Research shows that 1 in 3 farmers drinks several drinks per week

A new study from the University of Georgia shows that 1 in 5 American farmers report binge drinking when they are experiencing a lot of stress. The article highlights the link between farmers using alcohol to cope with stress.

Farming is a uniquely stressful calling. Farmers work long hours and perform labor-intensive, repetitive and often dangerous tasks. In fact, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, farming is one of the top 10 most dangerous jobs in the US.

Then there are the financial burdens of managing a farm. Farming is notoriously risky, with profits living or dying on a good harvest.

“Alcohol is the most acceptable way to deal with that stress, rather than actually talking to someone about that stress, or it’s a way to be able to talk to friends about that stress,” says Christina Proctor, lead author of the research and a researcher. clinical associate professor at UGA’s College of Public Health.

Unique barriers to healthcare exist for farming communities

In addition to the barriers to care that most rural communities face – lack of specialists, longer wait times, long distances to drive to health care facilities – the researchers identified more agriculture-specific barriers, including stigma and a lack of trust in health care. providers.

“There is a stigma around reaching mental health care among rural populations, but the farming community can be very close-knit and this can impact their daily activities,” says Proctor.

In her previous work interviewing farmers about their experiences dealing with stress, many of them expressed fear that seeking mental health care would be interpreted by fellow farmers or the companies that pay them to produce as meaning they are disrupting their operations. can not handle.

“It’s much easier for them to turn inward and just consume alcohol,” she said. “And it’s also more acceptable in rural areas to do that than to go to a mental health facility.”

96% of farmers drink. More than 1 in 3 drinks several glasses a week

Proctor and her co-author, doctoral student Noah Hopkins, surveyed 1,045 farmers across the country who produce a wide range of in-demand commodities, including beef, corn, wheat, and fruits and vegetables.

The study looked at their alcohol consumption and their perception of their own ability to cope with stress, measured as resilience. Nearly all farmers, 96%, reported drinking alcohol, and over a third said they consumed two to three drinks per week.

With that amount, farmers are in line with the drinking habits of many Americans. For example, 21.7% of American adults reported drinking five or more alcoholic drinks in the past month, according to the latest National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, compared to 22.5% of Americans. farmers.

But these numbers worry Proctor because they fit into the bigger picture of mental health stigma.

“When we know the stigma that exists within the rural farming population about seeking care and then looking at death through suicide rates, it really is a public health issue because there are drastic, traumatic consequences associated with not being able to ask for that care, using alcohol to cope and then feeling hopeless,” she said.

But farmers who reported being able to rely on community resources and colleagues, which are key factors in resilience scores, were less likely to drink excessively. The authors say leaning into that desire to help a fellow farmer or community member is key to helping farmers overcome stigma and accept mental health resources when they are available.

The future of farmers’ well-being – and our global food supply – depends on taking action now.

“If the networks don’t exist, we have to train our bankers. We need to train farm bureau agents; we need to train feed store managers. Everyone in rural areas must be willing to have open and honest conversations about mental health,” Proctor said. “It starts so simple, but it’s so big.”

The study was published in the Journal of Agromedicine.