The manner in which Irish farmers access mental health information and help is the subject of a ground-breaking research project at Dublin City University (DCU).

The study, which is funded by the Department of Agriculture, is part of a wider project which ultimately aims to deliver a bespoke mental health training programme for farmers which can be rolled out nationwide.

As part of the research work, DCU recently launched an anonymous online survey for farmers.

The survey includes questions on seeking help and general knowledge of mental health issues.

It is available to all farmers over 18 years of age and takes around 15 minutes to complete.

Sample group

Branagh Ní Sheachnasaigh, the researcher on the project, said the target was to get around 500 respondents between now and the end of August.

“We are aiming to get a real representative sample from Irish farmers across all ages,” Ní Sheachnasaigh said.

“There are some farmer-specific supports available – for example, Pieta House, Mind our Farm Families, Teagasc and local GPs – but we need to ensure that farmers are reaching out and engaging with these services when needed,” she explained.

Focus groups

“After this survey, our next step will be to conduct focus groups with farmers and farm stakeholders to get their perspectives on the barriers and facilitators to effective mental health help-seeking/literacy in the farming community,” Ní Sheachnasaigh added.

The survey can be accessed at: https://dcusciencehealth.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dgJsSTe5zKk1r02