PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Kearney, Gregory D.
AU  - Rafferty, Ann P.
AU  - Hendricks, Lauren R.
AU  - Allen, Daniel Landon
AU  - Tutor-Marcom, Robin
TI  - A Cross-Sectional Study of Stressors Among Farmers in Eastern North Carolina
AID  - 10.18043/ncm.75.6.384
DP  - 2014 Nov 01
TA  - North Carolina Medical Journal
PG  - 384--392
VI  - 75
IP  - 6
4099  - http://www.ncmedicaljournal.com/content/75/6/384.short
4100  - http://www.ncmedicaljournal.com/content/75/6/384.full
SO  - N C Med J2014 Nov 01; 75
AB  - BACKGROUND Agriculture is a hazardous, stressful occupation that can adversely affect farmers’ health. Identifying stressors among farmers may help health professionals improve health outcomes by developing targeted intervention strategies and services.METHODS Over a 4-month period, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 128 farmers in an economically disadvantaged, 29-county region of Eastern North Carolina. We used a modified version of the Farm Ranch Stress Inventory to measure farmers’ self-reported reactions to potential stressors.RESULTS The majority of farmers surveyed were aged 40-59 years, had farmed for more than 20 years, and worked more than 40 hours per week on the farm. Large proportions of respondents identified the following factors as “very stressful”: concern about the weather (60.2%), concern over the future of the farm (29.7%), outsiders not understanding the nature of farming (25.2%), problems with machinery (23.4%), market prices for crops/livestock (45.3%), taxes (38.3%), health care costs (32.5%), and not having enough time to spend with family in recreation (13.3%). Experiencing 8 or more factors as “very stressful” was found to be positively associated with working more than 40 hours per week on the farm (P = .008) and with being a farm manager or a farm worker who does not operate equipment (P = .001).CONCLUSIONS Information about perceived stressors among farmers may help health professionals develop targeted interventions for reducing stress. More research is needed to better evaluate health outcomes, to reduce farm-related injuries, and to improve psychosocial well-being.