title: Psychological morbidity of farmers and non-farming population: results from a UK survey.
abstract: The relatively high rate of suicide among UK farmers suggests that they may suffer greater mental health problems than the general population. This paper provides a comparison of the psychological morbidity of farmers and their partners/spouses with non-farmers. The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was administered using face-to-face interviews with 784 attendees of agricultural shows in the UK. Results show that GHQ-12 scores for farmers and their partners/spouses were significantly higher (P < 0.001) than those for the non-farming population, indicating higher psychological morbidity among farmer families. Approximately 35% of farmers had scores 12 and higher (recommended cut-off for psychiatric disorders), compared to 27% of non-farmers. Within the farmers group, male respondents, those aged from 45 to 64, self-employed or not in paid employment, having a non-supervisory position and living in a rural area were characterized by higher mean GHQ-12 scores compared to correspondent subgroups from the non-farming population.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation, Institute of Medical and Social Care Research, Bangor University, Dean Street Building, Dean Street, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 1UT, UK. b.hounsome@bangor.ac.uk
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hounsome
authors.forename: Rhiannon T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hounsome
authors.forename: Gareth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Edwards-Jones
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D000383:Agriculture; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012423:Rural Health; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult