“The Masks We Wear”: A Qualitative Study of Suicide in Australian Farmers

Abstract

Effective clinical interventions, as well as suicide prevention strategies, need to consider the importance of 3 key issues in suicide among farmers: adherence to masculine norms and socialization; expectations of self in maintaining family traditions and occupation; and a male subtype of depression.

Suicide in Rural Australia: Are Farming-Related Suicides Different?

“…These factors include poor access to support services [21,22], an unsustainable work ethic [23], uncertainty and lack of control in farming [23], social disconnection [17,19], poor business profitability [24], acclimatisation to risk taking [25] and access to means [14]. Qualitative research suggests there may be two distinct pathways to suicide for Australia's farmers-an acute situational pathway (reflecting risk factors associated with interpersonal relationships, financial stressors and retirement) and a protracted pathway linked with mental illness [17].Much of the recent Australian evidence on farming-related suicide is reported from small-scale qualitative studies of farming populations in the states of Queensland and New South Wales (NSW) [17][18][19]23,26]. Interviews with community members and families bereaved by farmer suicide provide in-depth insights.…”

“…Much of the recent Australian evidence on farming-related suicide is reported from small-scale qualitative studies of farming populations in the states of Queensland and New South Wales (NSW) [17][18][19]23,26]. Interviews with community members and families bereaved by farmer suicide provide in-depth insights.…”

Farmer suicide and access to care in Iowa

“…Additional common themes related to farmer suicide across many of these studies were greater access to means of harm and diminished access to care (Hirsch, 2006;Kunde et al, 2018;Ringgenberg et al, 2018). In sum, this body of research shows how factors related to individuals, such as masculine identities, as well as larger structural forces, such as global economic conditions, can contribute to the high rates of farmer suicides…”

“…In addition, different farming practices may be affected differently by factors outside of farmers' control, such as weather and federal policies (Arnautovska, McPhedran, Kelly, Reddy, & De Leo, 2016). Other frequently associated factors included financial or economic stress, isolation, and health problems (Hirsch, 2006;Klingelschmidt et al, 2018;Kunde et al, 2018;Ringgenberg et al, 2018). These conclusions were drawn using a number of study methods.…”

“…These conclusions were drawn using a number of study methods. One study in Australia utilized structured interviews of family members of farmers who died by suicide to identify related themes (Kunde et al, 2018). Hirsch (2006) was a literature review of all identified studies regarding rural suicide, pulling information from around the world.…”