Symptoms of depression and all-cause mortality in farmers, a cohort study: the HUNT study, Norway
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Objectives: To explore all-cause mortality and the association between symptoms of depression and all-cause mortality in farmers compared with other occupational groups, using a prospective cohort design. Methods: We included adult participants with a known occupation from the second wave of the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (Helseundersøkelsen i Nord-Trøndelag 2 (HUNT2) 1995–1997), Norway. Complete information on emigration and death from all causes was obtained from the National Registries. We used the depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to measure symptoms of depression. We compared farmers to 4 other occupational groups. Our baseline study population comprised 32 618 participants. Statistical analyses were performed using the Cox proportional hazards models. Results: The estimated mortality risk in farmers was lower than in all other occupations combined, with a sex and age-adjusted HR (0.91, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.00). However, farmers had an 11% increased age-adjusted and sex-adjusted mortality risk compared with the highest ranked socioeconomic group (HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.25). In farmers, symptoms of depression were associated with a 13% increase in sex-adjusted and age-adjusted mortality risk (HR 1.13, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.45). Compared with other occupations this was the lowest HR, also after adjusting for education, marital status, long-lasting limiting somatic illness and lifestyle factors (HR 1.08, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.39). Conclusions: Farmers had lower all-cause mortality compared with the other occupational groups combined. Symptoms of depression were associated with an increased mortality risk in farmers, but the risk increase was smaller compared with the other occupational groups.
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Symptoms of depression in farmers are associated with a 13% increase in sex-adjusted and age-adjusted mortality.
“symptoms of depression are associated with a 13% increase in sex-adjusted and age-adjusted mortality [4–7].”
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 [7]
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Lamont, 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
“Depression in farmers increases with age, and is higher in males, and symptoms of depression are associated with a 13% increase in sex-adjusted and age-adjusted mortality [4–7].”
Background
- Authors
- Letnes, J. M., Torske, M. O., Hilt, B., Bjørngaard, J. H., & Krokstad, S.
- Affiliations
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NO)
- Corresponding author
- Letnes, Jon Magne
- Venue
- BMJ Open
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Published
- 2016-05
- Volume
- 6
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- e010783
- ISSN
- 2044-6055 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4874135
- OpenAlex
- W2400363223
- Cited by
- 7
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 0.39
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nc
- Locations
- BMJ Open (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- BIBSYS Brage (BIBSYS (Norway)) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet
- Norges Forskningsråd
- 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
- depressive symptoms, all-cause mortality, farmers, occupational groups, socioeconomic status, mortality risk, occupational health
- MeSH terms
- Farmers, Adult, Alcohol Drinking, Depression, Educational Status, Female, Health Surveys, Humans, Life Style, Male, Middle Aged, Norway, Occupational Diseases, Population Surveillance, Prospective Studies, Smoking, Socioeconomic Factors, Proportional Hazards Models
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