Identifying places that foster mental health and well-being among rural men

Ahmadu, Mairo; Herron, Rachel; Allan, Jonathan A.; Waddell, Candice

doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2021.102673

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Findings from the current study suggest that: existing access to weight management services or physical activity initiatives across the rural sites is limited; men are less likely to participate in mixed-gender programs that are available; but gender-tailored place-based approaches could help engage many men in rural areas. Our findings resonate with recent qualitative studies aimed at identifying places that foster well-being among rural men [ 37 ] and which have explored masculinities in the context of suicide prevention with rural stakeholders [ 38 ]. For instance, Ahmadu et al(2021) reported on men being open to seeking opportunities for social connection through sporting activities, but also noted that some participants experienced these environments as exclusionary from broader networks or team-related conversations [ 37 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…Our findings resonate with recent qualitative studies aimed at identifying places that foster well-being among rural men [ 37 ] and which have explored masculinities in the context of suicide prevention with rural stakeholders [ 38 ]. For instance, Ahmadu et al(2021) reported on men being open to seeking opportunities for social connection through sporting activities, but also noted that some participants experienced these environments as exclusionary from broader networks or team-related conversations [ 37 ]. Stakeholders in the current study cautioned that, although Aussie-FIT would be delivered within rural football settings, the program should not be affiliated with specific local clubs to minimise any incorrect perception that the program is exclusively for men already involved in the local football community.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

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‘A Different Ball Game’: Adaptation of a men’s health program for implementation in rural Australia

et al. 2023

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Background Men residing in rural areas are less likely to participate in weight management interventions than women, and few men-specific programs target rural areas. Aussie-Fans in Training (Aussie-FIT) is an evidence-based weight management intervention that uses professional Australian Football club affiliations and settings as a ‘hook’ to engage urban-residing men. The aim of this study is to report on how findings from rural stakeholder focus groups were used to inform the adaptation of Aussie-FIT for implementation in rural areas. Methods Seven focus groups with stakeholders (n = 24) in three rural towns explored existing weight management and physical activity provisions, barriers and facilitators to engaging men, and considerations for adapting Aussie-FIT for implementation in rural contexts. Qualitative data were analysed using the framework approach. Adaptations made to the Aussie-FIT program and strategies to implement the program in rural contexts were reported using a structured framework. Results Themes generated from our analysis include limited appealing services for men, Australian Football as a ‘common language’, the influence of the ‘smaller fishpond’(population), considerations for program inclusivity, and the importance of local partner organisations for sustainability. We adapted the recruitment and marketing strategies, delivery settings, football program theme and partnerships for rural implementation. Stakeholders advised that an Australian Football program theme without specific local club affiliations would be important to avoid alienating men with differing club allegiances or non-sporting backgrounds. A multi-component recruitment strategy utilising local trusted sources, and program marketing that aligns with masculine ideals were considered important by stakeholders in small communities where ‘people talk’. Conclusions Rural areas were described as ‘a different ball game’ due to limited local services and resources in comparison to metropolitan areas. Study findings have synergies with previous studies undertaken in rural contexts including in relation to the power of word of mouth, the importance of trust, and local partner organisations. Findings have implications for engaging rural men in health interventions in rural contexts where professional sporting contexts are not available. Assessing the extent to which the adapted Aussie-FIT program can reach and engage men in rural Australia, and exploring the barriers and facilitators to delivering the program in rural contexts is required.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

‘A Different Ball Game’: Adaptation of a men’s health program for implementation in rural Australia

et al. 2023

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“…This construction of vulnerability needs to be critically assessed in light of the fact that farmers, unlike many groups in society, were deemed ‘essential workers’ and asked to keep working as normal throughout the pandemic whilst complying with prevailing public health regulations or recommendations. Furthermore, farmers generally spend time outdoors whilst working and, consequently, they are immersed in natural ‘green space’, which is viewed as being both therapeutic and protective of mental health and wellbeing (Ahmadu et al., 2021). This conclusion is supported by recent research that found that nature contact buffered the negative effects of lockdowns and other public health restrictions on mental health (Pouso et al., 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Continuity, change and new ways of being: An exploratory assessment of farmer's experiences and responses to public health restrictions during the COVID‐19 pandemic in a rural Irish community

et al. 2023

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Farming occupations are, in the Global North, generally solitary, and a growing body of research identifies this as one of the factors that underpins low levels of wellbeing and poor mental health amongst farmers. The primary public health response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic focused on reducing transmission of the virus by limiting interactions of people. This article seeks to assess the impact of these restrictions on farmer's experience of isolation and how it shaped their wellbeing. Applying a broad socio‐ecological framework, we analyse change, continuity and shifts in social and economic relations and their spatial reconfiguration during the COVID‐19 pandemic as recounted in semi‐structured, qualitative interviews. We found that while COVID‐19 has disrupted socio‐spatial relations, including key sites of socialisation for farmers and rural communities, occupational isolation was viewed as a positive feature of farming as was working in nature. Familial and informal networks of support were important throughout the pandemic, while novel engagements with communication technologies facilitated both change and continuity of social and economic interaction. Whilst these findings are broadly positive, the reconfiguration of, particularly, economic relations is viewed as accelerating the turn towards service delivery using technology and, consequently, further reducing opportunities for social interaction.

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“…Farmers’ mental health and wellbeing has often been described as stigmatised in rural places (Ahmadu et al., 2021; Boyd & Hester, 2020; Roy & Hočevar, 2019) and are undoubtedly recognised as significant health issues causing much distress for farmers, farm families and rural communities (Bjornestad et al., 2021; Roy et al., 2013; Younker & Radunovich, 2022). There are, however, significant limitations in the existing literature on farmers’ mental health in Ireland—at an ethnographic, empirical and quantitative level, which impedes the painting of anything close to a comprehensive picture for the farming community.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental health, societal expectations and changes to the governance of farming: Reshaping what it means to be a ‘man’ and ‘good farmer’ in rural Ireland

et al. 2022

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Contemporary EU agricultural policies place a significant emphasis on current and future societal issues, e.g. climate, biodiversity, animal welfare, and air and water quality amongst others. The governance of farming practices has changed in order to deliver on these expectations resulting in increasingly specific regulations to ensure their delivery. For male farmers these developments have the potential to undermine their autonomy as a ‘good farmer’, their gendered sense of mastery and ultimately their conception of what it is to be a ‘man’ in rural Ireland. This qualitative study explores how changes in agricultural policy are being received by farming communities, how they impact on gendered roles, and what the collateral impacts are on wellbeing and mental health. Eleven focus groups were conducted with male farmers (n = 3) and key informants (n = 8). Utilizing Thematic Content Analysis, all transcripts were coded iteratively using open and comparative coding techniques. Themes were grouped into primary and sub‐themes. Theme memos and conceptual maps were used to track evolving relationships between themes. Our analysis identified two interrelated themes. (i) ‘Resistance or submission’: negotiating farming masculinities in response to changing agri‐governance and (ii) ‘Advancement or abandonment’: reconfiguring ‘the good farmer’ in the wake of contemporary challenges in the dairy sector. We explore these issues by drawing out how contemporary regulation of farming practices gives rise to tensions associated with a perceived loss of autonomy and mastery, as well as ripple effects for farmer wellbeing. Findings highlight the tensions that permeate the construction of farming identities and masculinities in the wake of changes to agricultural policy and governance, and unpack the ripple effects for farmers’ mental health.

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Identifying places that foster mental health and well-being among rural men

Cited by 8 publications

References 31 publications

‘A Different Ball Game’: Adaptation of a men’s health program for implementation in rural Australia

‘A Different Ball Game’: Adaptation of a men’s health program for implementation in rural Australia

Continuity, change and new ways of being: An exploratory assessment of farmer's experiences and responses to public health restrictions during the COVID‐19 pandemic in a rural Irish community

Mental health, societal expectations and changes to the governance of farming: Reshaping what it means to be a ‘man’ and ‘good farmer’ in rural Ireland

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