The mental health of farmers in the United Kingdom and Ireland

Abstract

Background: Farmer mental health and wellbeing is an increasing public health concern, yet evidence from the UK and Ireland remains limited. This thesis aimed to identify existing evidence on the mental health and wellbeing of farmers in the UK and Ireland and to investigate the wellbeing, stressors, and intervention priorities of farmers in Northern Ireland.

Methods: In a scoping review, four databases were searched for peer-reviewed research, and grey literature was identified through an additional database and relevant governmental and charitable websites. To address gaps identified in the review, a mixed-methods study was undertaken in Northern Ireland. Anonymously, 1,683 farmers who completed the WHO-5, and 897 farmers who completed the ‘Farm in Mind’ Stress Indicator Tool between 2021 and 2024. Q-methodology was subsequently used with 55 farmers to identify shared perspectives on farming-related stressors in relation to mental wellbeing.

Results: The review identified 11 eligible sources and demonstrated that evidence across the UK and Ireland was sparse. While farmer mental wellbeing broadly appeared comparable to that of the general population, female and younger farmers may represent groups at increased risk. In Northern Ireland, 67.6% of participants met the WHO-5 suggested cut-off for depression, with wellbeing significantly lower than that of the general Northern Irish population (p = <0.001). Financial and bureaucratic pressures were the predominant stressors. Q-methodology identified three perspectives: Economically Concerned, Family Focused, and Control-Orientated Farmers, with economic concerns explaining the greatest unique variance.

Conclusions: Findings indicate a fragmented and inconclusive evidence base. In Northern Ireland, mental wellbeing may be poorer than the general population. Farmer wellbeing appears to be most impacted by systemic economic and bureaucratic pressures. Future research should improve methodological rigour and collaborative data collection, while interventions should adopt multidisciplinary approaches that address the wider social and structural determinants of farmer wellbeing alongside psychological support.

Thesis is embargoed until 31 December 2027.

Date of Award	Dec 2026
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Queen's University Belfast
Supervisor	Grace Carroll (Supervisor) & Andrew McNeill (Supervisor)