Many
farmers today work under a cloud of financial burdens which can lead to
high stress levels, depression and in extreme cases, suicide. The
Addison Independent article below cites the following two statistics,
"farmers commit suicide at a
rate twice the national average", and, "farmers
experiencing high stress levels, particularly related to economic
concerns, are two to three times more likely to have a serious injury
than farmers with lower stress levels".
In
2010, dairy farmers in Vermont faced extraordinary economic hardships
as the national price of milk dropped below the cost of production.
The state recognized the increased stress this placed on
farmers and created the Farm First hotline. When
farmers call the hotline they are paired with a mental health
clinician in their local community for a face-to-face meeting. The
counseling is strictly confidential and farmer's family members are
also eligible to use the service. The
hotline addresses a broad range of concerns that farmers might have from personal emotional wellbeing to employee management, retirement planning and legal
questions.
One
of the main concerns when the program was started was whether the stoicism
and self-reliance characteristic of the dairy farm culture might prevent
farmers from calling, even if they could benefit. However, judging by this article, the hotline is being utilized and has already helped many farmers.
On a final note, I think it would also be nice if we- as health care professional and also members of our civil society- could do something to reduce the tremendous economic challenges that farmers face. I try to do my own small part by buying locally grown produce when I can. Also local food is usually fresher and therefore tastes better!
Article
describing the program's beginning:
http://www.addisonindependent.com/201005new-service-offers-crisis-hotline-struggling-farmers
Program
website:
http://www.vacd.org/assistance
