Understanding and addressing psychological distress experienced by farmers, from the perspective of rural financial counsellors
Date
2022
Authors
Gunn, K.M.
Hughes Barton, D.
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Journal article
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Australian Journal of Rural Health, 2022; 30(1):34-43
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Abstract
Objective: To explore rural financial counsellors' experiences interacting with psychologically distressed farmers and identify contextually appropriate methods to maintain their own well-being and link farmers to psychological supports, within their existing roles.
Setting: Rural, regional and remote Australia.
Participants: Fifty rural financial counsellors participated. They worked across 6 Australian states/territories.
Design: Individual semi-structured telephone interviews were audio-recorded with consent. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. Themes were identified using an essentialist, bottom-up approach.
Results: Forty-six themes emerged relating to the 5 topics explored: (a) how to recognise distress in farmers (eg inability to focus/make decisions, deterioration in presentation/organisation, anger, blaming); (b) impact of farmers' psychological distress on the financial case management process (eg slows, disrupts or stops it, negatively impacts counsellor well-being); (c) strategies for working effectively with distressed farmers (eg flexibility, open-ended questions, listening to story, simplicity, instilling hope); (d) referral of distressed farmers to psychological support (eg willing if tried themselves/positive reports, lack of local rural face-to-face services, stigma and lack of understanding of importance challenging, a farming focus and support from family/ community assists); and (e) strategies to maintain their own well-being (eg compartmentalising, exercise, supervision).
Conclusion: Rural financial counsellors play an important role by recognising signs of distress in farmers and referring them to appropriate psychological supports. However, this is a demanding role and ensuring counsellors have appropriate services to refer farmers to, and support with their own well-being, is imperative.
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Data source: Supporting information, https://doi.org/10.1111/ajr.12815
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Copyright 2021 National Rural Health Alliance Ltd.