Social networks and mental health among a farming population
Abstract
Aims The study investigated the associations between mental health and measures of community support, social support networks, sense of place, adversity, and perceived problems in a rural Australian population. There was a specific focus on farming communities due to previous qualitative research by the authors indicating distress by farmers in response to drought (Sartore et al. Aust Fam Phys 36(12), 990-993, 2007).Method A survey was mailed to adults randomly selected from the Australian Electoral Roll and residing within four local government areas (LGAs) of varying remoteness in rural New South Wales (NSW). Survey measures included: support networks and community attachment; recent stressors (including drought-related stress); and measures of health and related functioning. The Kessler-10 provided an index of current psychological distress.Results The sample (n = 449; response rate 24%) was predominantly female (58.4%) and 18.9% were farmers or farm workers. Moderate to very high psychological distress was reported for 20.7% of the sample. Half (56.1%) of all respondents, and specifically 71.8% of farmers or farm workers, reported high levels of perceived stress due to drought. Psychological distress was associated with recent adverse life events, increased alcohol use and functional impairment. Hierarchical regression analysis demonstrated an independent effect of the number of stressful life events including drought related stress, perceived social support (community and individual), alcohol use and physical functioning ability on levels of psychological distress. This model accounted for 43% of the variance in current levels of distress. Lower community support had a more marked impact on distress levels for non-farming than farming participants.Conclusions This study has highlighted the association between unique rural community characteristics and rural stressors (such as drought) and measures of mental health, suggesting the important mediating role of social factors and community characteristics. The results illustrate the importance of addressing subgroup differences in the role of social capital in mental health.
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In a 2008 study in New South Wales, Australia, nearly three quarters of farmers reported stress related to persistent drought.
“Exemplifying this, a 2008 study in New South Wales, Australia reports that nearly three quarters of farmers report stress related to persistent drought [88].”
From Climate change and mental health: risks, impacts and priority actions (2018) · cites this paper as [88]
Social factors and community characteristics have an important mediating role in the mental health of the farming population.
“Social factors and community characteristics have an important mediating role in the mental health of the farming population [8, 9].”
From Improving the mental health of farmers: what types of remote support are acceptable, feasible, and improve outcomes? A feasibility RCT (2024) · cites this paper as [8]
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Fisher, K., Newbold, K. B., Eyles, J. D., & Elliott, S. J. (2013) · Health · doi:10.4236/health.2013.53a073 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
“Recent studies suggest that it may be important to focus on rural populations and/or mental health [23,30], although rurality alone has been linked to a strong sense-of-place in many but not all studies [29, 101].”
BackgroundEXPLORING AGRICULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CLAY BELT OF ONTARIO, CANADA
Robinson, D., Caldwell, W., & Epp, S. (2020) · WIT transactions on ecology and the environment · doi:10.2495/eid200141 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
“As a result of youth out-migration and population aging, rural communities experience the closure of businesses and a declining population base, resulting in low levels of social capital [24]–[26].”
BackgroundLamont, K., van Woerden, H. C., King, E., Wendelboe-Nelson, C., Humphry, R. W., Stark, C., Williams, C., & Maxwell, M. (2024) · Discover Mental Health · doi:10.1007/s44192-023-00054-1 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
“Social factors and community characteristics have an important mediating role in the mental health of the farming population [8, 9].”
BackgroundRiethmuller, M. L., Newnham, E. A., Dzidic, P. L., & McEvoy, P. M. (2024) · Health Promotion International · doi:10.1093/heapro/daae069 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
The effect of social capital on mental health of citizens (Case Study: Mashhad)
Saberifar, R. (2016) · Health Research Journal · doi:10.20286/hrj-010205 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
A systematized review exploring the map of publications on the health impacts of drought
Mehdipour, S., Nakhaee, N., Zolala, F., Okhovati, M., Afsar, F., & Haghdoost, A. A. (2022) · Natural Hazards · doi:10.1007/s11069-022-05311-0 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Lundqvist, P. (2024) · Ubezpieczenia w Rolnictwie - Materiały i Studia · doi:10.48058/urms/82.2024.5 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Resilience, Loneliness, and Mental Well-Being in the UK Farming Community
Kyle, S. N., Dunne, S., & Barkus, E. (2026) · Journal of Agromedicine · doi:10.1080/1059924x.2025.2583409 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Proctor, C., & Hopkins, N. (2024) · Journal of Agromedicine · doi:10.1080/1059924x.2024.2374737 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
“46,47 Reducing the stigma associated with engaging in help-seeking behavior may encourage the farming community’s engagement with mental health resources, either digitally or in-person, but efforts need to be made to reach extended networks such as bankers, feed store operators, and religious…”
Impact of farmers’ social relationships on productivity: a multiplex network analysis
Gambrah, P. P., & Yu, Q. (2022) · Journal of Complex Networks · doi:10.1093/comnet/cnac046 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Sacred Place: An Interdisciplinary Approach for the Social Science
Abe, J. S. (2010) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-7482-2_9 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
“These place-based constructs emphasize affective experiences or impacts within an individual that are elicited by place and that may be associated with health outcomes (Fullilove 1996; Bolam et al. 2006; Frumkin 2003; Stain et al. 2008 ).”
BackgroundClimate Change and Mental Health from a Developmental and Life Course Perspective
Ha, S. (2024) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-56736-0_2 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
LGBTQ+ farmers’ supportive relationships and mental health outcomes
Billington, A., Codamon, A., Cuthbertson, C. A., Rivas‐Koehl, D., & Rivas‐Koehl, M. (2025) · Agriculture and Human Values · doi:10.1007/s10460-025-10770-9 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“Farmers’ social support has been associated with greater psychological well-being (Deegan and Dunne 2022) and reduced distress (Furey et al. 2016; McLaren and Challis 2009; Stain et al. 2008), with friend support being more impactful than family support (Deegan and Dunne 2022).”
Stress process and mental health among agricultural producers
Iwinski, S. J., Hu, Y., Cuthbertson, C. A., & Rudolphi, J. M. (2026) · Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology · doi:10.1007/s00127-025-03039-3 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“These findings reflect patterns well-documented in the liter - ature, including the critical role of social support in mental health [21–23, 41, 73, 74 ], the significant influence of stress on mental health outcomes [12, 48, 75], and the interplay between physical health and mental health in this…”
Luebbe, A., Rutherford, Z. H., Whiteford, H., & Diminic, S. (2026) · Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/00048674261467613 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“Having a strong sense of belonging and community support buffers distress following environmental disasters such as floods and droughts (Matthews et al., 2020; Stain et al., 2008).”
Mental Health Impacts of Droughts: Lessons for the U.S. from Australia
Petkova, E. P., Celovsky, A. S., Tsai, W.-Y., & Eisenman, D. P. (2017) · Climate change management · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-53742-9_18 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Galloway, A. P. (2013) · Scholarship & Creative Works - Digital UNC a service of University Libraries (University of Northern Colorado) · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Collins, J. (2017) · Figshare · doi:10.4225/03/5890218269cf6
“As stated, there are many aspects of rural living that residents identify as being a positive influence on their wellbeing including, for some rural men and women, a deep sense of personal connection to the land (Harvey, 1997; Stain et al., 2008).”
BackgroundInfluentialDepression, anxiety and metabolic syndrome in farm men and women
Jeffery-Dawes, N. (2012) · Figshare
Yazd, S. D. (2019) · Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide)
Psychology and Black History Month in the United States
Charlton, S. R. (2020) · Eye on Psi Chi Magazine · doi:10.24839/2164-9812.eye24.4.18
The Effect of Relationship-building Programs on the Resilience of Women in Agriculture
Bertsch, R. (2020) · NDSU Repository (North Dakota State University)
Xin, H., & Karamehić-Muratović, A. (2021) · Universal Journal of Public Health · doi:10.13189/ujph.2021.090609
“Findings regarding social networking and mental health remained consistent across many other studies among military personnel, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender older adults, pregnant women, farmers, and others [11-14].”
ResultFactors Associated with Distress Tolerance among Community Dwelling Older Adults
AbdElsalam, R. M. M., & ElKholy, S. E. A.-E. (2017) · Alexandria Scientific Nursing Journal · doi:10.21608/asalexu.2017.208350
“2008((20)) who revealed that lower distress tolerance was reported due to lower community resources.”
BackgroundQualitative Analysis Following the Delivery of a Farmer Lifestyle Program
Kavanagh, R., Douglas, P., & Keaver, L. (2024) · Journal of Agromedicine · doi:10.1080/1059924x.2024.2343400
“31 The importance of community and environmental contexts on wellbeing are well established, whereby community cohesion, social connectiveness, and supportive relationships act as potential buffers against health risk behaviors.”
BackgroundThe Organic Farmer Safety, Health & Life Questionnaire (OFSHLQ)
Más, F. S., Hsiao, Y., Ji, M., & Zhao, S. (2024) · Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine · doi:10.1097/jom.0000000000003299
Lundqvist, P. (2024) · Ubezpieczenia w Rolnictwie - Materiały i Studia · doi:10.48058/urms/82.2024.6
Wheeler, R., & Lobley, M. (2022) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.20347607
Fletcher, C. M. E., Woolford, D. D., Gladigau, J., & Gunn, K. M. (2024) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.26688017
King, E., Lamont, K., Wendelboe‐Nelson, C., Williams, C., Stark, C., van Woerden, H. C., & Maxwell, M. (2023) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.23298929
Fletcher, C. M. E., Woolford, D. D., Gladigau, J., & Gunn, K. M. (2024) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.26688023
Fletcher, C. M. E., Woolford, D. D., Gladigau, J., & Gunn, K. M. (2024) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.26688020
Buddle, E. A., Botterill, L., & Ankeny, R. (2026) · Journal of Rural Studies · doi:10.1016/j.jrurstud.2026.104057
Kaewvijit, R., Chanpiwat, P., Sithisarankul, P., Sirinara, P., & Ingviya, T. (2026) · Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology · doi:10.1186/s12995-026-00504-w
Global perspectives on occupational health risks in rural areas: a systematic review
Espinosa, O., Rodríguez, J., Ramos, A., Bejarano, V., Ordóñez, A., Huamán, K. I. F., Torres-Tovar, M., & Luna, J. (2026) · Discover Social Science and Health · doi:10.1007/s44155-026-00411-9
Efectos psicológicos y económicos de los cortes de electricidad en ganaderos de Tisaleo
Capuz-Poaquiza, F. C., & Castro-Raza, A. A. (2026) · Sanitas. Revista arbitrada de ciencias de la salud. · doi:10.62574/sanitas.v4iespecial6.004
- Authors
- Stain, H. J., Kelly, B., Lewin, T. J., Higginbotham, N., Beard, J. R., & Hourihan, F.
- Affiliations
- Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health (AU)
- University of Newcastle Australia (AU)
- The University of Sydney (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Stain, Helen J.
- Venue
- Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
- Published
- 2008-05-23
- Volume
- 43
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 843-849
- ISSN
- 0933-7954 (ISSN-L)
- 1433-9285
- OpenAlex
- W2009622885
- Cited by
- 94
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 4 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 4.03
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- NOVA (University of Newcastle Australia) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Agriculture and Farm Safety
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › General Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Rural development and sustainability
- Keywords
- mental health, psychological distress, farmers, farm workers, drought stress, social support networks, community support, sense of place, life events, alcohol consumption, functional disability, social capital, rural Australia
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Agricultural Workers' Diseases, Alcoholism, Mental Disorders, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Health Surveys, Humans, Life Change Events, Male, Middle Aged, New South Wales, Risk Factors, Rural Population, Social Identification, Social Support, Health Behavior, Comorbidity, Droughts
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