title: Perceived profitability and well-being in Australian dryland farmers and irrigators.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the relationship between self-reported farm profitability and farmer well-being, and to explore potential implications for farmer assistance policy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional analysis of farmers from Regional Wellbeing Survey data (wave 1, 2013) and comparison between groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 1172 dryland farmers (35% women) and 707 irrigators (24% women).
  
  
  METHODS
  The Personal Wellbeing Index and the Kessler 10-item measure of general psychological distress.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There is a consistent and significant relationship between higher profitability, greater well-being and less distress among dryland farmers and irrigators.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The relationship between farm profitability and the well-being of Australian dryland farmers and irrigators has the potential to inform farmer assistance policy. Assistance programs can be more effective if they explicitly incorporate a profitability assessment into their targeting and eligibility requirements and a well-being component into program design and delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rural Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.|MDB Futures Collaborative Research Network, University of Canberra, Bruce, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3201-682X
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Peel
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Helen L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.|MDB Futures Collaborative Research Network, University of Canberra, Bruce, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
authors.forename: Jacki
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schirmer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000383:Agriculture / Q000191:economics*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001315:Australia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D000067565:Farmers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011632:Public Assistance / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000191:economics / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: farm assistance; farm finance; farmer health; mental health; psychological distress; well-being