Farmer Suicides Among States Reporting Violent Deaths, 2003–2017

Details

• Personal Author:
  Abner EL ; Browning S ; Norrod PE ; Sanderson, Wayne T. ; Seals J
• Description:
  Research suggests that farmer suicide rates are at least twofold higher than the general population. In estimating rates, prior research considered suicide events among farmers together with farmworkers, fishing, and forestry occupations and included nonfarming populations in the defined at-risk populations (i.e., denominators). In this study, we sought to define and differentiate farmer suicide decedents from other agricultural occupations, estimate U.S. farmer suicide rates, and evaluate rate time trends. Farmer suicide decedents were ascertained from the 36 states in the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) from 2003 to 2017 using NVDRS occupation data. Farmers were defined as persons responsible for day-to-day farm decisions and operations. An expert panel was convened to classify farmer occupations. Rates were calculated using Census of Agriculture-identified farmers as the rate denominator, and time trends were evaluated using regression. Due to a low number of female decedents, female farmer suicide rates were not estimated. We identified 1,575 male farmer suicide decedents and 77 female farmer suicide decedents from the NVDRS during the study period. Aggregated age-specific male farmer suicide rates were the highest among farmers ages 65 years and older (22.0/100,000). Estimated suicide rates for male farmers were the highest during 2003 (31.8/100,000) and the lowest during 2005 (19.2/100,000). Trend analysis revealed a statistically significant 2.4% annual percent change in rates over the 15-year study period. Suicide rates among male farmers showed evidence of an increase from 2003 to 2017. Farmer suicide rates parallel the rates of the U.S. population; thus, farmer suicide remains a public health concern. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Age Factors Agriculture Farmers Mental Health Mortality Nervous System Occupational Health Safety Suicide
• Keywords:
  Age Factors Agricultural Industry Author Keywords: Agriculture Farmer Suicide Mental Health Mortality Data Rural Mental Health Challenges
• ISSN:
  1935-942X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant ; Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Kentucky ; OSHA Region 4
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  139-151
• Volume:
  47
• Issue:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20068129
• Citation:
  J Rural Ment Health 2023 Jul; 47(3):139-151
• Contact Point Address:
  Paul E. Norrod, School of Human and Environmental Sciences, University of Kentucky, 246 Scovell Hall, Lexington, KY 40506
• Email:
  paul.norrod@uky.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2023
• NORA Priority Area:
  Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
• Performing Organization:
  University of Kentucky, Lexington
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20120701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Rural Mental Health
• End Date:
  20240630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:f07fedb811a107b50b220bb5c6ed3eeda23f26a4f5a2f757e2dad2c5b4b87c7e8a941161364f98ed5dd76d29438922e9c290810d05102e1451dd52fd064dce6a
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/230344/cdc_230344_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 336.66 KB ]