The study captured both drought and wet conditions, which enables comparisons between farmers’ mental health under different climate conditions.
Interestingly, higher levels of drought-related concerns were also reported following mild to moderate wet conditions.
Farmers under the age of 35 experienced higher personal drought-related stress.
So drought planning and preparedness needs to consider the impacts of drought on mental health and well-being differently to the way in which we prepare for and respond to “rapid” climate extremes.
We know “rapid” climate extremes can have devastating impacts through loss of life, injury and other threats to communities.
While many people cope and adapt to rapid climate extremes, we know a substantial proportion will go on to develop mental health problems as a result.
Much less is known about chronic, slow-onset climate extremes such as protracted drought.
Supporting rural communities, and especially farmers, to cope with droughts can have benefits for their well-being and mental health.
Strengthening personal, financial and social support for farmers may help in adapting to droughts when drought-related stress is affecting their mental health.
These include: reducing stigma about mental health problems to overcome barriers to seeking professional help and advice early professional help to be more readily available and easier to access in rural and remote areas (such as e-health programs) professional education for all health services, including general practitioners, so they can look out for and address the effects of drought-related stress – they need a good understanding of the pressures facing farmers and farming communities and the ways they can be more alert to their needs community education and public health campaigns so farmers and rural residents can identify the effects of drought-related stress and take appropriate action education and training for non-medical agricultural support services, such as rural financial counsellors, who need to be able to confidently identify early signs of drought-related stress and provide appropriate support continued funding of Rural Adversity Mental Health Program coordinators who link rural and remote residents to services and provide community education and support better opportunities and encouragement to maintain and develop community connections and social networks reasonably priced and reliable internet access to enable increased use of e-health and relieve isolation transparent and consistent information about the processes farmers need to follow to access grants and loans.