‘Farming is not just an occupation [but] a whole lifestyle’: a qualitative examination of lifestyle and cultural factors affecting mental health help-seeking in Australian farmers

Vayro, Caitlin; Brownlow, Charlotte; Ireland, Michael; March, Sonja

doi:10.1111/soru.12274

Cited by 87Agriculture and Farm SafetyMental Health Treatment and AccessSuicide and Self-Harm Studies

‘Farming is not just an occupation [but] a whole lifestyle’: a qualitative examination of lifestyle and cultural factors affecting mental health help-seeking in Australian farmers

Vayro, Caitlin, Brownlow, Charlotte, Ireland, Michael, March, Sonja·2020·Sociologia Ruralis

DOI 10.1111/soru.12274

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Abstract

Abstract The aim of this study was to understand the ‘farming life’ factors that affect the mental health help‐seeking of farmers. Semi‐structured interviews were completed with 10 farmers, 10 farmers’ partners, and eight General Practitioners (GPs), covering mental health help‐seeking. Interview data were then analysed using thematic analysis resulting in three themes: Lifestyle and culture, farming priorities, and the challenges of farming. The findings showed that the lifestyle and culture of farming values traits such as stoicism and self‐reliance, which is ingrained in farmers’ identities and appears antithetical to mental health help‐seeking. The farming priorities theme highlighted that farmers are time‐poor and believe mental health help‐seeking to be time‐consuming and an interference to their work, which is their primary priority. Lastly, this research revealed that farming challenges, such as financial volatility, increase the need for help, but can also reduce the ability to seek help. Implications of the findings highlight a need to carefully engage with farming cultures more broadly when seeking to support the mental health of the farming community.

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Given time restrictions by often long and unpredictable working hours in farming, individual time composition appears especially important for adherence and might help dissolve the conflict of prioritizing work over help-seeking.
“Given time restrictions by often long and unpredictable working hours in this occupational group (Bowyer et al., 2023; Braun et al., 2022; Daghagh Yazd et al., 2019; Vayro et al., 2020), individual time composition appears to be especially important for adherence and might help to dissolve the conflict of prioritizing work over help-seeking reported in other studies (Vayro et al., 2020).”
From How to promote usage of telehealth interventions for farmers' mental health? A qualitative study on supporting and hindering aspects for acceptance and satisfaction with a personalized telephone coaching for depression prevention (2023) · cites this paper as Vayro et al., 2020
Openly addressing farming-specific topics and expression of appreciation in communication about mental health care might be important for actual usage.
“Openly addressing of farming-specific topics and expression of appreciation in the communication about mental health care might therefore be important for actual usage, which are highlighted by studies focusing on help-seeking behavior and intervention design in this population (Lotfi et al., 2010; Vayro et al., 2020).”
From How to promote usage of telehealth interventions for farmers' mental health? A qualitative study on supporting and hindering aspects for acceptance and satisfaction with a personalized telephone coaching for depression prevention (2023) · cites this paper as Vayro et al., 2020

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Authors: Vayro, C., Brownlow, C., Ireland, M., & March, S.
Affiliations: University of Southern Queensland (AU)
Corresponding author: Vayro, Caitlin
ORCID: Vayro, Caitlin
Brownlow, Charlotte
Ireland, Michael
March, Sonja
Venue: Sociologia Ruralis
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2019-10-15
Volume: 60
Issue: 1
Pages: 151-173
ISSN: 0038-0199 (ISSN-L)
1467-9523
DOI: 10.1111/soru.12274
OpenAlex: W2976150583
Cited by: 87
References: 54
Citations by year: 2026: 11 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3
FWCI: 4.79
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations: Sociologia Ruralis (publishedVersion)
University of Southern Queensland ePrints (University of Southern Queensland) (submittedVersion)
Topics: Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Agriculture and Farm Safety
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
Keywords: farmers, mental health help-seeking, Stoicism, self-reliance, general practitioners, time poverty, financial market volatility, help-seeking barriers, rural mental health, agricultural culture

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‘Farming is not just an occupation [but] a whole lifestyle’: a qualitative examination of lifestyle and cultural factors affecting mental health help-seeking in Australian farmers

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