In a new poll from the American Farm Bureau Federation, mental health stigma has apparently decreased among rural farmers, with an increased percentage saying they were more willing to ask for help when they needed it.
From the PowerPoint presentation on the poll: “Farmers/farm workers are more comfortable talking to friends, family and their doctors about stress and mental health than they were in 2019. Four in five rural adults (83%) and 92% of farmers/farm workers say they would be comfortable talking about solutions with a friend or family member dealing with stress or a mental health condition. Nearly half of rural adults (48%) and 2 in 5 farmers/farm workers (44%) say they are more comfortable talking to their doctor about personal experiences with stress and mental health compared to a year ago. And the percentage of farmers/farm workers who say they would be comfortable talking to friends and family members has increased 22% since April 2019.”
While the stigma has decreased, it still has an effect. According to the poll, price is now the biggest barrier to getting mental health help.
To see the rest of the data and the PowerPoint presenation, click here.
SOURCE: The Rural Blog, www.fb.org
