A thematic analysis of the personal factors influencing mental health help-seeking in farmers

Abstract

Purpose: It is crucial to understand the micro-level personal factors that impact farmer mental health help-seeking, given that farmers are at increased risk of suicide yet show reduced mental health help-seeking behaviors. Methods: Ten farmers, 10 farmers’ partners, and 8 general practitioners (ie, family physicians) from Australia completed qualitative semi-structured interviews. Braun and Clarke's method of thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Findings: The analysis resulted in 4 themes: “mental health literacy,” “stigma of mental illness and help-seeking,” “support, the partners’ role in help-seeking,” and “the intersectionality between being a farmer, age, and gender.” Farmers’ knowledge and understanding of mental health and treatments was varied. Stigma was reported to be reducing, but still present toward both mental illness and mental health help-seeking. Support from a partner was reported to facilitate help-seeking if delivered tactfully. Lastly, being older and male were reported to negatively impact farmer mental health help-seeking. Conclusion: The findings contribute to understanding farmer mental health help-seeking and could inform quantitative research and the development and implementation of interventions to promote mental health help-seeking in this group.