An Analysis of Suicide Risk Factors among Farmers in the Midwestern United States

Andrea Bjornestad, Courtney Cuthbertson and Jessie Hendricks
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Andrea Bjornestad: Department of Counseling and Human Development, South Dakota State University, Wenona Hall 302, Box 0507, Brookings, SD 57007, USA
Courtney Cuthbertson: Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Illinois, 904 W. Nevada Ave., Urbana, IL 61801, USA
Jessie Hendricks: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, South Dakota State University, Architecture, Math & Engineering Building 209, Box 2220, Brookings, SD 57007, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 7, 1-12

Abstract: Research on the complex relationships of variables contributing to farmer suicide is limited. The purpose of the study was to examine factors associated with suicide risk through the use of standardized instruments measuring psychological (depression, anxiety), social (social support), and contextual factors. A questionnaire was completed by 600 farmers in the Midwestern United States. A multiple linear regression model was used to analyze associations with suicide risk (SBQ-R), including depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), Brief COPE subscales (BC), social support (MSPSS), and select demographic and farming characteristics. The only variable that emerged as having a significant relationship with the natural log-transformed suicide risk score was coping through self-blame. While suicidality is often considered the outcome of mental illness, our findings do not suggest that suicide risk among farmers is related to mental illness, and a further examination of self-blame as a coping strategy is warranted.

Keywords: farmer; rancher; mental health; suicide; anxiety; depression; self-blame coping; social support; farm stress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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