The Effects of the Opioid Crisis on Agricultural Industries

Heidi Liss Radunovich, Terasa Younker, Jillian M. Rung and Meredith S. Berry
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Heidi Liss Radunovich: Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Terasa Younker: Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Jillian M. Rung: Department of Health Education and Behavior, College of Health and Human Performance, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Meredith S. Berry: Department of Health Education and Behavior, College of Health and Human Performance, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 9, 1-16

Abstract: Opioid use remains a significant public health crisis. However, few quantitative or qualitative data exist on the prevalence of opioid use and associated mental health conditions in agricultural industries and how it affects the industries themselves. Data on opioid use and associated consequences were collected among agricultural business owners and workers using both quantitative ( n = 129) and qualitative assessment ( n = 7). The prevalence of opioid use, pain, stress, and depressive symptoms as well as associated hazards were characterized among individuals who work in horticulture (nursery and landscape) and those who work in food production (livestock and crops). Qualitative interviews were also conducted to better understand individual experiences with opioid use. Opioid use was significantly higher among horticultural industries compared to food production. Pain and depressive scores were higher among those who had used opioids although stress did not differ. Importantly, substantial percentages of participants who reported opioid use also reported consequences associated with their use, including missing work, being injured at work while using, and having difficulty in completing daily tasks. These results provide initial evidence that opioid use is substantially affecting agricultural industries in terms of mental health, personal health, labor availability, and productivity.

Keywords: opioid use; agriculture; mental health; depression; pain; stress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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