Access to means may be less important in some circumstances than in others, perhaps because of the presence of other factors that confer protection. Nevertheless, among the groups we studied with access to lethal means were three groups whose risk of suicide has so far received little attention in New Zealand: nurses, female pharmacists, and hunters and cullers.

Farmers are known to be exposed to intermittent intense noise from a variety of sources, but long-term exposure and the resulting risk of hearing loss have not been well characterized. We studied a cross-sectional random sample of farms on which agricultural workers completed an audiometric test and questionnaire, and performed noise dosimetry on a subsample. Sixty-five percent of farms and a total of 586 workers participated. Noise on the subsample of 60 farms lay in a range between 84.8 to 86.8 dB(A) and hearing losses were consistent with this level of exposure. Age, driving tractors without cabs, and working with metal were important risk factors. Reported compliance with hearing protection was higher than that actually observed. The majority of farmers have a moderate risk of hearing loss, but a significant minority is at high risk. Elimination and isolation of noise sources are the control methods of choice, and if residual hearing protection is required, compliance must be improved.

This was a cross‐sectional study of stress in a stratified, random sample of New Zealand farmers (n = 1015). Data were obtained on farming‐specific environmental stressors, demographics and farm information. The stressor questionnaire grouped questions into seven sections; policy and procedures, finance, time pressures, hazards in farming, unpredictable factors in farming, geographical isolation, and community issues. The response rate was 60 per cent of farms. The most stressful events were ‘increased work load at peak times’, ‘dealing with workers’ compensation', ‘bad weather’, and ‘complying with health and safety legislation’. There were differences between men and women regarding stress experienced. Factor analysis found that the proposed model of farm‐specific stressors fitted the data moderately well. Age, being separated or divorced, being a deer farmer, the farm not making a profit in the last year, and supervising staff were independently associated with higher stress. The study highlights certain stressful factors that may be alleviated by action by farmer and government organizations as well as rural communities, including matters to do with staffing and health and safety, and financial and community support. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Research appears to be warranted to further investigate associations of laryngeal cancer in firefighters, lung cancer in jewellery and precious metal workers and bricklayers and carpenters, and digestive cancers in woodworkers.