Study highlights suicide risk among older male farmers

Older male farmers in Ireland appear to have the highest suicide risk, when compared to non-farmer males of same ages, according to a new study.

The findings are contained in a pre-print paper published by researchers from the Health Service Executive (HSE) and University College Dublin (UCD) who sought to determine whether male farmers have higher suicide incidence rates than other men.

The researchers used data from the Irish Probable Suicide Deaths Study (IPSDS) from 2015-2018 which included 2,349 coroner-determined suicides and research-determined suicides.

Male farmers/agricultural workers were compared with all other males 15 years and over in the dataset.

Suicide

The study found that male farmers accounted for 8% (144) of all male probable suicides in Ireland between 2015-2018.

The average annual probable suicide incidence rate for male farmers was 31.5 deaths per 100,000, which was not statistically significantly higher than the average rate for all men.

However, the researchers found that the probable suicide incidence rate for farmers over 65 years of age (29.2 deaths per 100,000) was over twice the rate for non-farmers (14.3 deaths per 100,000)

More than one-in-two farmers included in the data were 55 years and older (57%) compared to less than one-quarter (24%) of non-farming men.

Around one-in-two farmers and non-farmers alike were single at the time of their death.

The analysis found that farmers were significantly more likely to be living with their family/partner and/or children than their non-farming counterparts.

There was no significant difference in the number of male farmers (63%) and non-farmers (61%) with a history of a mental health condition recorded in the coroner reports.

Similar proportions of farmers (74%) and non-farmers (78%) had evidence of an adverse and/or stressful life event prior to dying by suicide.

Supports

The researchers concluded that some farmers/agricultural workers have elevated suicide rates.

They suggested that a more detailed examination of suicide amongst Irish farmers/agricultural workers across different ages and stages of life is necessary to inform more targeted suicide prevention measures.

They noted that farming has “a diverse and complex range of ongoing occupational stressors” that may place farmers at an elevated risk for suicide.

“It is imperative to remember that the loss of even a single life to suicide transcends any debate about figures.

“It is critical, therefore, to shift our focus towards the development and implementation of robust support systems across levels aimed at recovery and the prevention of such losses.

“Addressing this issue likely necessitates an evidence-based approach that encompasses mental health support, community-based interventions, and policy-driven solutions to mitigate the factors contributing to suicide risk among farmers,” the study said.

Survey

The results of a separate national survey run by UCD showed that 22.8% of the 457 farmers who participated were considered “at-risk for suicide”.

This means that they reported having suicidal thoughts or urges within the previous two weeks of taking part in the study.

A similar survey carried out in 2022 found that 23.4% of participating farmers had reported having suicidal thoughts.

Over 82% of the farmers who took part in this year’s survey said that they personally knew someone who had died by suicide.

The 2024 survey, which was supported by Agriland, was carried out in recent months by a psychology masters student, Mark Creegan, in collaboration with members from the UCD Agri Mental Health Group: Prof. Louise McHugh; Dr. Alison Stapleton; and Dr. Tomás Russell.

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