Farmers and agricultural workers in the United States have been shown to be at elevated risk of suicide. Recent stressors such as weather disasters, crop prices, and uncertain international tariffs, may be exacerbating risk of suicide in this population, and thus make this an urgent area for exploration. This presentation will explore the issue by examining suicide data for farmers and agricultural workers from the Georgia Violent Death Reporting System, a statewide surveillance system that is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Violent Death Reporting System.
To further explore the cultural context of farmer suicides, this presentation will also discuss findings from a survey of agricultural extension agents in Georgia. This survey examined two domains: 1) extension agents’ views on the current stressors experienced by farmers in Georgia and 2) extension agents’ level of comfort with discussing mental health issues in farming communities. Using these two studies, the presentation will provide potential strategies for intervention and next steps to consider for suicide prevention among farmers and agricultural workers.
On March 5, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Eastern, we invite you to join us for a SCCAHS webinar with Dr. Anna Scheyett.
