois – about 70% men and 30% women – who were the primary owners of a farm. Participants responded to questions about agricultural stress, mental health, social support and resilience, as well as farm demographics and characteristics.

They found that 34% of respondents met criteria for at least mild anxiety disorder and 26% met criteria for at least mild symptoms of depression, compared to 18-19% in the general population. Although the overall findings were similar for male and female farmers, men were more likely to report mild symptoms, while a greater proportion of women experienced severe anxiety and depression.

Personal finances, time pressure and economic circumstances were the most common stressors for both men and women. However, interpersonal relationships contributed to higher stress levels for women than for men.

Women were four times more likely than men to experience depression due to geographic isolation. Among farmers who reported low family support, women were twelve times more likely to have depressive symptoms and eight times more likely to have anxiety symptoms than men in the sample.

“We also found that social support differs for men and women, as male farmers were significantly more likely to report high social support from a significant other than the women in the sample,” said lead author Josie Rudolphi, Illinois Extension specialist and assistant professor. in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE), part of the College of ACES and The Grainger College of Engineering.

This is consistent with literature on the broader population. Women are often expected to do housework and care work in addition to farm work, and they are more affected by negative events that happen to friends and family, the researchers said.

“Although we do not know the makeup of partner dynamics in the sample, the findings indicate that there are gendered expectations about who provides social support. It appears that even when women are in a partner relationship, they are not receiving the kind of support they need to have.” social support from their partner that men say they receive,” says Rudolphi.

Lower social support combined with high stress due to geographic isolation may lead to challenges emerging for women farmers’ mental health, the researchers said.

“This highlights the need for continued support in rural farming communities with limited mental health services. Providing services and resources that increase perceived social support among women farmers could improve their mental health outcomes,” Rudolphi concluded.

Rudolphi and Cuthbertson are co-directors of the North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center, a 12-state, 15-partner partnership based in Illinois Extension that provides stress management and mental health interventions for Midwestern farmers and farmworkers. The center is supported by the USDA Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network.