Identification of Correlation among Field Farmers’ Work Ability Index, Occupational Stress Level and Practiced Coping Mechanism in a Selected Rural Area, West Bengal (original) (raw)
Related papers
2021
Focused Question What stress management strategies and interventions are most effective in reducing stress and promoting positive mental health of farmers negatively impacted by work stressors? Clinical Scenario The dynamic transactions between the environment, person, and occupation play a role in the success of the farmer, their access to healthcare, and their willingness to seek support with their stressors or difficulties. Depression, stress, and other mental health conditions are highly prevalent within the farming community. This population is less likely to seek out and utilize available mental health resources and services, and in many cases, mental health resources are not available in rural areas (Gunn et al., 2021; Kennedy et al., 2020). The environment plays a major role in the mental health of farmers. This includes the physical and social environment. Aspects of the physical environment include the plot of land that the farmers cultivate, the animals that they raise, climate factors, and the limited access to healthcare that is often associated with rural areas. Unpredictable climate and weather contribute to stress in the farming community (Gunn et al., 2012; Gunn et al., 2021). Climate change and its effect on the environment is a rising concern of farmers. Climate change and other environmental factors can drastically alter farmers' land and dictate production. The livelihood and financial stability of each farmer depends on crop production, and the success of the harvest. Lack of production can result in higher levels of stress for farmers, which can lead to more mental health problems (Gunn et al., 2012; Gunn et al., 2021). There is also a stigma associated with mental health within the social environment of the farming community. Farmers tend to normalize and ignore their physical and mental health conditions, which leads to fewer people accessing the health services that they need. Ignoring these physical and mental health conditions may be linked to the stigma of not being healthy enough to run the farm (Kennedy et al., 2020). Work stressors can negatively impact the health and well-being of both farmers and their families, and farming is said to have a high-stress work environment (Stier-Jarmer et al., 2020). Farming can become more difficult for workers in high stress environments as mental health conditions increase, and research suggests that mental health conditions can lead to cognitive decline and physical health problems (Gunn et al., 2021). There is growing evidence that those involved in farming are at higher risk of developing mental health problems (Gunn et al., 2021). The occupation of farming keeps farmers active, which can reduce the risks of diseases such as cancer and diabetes; however, it can lead to higher rates of depression (Brumby et al., 2009). The occupation of farming can lead to many physical and mental impairments due to the high stress work environment and risk for physical injury. Farming is a dangerous job that includes many stressors. Farmers are at high risk of stress due to risk factors such as pesticide exposure, the uncertainty of the market, financial problems, time constraints, loss of livestock or property, and governmental regulations (Gunn et al., 2012; Gunn et al., 2021). All of these stress factors contribute to the high rates of mental health conditions that are seen with farmers. Gunn et al. (2021) suggested that this lifestyle makes individuals more vulnerable to mental health conditions such as stress, anxiety, and depression. The occupation of farming and the role of being a farmer can cause high levels of stress, all of which can result in mental health conditions and a higher prevalence of suicide (Gunn et al., 2012; Gunn et al., 2021
Occupational stress among farming people
Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2010
During the last 25 years, agricultural sector has gone through lot of changes and it also found to be one of the potential areas for stress. Greater use of automation technology, more use of organic production, decrease price for agricultural products and new complicated legislations have made the life of farmers more stressful one. In this study an attempt is made to find out the potential factors which cause stress and made the life of farming community more miserable. Results have clearly indicated that the occupation farming leads to stress due to financial, weather, work overload, social interaction and farm hassles. It is inferred that all the selected dimensions are producing either high or medium level of stress to farming people. It is also found that stress due to financial factors is found to be slightly higher than other stresses.
Psychological Stress and Health Hazards of Farm Women: The Social Ecology and Inflicting Functions
S K Acharya , Riti Chatterjee, 2020
Farm women are suffering from a lot of health related problems along with some socioeconomic constraints where farming has been listed as one of the ten most stressful occupations in the world. In turn, they are at risk for the development of stress and other mental health difficulties such as anxiety, depression or even suicide. This is an important co-morbidity of physical problems and if left untreated they may invite other health issues. This will affect the financial aspect also. And as the farm women are home maker along with their farm work, they have to face the challenge both in home and workplace. The problem is mainly due to different issues in the working place like long working hours, financial uncertainty and family disturbances. A study on this topic, was carried out at Boinchigram village under Pandua Block in Hooghly district as they are also suffering the same, with objectives to generate classified information on occupational hazards of farm women, to estimate the level of psychological stress in terms of a score of socioeconomic and ecological factors, to estimate the level of interactive relation between level of psychological stress and score of socioeconomic and ecological factors and to generate micro level policy implication based on the empirical study In order to collect the reliable experimental data, the selected parameters were taken, like: Age, number of children, B.M.I., Main health problems, Psycho-social hazards, family Original Research Article Chatterjee and Acharya; JESBS, 33(4): 21-32, 2020; Article no.JESBS.53826 22 income per annum, family expenditure per annum, working hours per day, daily calorie consumption etc. Majority of the population under study are poor, undernourished farm women. It has seen that, when the number of children in a family increased, it is difficult to their mother to attain the farm work and caring of their children at the same time because they spent maximum hour in the field. So, both the children and mother suffer from psycho-social hazards. And the calorie consumption level per day has some indirect effect because calorie is the last word to speak out. But income plays the most important role in stabilizing their mental condition. So, a better understanding of potential women-work environment interactions related to psycho-social hazards and mental health of the farm women is seriously needed to save the future workforce of agriculture.
2018
The purpose of this study was to describe and explore factors which may influence the quality of life of farmers and to examine the rating values by farmers toward environmental factors affecting their quality of life. Farmers who are continuously involved in farming after experiencing a disabling condition are considered as value respondents for the study. The descriptiveexploration design of this study was based on survey research. A questionnaire was developed and utilized. Two constructs were analyzed based on social demographic questions and external environmental factors. There was a potential population of 120 farmers in Ranga Reddy district of Telangana state. The sampling technique selected under study is a convenience sample of farmers who participated in agricultural meetings, conferences, and extension programs. A total of 220 farmers completed the quality of life survey. Of which, 120 samples are taken for the purpose of this research paper. Having this background will enable agencies and educators to develop educational programs and organize appropriate training materials to meet farmers' needs. Overall, all farmers showed a need for programs related to stress management, getting enough sleep, and balancing farm work with family life during their busy season.
Mental health of women in agriculture and productivity in agriculture
Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 2019
The pivotal role of the farm women involves activities within and outside the four wall of her home. A study was conducted to know the mental health of women in agriculture and the association with productivity of their land. The descriptive study was conducted with a sample of 120 farm women selected by two stage stratified sampling in the Amaniganj block of Faizabad (Ayodhya) district of Uttar Pradesh. The mental health check list of Dr. Promod Kumar was administered to examine the health status of the women in agriculture. The consolidated data analyzed revealed that mental health (MH) of the women was moderate poor (41.67%), good health (33.33%) and 25 per cent reported highly good MH. Most of the farm women aged 40-50 years had moderate poor MH. Women exclusively engaged in agriculture (34.17%) were found to have moderate poor MH (18.33%) and a few (5.83%) had highly good MH; Among 63.33% women engagement in farm operations along with household work were having moderate poor an...
Prevalence of Depression among the Farmers and its Determinants: A Cross Sectional Study
National Journal of Community Medicine, 2019
"Context: India being an agrarian country, where agriculture plays a vital role in ensuring food security and poverty alleviation. Farmers who are completely involved in agriculture face a number of unique occupational stressors such as physical environment, family structure, farm economy. These stressors have resulted in various psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety resulting in high rates of suicides among farmers. Aim: To assess the prevalence of depression among farmers and its determinants in selected villages of Bangalore rural district. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 570 farmers in 12 selected villages of Nelamangala in Ban-galore rural district. The level of depression was assessed using Centre for Epidemiological studies- Depression scale. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and chi-square. Results: The overall prevalence of depression was found to be 33.9% among the farmers. About 46.5% of study subjects were not literates and majority (47.9%) were from lower middle class. Conclusion: The prevalence of depression was found to be high among farmers compared to the general population. Various factors like loan from multiple sources with high interest, have implicated in high incidence of depression. Hence measures should be planned to help the farming community to overcome this psycho-social distress and to lead a productive life."
Exploring stress management strategies among farm women of South Odisha
Extension journal, 2024
The study investigates stress management practices among farm women in South Odisha, a demographic historically pivotal in agriculture yet confronted with significant disparities. Utilizing a sample of 180 respondents from 18 villages across six agrarian blocks, data was collected through structured interviews. The findings reveal a range of coping strategies adopted by farm women to manage stress, encompassing physical, mental, and social dimensions. Notably, practices such as rest, hydration, leisure, deep breathing, and dietary adjustments were prevalent for physical stress management. Meanwhile, religious activities, prayer, mantra chanting, yoga, and meditation were commonly employed for mental stress relief. Social support mechanisms, including communication with peers, group work, and participation in social functions, were also prominent. Moreover, strategies to reduce responsibilities and engage in recreational activities were observed. The study underscores the importance of understanding and addressing stress among women in agriculture, not only for gender equality but also for sustainable agricultural development. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners to design targeted interventions that support the well-being and productivity of farm women in rural communities.
PLOS ONE
Background Mental health issues among farmers are identified population health concerns. While one systematic review focused on suicide in farming populations in the United States, there have been no scoping studies examining mental health in farming communities worldwide. The objectives of this scoping review were to: provide a descriptive analysis of the literature pertaining to mental health outcomes in farming populations; describe the international scope of the research; and highlight published mental health services and interventions that have been evaluated. Methods Following Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review framework, five major health and science platforms were used to identify studies examining mental health outcomes in farming populations, worldwide. Studies that met a priori inclusion criteria that were published prior to December 31, 2017 were included in this review. Data synthesis and descriptive statistics were conducted using STATA 15® software; proportions were calculated by country. Results The initial literature search yielded 9,906 records. After title and abstract screening, 676 articles were reviewed in-full. Of these, 341 met a priori inclusion criteria. Studies included were conducted between 1979 and 2017; the majority (265; 77.7%) were published between 2002-2017. The most frequently measured outcomes were stress (41.9%), suicide (33.1%), and depression (32.6%). Over 70% of studies that examined stress described using quantitative research methods, most predominantly, cross-sectional designs (42.7%). Approximately 64% of studies that measured suicide reported using a quantitative PLOS ONE |
A Study on Psycho-Social Condition of Small Farmers
India is one of the world's larger nations; the seventh largest in land area and in Asia second only to china in land area and population. The country is completely heterogeneous not only in its climate, people and resources but also in the diversity of culture, language level of prosperity, terrain and stage of development. Three fourth of the world's population still reside in villages and constitute the bulk of the population in the developing countries. India is one among them and 72.22percent of India's population (2001 census) lives in villages with farming as the principle source of livelihood.The agriculture sector encompasses a large variety of activities that has seen a number of major changes in recent years. These changes along with a distinctive rural life and workrelated problems may consider influence stress levels in farming communities. Here this describes how the psychosocial issues may affect the physical and mental health of farmers.Working in the agriculture sector is known to be very physically and mentally demanding job. The determinant impact that work can have on workers' health is partly due to the different psycho-social hazards faced by the farmers and workers in this sector such as long working hours¸ isolation, financial uncertainty planning difficulties.Majority the agricultural area is located in rural region. Isolation and lone working can be a source of concern in the agriculture sector. Available evidence demonstrates an association between poor social support and increased stress symptoms anxiety and depression amongst farmers. Due, in part, to the rural location of most farms means farmers and agricultural workers might not receive adequate or lower social support.In fact, some research studies have found that the main contributing factor for depression and suicide in farmers was financial difficulty. Farms face competition from imported and cheaper produce from countries with cheaper labour and the dominance of supermarkets, the latter who very often provide low prices for agricultural products. Plans made by farmers might become redundant or difficult to implement due to changes in the weather or stock problems.Destructive weather conditions have the ability to affect individual farms, such as when a field gets destroyed by hail or frost. Poor weather conditions can affect a group of farms or community when their crops are destroyed by excessive rainfall, or entire regions of crops and livestock can be affected by weather conditions that include droughts or floods. Stock crises generally apply to livestock farming. The stock crises may occur at a farm, community and/or regional level. Social condition is an existing circumstances, situation or state affecting the life, welfare and relation of human beings in community. It is now estimated that about 4 lakh hectares of farm land is now being diverted to non-agricultural uses each year.increasing number has been creating the problem of surplus labors or disguised unemployment, which in turn is pushing (heir wage rates below the subsistence level.Fluctuation in the prices of agricultural products poses a big threat to Indian agriculture. For the interest of the farmers, the Government should announce the policy of agricultural price support so as to contain a reasonable income from agricultural practices along with providing incentives for its expansion. Stabilization of prices is not only important for the growers but also for the consumers, exporters, agro-based industries etc.In India, the movements of prices of agricultural products are neither smooth nor uniform, leading a fluctuating trend. In the absence of proper price support and marketing support, prices of agricultural products have to go down beyond the reasonable limit so as to create a havoc on the financial conditions of the farmers. Among famers majority of them, nearly 46 percent of their sources of income other than agriculture is animal husbandry and coolie. 28 percent of the respondents are getting the income from coolie, 14 percent of the respondents get from only animal husbandry.Analysis reveals that the financial status of the small farmers is not too good. Where they face lot of financial crisis.The sources of agricultural water depend on location,and the end use of the water.For crops, the ideal source of water is rain, provided when it is needed and without flooding. Rain, as we know is a common phenomenon and as a result it is being used by vast majority of people as the major source of irrigation. The young among the farming communities are hardly interested in agriculture. Farmers children are abandoning agriculture for other jobs.The main reason which the respondents gave that most of the children are studying in urban area and they have their own field of interest, and majority of the children are disinterested because they feel that it's not easy at a present era to continue especially due to natural calamities unavailability of labors and other financial issues. The main problem faced by the Indian farmers is the labor problem. The farmers think that getting labours for the work is a major problem. And usually they do their work by themselves since they have little cultivation. Alcohol can often lead to depression anxiety and other disease. And many of the farmers suffer due to the