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“An Incredible Amount of Stress before You Even Put a Shovel in the Ground”: A Mixed Methods Analysis of Farming Stressors in Canada

Author

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  • Rochelle Thompson

    (Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada)

  • Briana N. M. Hagen

    (Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada)

  • Margaret N. Lumley

    (Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada)

  • Charlotte B. Winder

    (Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada)

  • Basem Gohar

    (Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
    Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada)

  • Andria Jones-Bitton

    (Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada)

Abstract

Farming is widely regarded as a highly stressful occupation, and many farming stressors have been studied globally. Research on farming stressors in Canada is scarce, yet there is some indication that Canadian farmers have high perceived stress scores and score more severely across mental health outcomes compared to the general population. This study provides a comprehensive exploration of farming stressors in Canada with the aim to inform avenues to reduce stress and/or boost the well-being of farmers. An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was used. First, qualitative data were collected from 75 in-depth interviews with farmers and industry professionals from Ontario, Canada from 2017 to 2018. These data were then used to inform items measuring self-reported stress across 12 farming stressors in a national cross-sectional survey of farmers’ mental health conducted February–May 2021. Results from both data sources provide an initial understanding of the episodic and chronic stressors faced by farmers in Canada, and the context within which these stressors are experienced. Implications and focus areas for stress reduction and well-being promotion are discussed in this paper.

Suggested Citation

  • Rochelle Thompson & Briana N. M. Hagen & Margaret N. Lumley & Charlotte B. Winder & Basem Gohar & Andria Jones-Bitton, 2023. "“An Incredible Amount of Stress before You Even Put a Shovel in the Ground”: A Mixed Methods Analysis of Farming Stressors in Canada," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-23, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:8:p:6336-:d:1117840
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rochelle Thompson & Briana N. M. Hagen & Margaret N. Lumley & Charlotte B. Winder & Basem Gohar & Andria Jones-Bitton, 2022. "Mental Health and Substance Use of Farmers in Canada during COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-24, October.
    2. Shadi Beshai & Sandeep Mishra & Justin R. Feeney & Tansi Summerfield & Chet C. Hembroff & Gregory P. Krätzig, 2022. "Resilience in the Ranks: Trait Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Buffer the Deleterious Effects of Envy on Mental Health Symptoms among Public Safety Personnel," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-12, May.
    3. Briana N. M. Hagen & Alex Sawatzky & Sherilee L. Harper & Terri L. O’Sullivan & Andria Jones-Bitton, 2021. "What Impacts Perceived Stress among Canadian Farmers? A Mixed-Methods Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-14, July.
    4. Ken E. Giller & Thomas Delaune & João Vasco Silva & Katrien Descheemaeker & Gerrie Ven & Antonius G.T. Schut & Mark Wijk & James Hammond & Zvi Hochman & Godfrey Taulya & Regis Chikowo & Sudha Narayana, 2021. "The future of farming: Who will produce our food?," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(5), pages 1073-1099, October.
    5. Helen L. Berry & Thomas D. Waite & Keith B. G. Dear & Anthony G. Capon & Virginia Murray, 2018. "The case for systems thinking about climate change and mental health," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 8(4), pages 282-290, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Rebecca Purc-Stephenson & Nicole Roy & Adachukwu Chimaobi & Deanna Hood, 2024. "An Evidence-Based Guide for Delivering Mental Healthcare Services in Farming Communities: A Qualitative Study of Providers’ Perspectives," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(6), pages 1-16, June.
    2. Rochelle Thompson & Briana N. M. Hagen & Andria Jones-Bitton, 2023. "Tractors, Talk, Mindset, Mantras, Detachment, and Distraction: A Mixed-Methods Investigation of Coping Strategies Used by Farmers in Canada," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-19, May.

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