Men are known for bottling up their feelings and going it alone when dealing with their mental health. But this has detrimental effects on mental health, especially in rural and remote communities, so finding ways to create community and support are essential to facilitate positive mental health outcomes.
According to Beyond Blue, one in eight men will experience depression and one in five men anxiety at some stage in their lives. Further, men make up seven of nine deaths by suicide each day.1
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, depression is the highest suicide risk factor, followed by spousal issues and substance and alcohol abuse.2
Rates of suicide increase with levels of remoteness. Nationwide, suicide is one of the top 10 leading causes of death in outer regional, remote, and very remote areas.3
We know that rural communities have a higher rate of suicide. In farmers, according to the National Rural Health Alliance, the rate of suicide was found to be 59 per cent higher than in non-farmers. For those in rural communities, job insecurity, substance abuse and alcohol use are identified as risk factors.
Additionally, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, those who are socio-economically disadvantaged and the LGBTQIA-plus community face significant barriers to accessing treatment and support in rural areas, as well as associated comorbidities that increase the risk of suicide.3
The ‘Taking stock’ program at the University of South Australia (UniSA) seeks to help facilitate better mental health and well-being within rural communities and prevent suicide-related deaths.
“Rural people have tremendous knowledge about the challenges and opportunities that they face in rural areas, so working with farmers and support groups was absolutely essential to creating strategies that have meaning and are more likely to be used,” said UniSA Professor Lia Bryant, project lead and Director of the National Enterprise for Rural Community Wellbeing.
“In this project, we interviewed more than 50 farmers and three local suicide prevention groups – SOS Yorkes, Mellow in the Yellow, and Riverina Bluebell – to better understand the complexities of farmer distress and the local supports those farmers felt they needed.
“We found that on top of key stress factors that affect farmers in general – such as weather extremes, physical isolation, intergenerational issues, and financial pressures, to name a few – there were additional shared risk factors that farmers in the same region, or farming the same commodity, experienced.
“If we want suicide prevention strategies and early prevention to hit home, then it was critical that we worked together to co-design a resource that directly addressed the key needs raised by farmers.
“Wellbeing is more than an individual experience. It’s created by strong community connections and having local support. Rural communities understand reciprocity: the giving and receiving of support in good times and in difficult times.
“’Taking stock’ shares the stories and lived experiences of farmers and explains their journeys from different perspectives. And, because it’s created by farmers and rural communities <itals>for<itals> farmers and rural communities, the content is relevant and specific to their needs.”
Riverina Bluebell President Stephen Matthews emphasises the importance of local knowledge and highlights how ‘Taking stock’ can also help communities create local suicide prevention groups.
“Local knowledge and understanding are vital for supporting farmers, especially when it comes to mental health,” he said.
“Early interventions are critical, but they must be tailored to the specific factors that give rise to farmer distress, while also capturing the culture of farming and rural communities.
“By sharing how community-based support groups can make a difference to the lives of farmers doing it tough, and how communities can set up their own support groups, ‘Taking stock’ is covering all possible bases to improve mental health in rural and farming communities.
“We’re very pleased to partner with UniSA to develop ‘Taking stock’, and hope that the resource will not only provide immediate support for farmers in need, but also the resources to empower local communities to take positive action.”4<superscript)
Through awareness and education, people are more likely to reach out for help and find mental health services when they’re in need. Rural and remote pharmacy assistants can help by having a chat with their customers and referring them to support services if needed.
If you need help:
Lifeline: 13 11 14
13YARN: 13 9276
Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
Learn more: takingstock.community
References
- Beyond Blue. ‘Men’. 2022. org.au/who-does-it-affect/men [Accessed 30/5/23].
- Australian Bureau of Statistics. ‘Causes of death, Australia’. 2021. gov.au/statistics/health/causes-death/causes-death-australia/latest-release#media-releases [Accessed 30/5/23].
- National Rural Health Alliance. ‘Suicide in Rural and Regional Australia’. org.au/sites/default/files/publications/nrha-rural-suicide-factsheet-july2021.pdf [Accessed 20/5/23].
- University of South Australia. ‘‘The grassroots support that’s Taking Stock of farmers’ mental health’ <edu.au/media-centre/Releases/2023/the-grassroots-support-thats–taking-stock-of-farmers-mental-health/> [Accessed: 20.5.23].
This feature was originally published in the June issue of RPA e-magazine.
