Farmer suicides among states reporting violent deaths, 2003–2017.

Abstract

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.

What Do Farmers Need for Suicide Prevention: Considerations for a Hard-to-Reach Population

“…Farmers have a suicide rate much higher than the general population, with some estimates in the United States as high as three times the national average. [1][2][3] This phenomenon is not limited to the United States but is a global phenomenon with varying, yet always elevated, rates in countries as disparate as India, 4 Australia, 5 and France. 6 In addition to suicide rates, farmers have been shown to have higher levels of mental health symptomatology associated with suicide.…”