Awareness, attitudes and strategies for coping with mental health within the farming community
Year: 2013
Type: report
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the awareness, attitudes and strategies \nfor coping with mental health within the farming community. Participants consisted of \nninety-three male (n = 58) and female (n = 35) members of Macra na Feirme who \nvolunteered to partake in the study. A paper-based questionnaire was given to each \nparticipant and confidentiality and anonymity were assured. Participant’s mental health \nimpairment was investigated using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12 – Goldberg, \n1992). Attitudes towards mental illness were measured using Attitudes towards Mental Illness \nScale (Cates, Burton and Woolley, 2005) and the Brief COPE Questionnaire(Carver,1997) \nwas used to explore how participants have been coping with stress in their lives. The data \ncollected was analysed using Independent t-tests and Pearson’s correlation. Overall, the study \nfound that there is a clear absence of awareness among the farming community of some of \nthe available mental health services and evidently the services are not being used. A \nsignificant difference on attitudes towards mental illness exists between males and females. \nIn relation to coping strategies females resort to religion and use of emotional support while \nmales predominantly are in denial and use substances to cope. Author keywords: mental health, farming, attitudes, coping
Source: eSource (Dublin Business School)
Author: Annabelle Kehoe
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1491267395