Research
EXPLORING FARM TRANSITION ON ALBERTA FARMS
We are seeking feedback from primary producers, ag business professionals, and mental health professionals working in agriculture to better understand the barriers to farm transition.
Research PROJECT & SURVEY RESULTS
These findings reflect the real challenges and opportunities faced by farmers and producers today. Read our study and survey results for valuable insights right from Alberta farms.
FARM THERAPY PILOT PROGRAM
This program connects farmers, their families, farm employees, veterinarians, and registered veterinary technicians with a network of ag-informed practitioners across Alberta. For details on session costs, contact the service providers directly.
Alberta farm family
survey results
An informal survey with the goal of gathering insights to shape the development of mental health initiatives tailored to the needs of the Alberta ag community conducted by AgKnow.
DOWNLOAD THE agknow WHITE PAPER
It highlighted the mental health challenges faced by Alberta farmers, emphasizing the higher rates of depression, anxiety, and stress in the ag community, and included recommendations for the creation of an Alberta-specific farm mental health network.
Canadian Farmers, This study Needs your input!
The University of Alberta in collaboration with researchers from the University of Guelph, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, and the Canadian Center for Agricultural Wellbeing (CCAW) are conducting a study called ‘investigating farmer identities and their relationship to help-seeking and mental health.’
They are looking for input from farmers across Canada. Download the flyer for more information.
Featured Publications
We are compiling a growing list of the latest Canadian and international research on farm mental health.
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A multidimensional tool to measure farm stressors: Development and initital validation of the farmer stress assessment tool (FSAT)
This 2024 study examines the various stressors that farmers face. A farm stress assessment tool was developed, and its factor structure and internal consistency were tested. The study also evaluated the tool's validity in relation to self-reported levels of anxiety, depression, burnout, and resilience among farmers.
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An Evidence Based Guide for Delivering Mental Healthcare Services in Farming Communities
This 2024 study aimed to develop an in-depth understanding of the issues influencing mental health help-seeking among farmers living in rural areas from the perspectives of healthcare providers, as well as to explore the strategies providers use to navigate through these issues to effectively engage with this vulnerable population.
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Tailored Mental Health Literacy Training Improves Mental Health Knowledge and Confidence among Canadian Farmers
This 2020 study evaluated the impact of “In the Know” mental health literacy training for Canadian agriculture.
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The Results from the 2021 Survey of Farmer Mental Health in Canada
Our research efforts are a direct response to the latest Canadian findings about farmer mental health.
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AgKnow White Paper
In April 2022 we released a white paper in collaboration with Dr. Rebecca Purc-Stephenson at the University of Alberta. Focusing on recovery-oriented approaches to support Albertan farmers for sustainable futures.
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Purc-Stephenson et al. BMC Psychology (2024) 12:435 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-01929-w
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Purc-Stephenson, R.; Roy, N.; Chimaobi, A.; Hood, D. An Evidence-Based Guide for Delivering Mental Healthcare Services in Farming Communities: A Qualitative Study of Providers’ Perspectives. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21, 791. https://doi.org/10.3390/ ijerph21060791
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Purc-Stephenson, R. & Roy, N. (2023). Supporting farmer mental health: Environmental scan and resource map of mental health support services across rural Alberta. University of Alberta.
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Liang, Y., Janssen, B., Casteel, C., Nonnenmann, M., & Rohlman, D. S. (2022). Agricultural cooperatives in mental health: Farmers’ perspectives on potential influence. Journal of Agromedicine, 27(2), 143-153.
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Conway, S. F., Farrell, M., McDonagh, J., & Kinsella, A. (2022). ‘Farmers Don’t Retire’: Re-Evaluating How We Engage with and Understand the ‘Older Farmer’s Perspective. Sustainability, 14(5), 1-11.
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Brennan, M., Hennessy, T., Meredith, D., & Dillon, E. (2022). Weather, workload and money: Determining and evaluating sources of stress for farmers in Ireland. Journal of Agromedicine, 27(2), 132-142.
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Hagen, B. N. M., Sawatzky, A., Harper, S. L., O’Sullivan, T. L., & Jones-Bitton, A. (2021). What Impacts Perceived Stress among Canadian Farmers? A Mixed-Methods Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(14), 7366.
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Conway, S. F., McDonagh, J., Farrell, M., & Kinsella, A. (2021). Going against the grain: Unraveling the habitus of older farmers to help facilitate generational renewal in agriculture. Sociologia Ruralis, 61(3), 602-622.
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Hagen, B. N. M., Sawatzky, A., Harper, S. L., O’Sullivan, T. L., & Jones-Bitton, A. (2021). “Farmers Aren’t into the Emotions and Things, Right?”: A Qualitative Exploration of Motivations and Barriers for Mental Health Help-Seeking among Canadian Farmers. Journal of Agromedicine, 1-11.
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Unay-Gailhard, İ., & Bojnec, Š. (2021). Gender and the environmental concerns of young farmers: Do young women farmers make a difference on family farms?. Journal of Rural Studies, 88, 71-82.
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Gunn, K. M., Turnbull, D. A., Dollman, J., Kettler, L., Bamford, L., & Vincent, A. D. (2021). Why are some drought affected farmers less distressed than others? The association between stress, psychological distress, acceptance, behavioural disengagement and neuroticism. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 29(1), 106-116.
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Bondy, M., & Cole, D. C. (2020). Striving for Balance and Resilience: Ontario Farmers’ Perceptions of Mental Health. Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health, 39(1), 101-118.
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Cole, D. C., & Bondy, M. C. (2020). Meeting farmers where they are–rural clinicians’ views on farmers’ mental health. Journal of Agromedicine, 25(1), 126-134.
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Hagen, B. N., Winder, C. B., Wootten, J., McMullen, C. K., & Jones-Bitton, A. (2020). A systematic review and meta-analysis of depression among farming populations worldwide. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(24), 9376.
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Heo, W., Lee, J. M., & Park, N. (2020). Financial-related psychological factors affect life satisfaction of farmers. Journal of Rural Studies, 80, 185-194.
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Jones-Bitton, A., Hagen, B., Fleming, S. J., & Hoy, S. (2019). Farmer burnout in Canada. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(24), 5074.
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Bondy, M., & Cole, D. C. (2019). Change as a double-edged sword: Ecological farmers’ stressors and responses to changes in farming in Grey County, Ontario. Journal of Rural and Community Development, 14(4).
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Truchot, D., & Andela, M. (2018). Burnout and hopelessness among farmers: the Farmers Stressors Inventory. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 53(8), 859-867.
Participate in Our Research Studies
Real people, real challenges and real opportunities. We invite farmers, producers and anyone with lived experience to participate in our current studies. We are currently in between research projects, so please subscribe to our newsletter to be notified about upcoming studies.
Canadian Researcher Profiles
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Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton
Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton’s research passion is the epidemiology of mental health in veterinarians, veterinary students, and agricultural producers. Andria uses mixed research methods (quantitative and qualitative) to achieve her research objectives.
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Dr. Briana Hagen
Dr. Briana Hagen is investigating mental health among Canadian farmers. Building on the results of their work, the researchers have developed mental health literacy training for agricultural and medical communities alike, providing farmer-specific resources.
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Dr. Michelle Pavloff
Dr. Michelle Pavloff is currently conducting research on rural mental health. One current research project supports Saskatchewan farmers’ and ranchers’ mental health. The other project is supporting rural Saskatchewan youth mental health.
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Dr. Rebecca Purc-Stephenson
Dr. Rebecca Purc-Stephenson is an Applied Social Psychologist and Professor in the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Alberta’s Augustana Campus. She is also a research associate of the Alberta Centre for Sustainable Rural Communities.
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Dr. Clark Banack
Dr. Banack is an Adjunct Professor of political science at the U of A and Acting Director of the Alberta Centre for Sustainable Rural Communities. He specializes in the areas of western Canadian politics, provincial education policy, and rural-urban issues.
