Sowing seeds of awareness: a cross-sectional analysis of mental health literacy and help-seeking in Irish farmers
Abstract Background Farmers around the world are at risk of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation yet many avoid seeking help. In Ireland, farmers’ mental health is a national concern, as farmers face barriers of masculine norms around help-seeking. This study aimed to examine the prevalence an...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12995-024-00446-1 |
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| author | Siobhan O’Connor Anna Donnla O’Hagan Joseph Firnhaber Branagh R. O’Shaughnessy John McNamara Gavin Breslin Sinead O’Keeffe Sandra M. Malone |
| author_facet | Siobhan O’Connor Anna Donnla O’Hagan Joseph Firnhaber Branagh R. O’Shaughnessy John McNamara Gavin Breslin Sinead O’Keeffe Sandra M. Malone |
| author_sort | Siobhan O’Connor |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Farmers around the world are at risk of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation yet many avoid seeking help. In Ireland, farmers’ mental health is a national concern, as farmers face barriers of masculine norms around help-seeking. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and relationship between mental health literacy and mental health help-seeking in the Irish farming community. It also aimed to identify if mental health literacy or mental health help-seeking differed depending on gender, age, education, health status and income level. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional assessment of 351 Irish farmers’ mental health literacy and help-seeking using validated psychometric measures: the Mental Help Seeking Intention Scale (MHSIS), the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Short Form (ATSPPH-SF), and the Multicomponent Mental Health Literacy Measure (MMHL). Results Irish farmers’ mental health literacy and help-seeking scores were interrelated. Though low, farmers’ scores were comparable to the general population and higher than some European samples. Despite broadly favourable attitudes towards seeking professional mental health help, Irish farmers perceived significant barriers to accessing care and exhibited stoic health attitudes. Farmers with less education and men were particularly at risk. Conclusion Irish farmers’ stoic attitudes may be a response to their perceived lack of services. Interventions providing mental health literacy education and improving access to existing mental health services are particularly important for this population of farmers. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d5ddf7a92b644b7ba768dfd15aacfb09 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1745-6673 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology |
| spelling | doaj-art-d5ddf7a92b644b7ba768dfd15aacfb092024-12-29T12:53:11ZengBMCJournal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology1745-66732024-12-0119111210.1186/s12995-024-00446-1Sowing seeds of awareness: a cross-sectional analysis of mental health literacy and help-seeking in Irish farmersSiobhan O’Connor0Anna Donnla O’Hagan1Joseph Firnhaber2Branagh R. O’Shaughnessy3John McNamara4Gavin Breslin5Sinead O’Keeffe6Sandra M. Malone7School of Health and Human Performance, Dublin City UniversitySchool of Health and Human Performance, Dublin City UniversitySchool of Health and Human Performance, Dublin City UniversitySchool of Health and Human Performance, Dublin City UniversityTeagasc - Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority, Farm Health and Safety Knowledge Transfer UnitBamford Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing, School of Psychology, Ulster UniversitySchool of Health and Human Performance, Dublin City UniversitySchool of Health and Human Performance, Dublin City UniversityAbstract Background Farmers around the world are at risk of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation yet many avoid seeking help. In Ireland, farmers’ mental health is a national concern, as farmers face barriers of masculine norms around help-seeking. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and relationship between mental health literacy and mental health help-seeking in the Irish farming community. It also aimed to identify if mental health literacy or mental health help-seeking differed depending on gender, age, education, health status and income level. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional assessment of 351 Irish farmers’ mental health literacy and help-seeking using validated psychometric measures: the Mental Help Seeking Intention Scale (MHSIS), the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Short Form (ATSPPH-SF), and the Multicomponent Mental Health Literacy Measure (MMHL). Results Irish farmers’ mental health literacy and help-seeking scores were interrelated. Though low, farmers’ scores were comparable to the general population and higher than some European samples. Despite broadly favourable attitudes towards seeking professional mental health help, Irish farmers perceived significant barriers to accessing care and exhibited stoic health attitudes. Farmers with less education and men were particularly at risk. Conclusion Irish farmers’ stoic attitudes may be a response to their perceived lack of services. Interventions providing mental health literacy education and improving access to existing mental health services are particularly important for this population of farmers.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12995-024-00446-1Health attitudesHealth literacyHelp-seekingRural cultureFarmingFarming community |
| spellingShingle | Siobhan O’Connor Anna Donnla O’Hagan Joseph Firnhaber Branagh R. O’Shaughnessy John McNamara Gavin Breslin Sinead O’Keeffe Sandra M. Malone Sowing seeds of awareness: a cross-sectional analysis of mental health literacy and help-seeking in Irish farmers Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology Health attitudes Health literacy Help-seeking Rural culture Farming Farming community |
| title | Sowing seeds of awareness: a cross-sectional analysis of mental health literacy and help-seeking in Irish farmers |
| title_full | Sowing seeds of awareness: a cross-sectional analysis of mental health literacy and help-seeking in Irish farmers |
| title_fullStr | Sowing seeds of awareness: a cross-sectional analysis of mental health literacy and help-seeking in Irish farmers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sowing seeds of awareness: a cross-sectional analysis of mental health literacy and help-seeking in Irish farmers |
| title_short | Sowing seeds of awareness: a cross-sectional analysis of mental health literacy and help-seeking in Irish farmers |
| title_sort | sowing seeds of awareness a cross sectional analysis of mental health literacy and help seeking in irish farmers |
| topic | Health attitudes Health literacy Help-seeking Rural culture Farming Farming community |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12995-024-00446-1 |
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