Why exercise is important
As a farmer you will know that work never ends. Up at dawn and asleep later than most. Farming has always been considered one of the most physically demanding environments to work in. Although a lot of the workload is physical, research shows that many farmers don’t do as much physical activity as they used to.
It is also likely to be seasonal activity so you may not be quite as ’fit for purpose’ as you used to be.
Farming can still be a physically demanding way of life but information shows that modern age farming is relying more on machinery, vehicles (rather than horses) and technology. This essentially means farmers are spending a lot more time sitting down.
The importance of exercise is no secret and it’s not specific to any one person or industry –everyone will benefit from daily exercise and movement. However, those who are spending most of the time sitting during the day are at a higher risk of serious health complications such as diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, mental health issues, and musculoskeletal aches and pains.
A study conducted by The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that when compared with people living in major cities and inner regional areas, people living in outer regional, rural and remote areas were more likely to engage in high risk health behaviours.
These high risk behaviours include:
- Smoking
- Poor diet choices and eating patterns (eg skipping meals)
- Risky alcohol consumption
- Not getting enough exercise.
Common Health Issues for Farmers
Physical Problems
The physical pressures put on the body when farming can put a lot of demands on the joints, spine, and nervous system. From lifting heavy objects, jumping up and down off machinery, and having to react quickly to animals, handling heavy animals (e.g. crutching sheep), and vibration from motor bikes can all pose a risk to your body.
Having a body that is strong and stable can help reduce injuries and help the body react safer and faster to any situation.
Poor Mental Health
Poor mental health and alarming suicide rates are the re-occurring theme throughout the communities affected by the drought, floods, fires and COVID-19. Tragically, Beyond Blue reports that the suicide rate in very remote areas of Australia is more than double that within our major cities.
Regular exercise has been found to have a profoundly positive impact on mental health. It also relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts your overall mood.
A study found that exercise can be as effective as medication and psychotherapies. One way that movement can boost mood is by increasing a brain protein called Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) that helps nerve fibers grow, making you feel happier.
The NCFH has also developed a number of support documents that you can access here.
Ageing Workforce
The average age of a farmer is now 57 years old. At this age it is expected to see an increase in conditions such as arthritis, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Keeping your physical and mental health in tip top shape as we age is vital to reduce age related concerns. Exercise can support every single part of our bodies fight off the effects of age!
If you are over 65, Exercise Right is offering subsidised exercise classes run by professionals to help you get more active and take control of your health. Click here for more.
Why exercise is important
Exercise relieves tension and stress, boosts physical and mental energy, and enhances well-being through the release of endorphins. Essentially anything that gets your body moving can help manage your physical and mental health.
It’s important to note that exercise doesn’t have to be in a gym or a custom-built facility, it can be as simple as a walk, stretching session, or using items around the house as weights.
Exercise should be seen as an opportunity to be able to perform every part of your job at the highest level. Exercise can help you avoid injuries, increase your work capacity and fight off work related health conditions and mental health.
Expert support
There are a range of different accredited exercise professionals who can support the rural and remote farming population. Accredited exercise physiologists are university training professionals who tailor exercise programs to suit your lifestyle and health condition. You can find your closest expert by clicking here.
Fast Facts:
- Doing any physical activity is better than doing none. If you currently do no physical activity, start by doing some, and gradually build up to the recommended amount.
- Be active on most, preferably all, days every week.
- Accumulate 150 to 300 minutes (2 ½ to 5 hours) of moderate intensity physical activity or 75 to 150 minutes (1 ¼ to 2 ½ hours) of vigorous intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both moderate and vigorous activities, each week.
- Do muscle strengthening activities on at least 2 days each week.
- If you already have an injury or health concern, talk to your GP or local Accredited Exercise Physiologist before undertaking any additional exercise.
References used for this topic
More information:
Exercise Right
Helping Australians become more active
The Department of Health
Australia’s Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines and the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines
ABC Rural
Farmers getting older as latest survey reveals average age is 56
Australian Institute of Health & Welfare
Heart, stroke & vascular diseases reports
Research & reviews:
National Library of Medicine
Exercise as medicine – evidence for prescribing exercise as therapy in 26 different chronic diseases
Exercise for depression
Moderators of response in exercise treatment for depression: A systematic review
Reviewed by:
Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA)
Translating Co-Design from Face-to-Face to Online: An Australian Primary Producer Project Conducted during COVID-19
Abstract
Primary producers face considerable risks for poor mental health. While this population can be difficult to engage in programs to prevent poor mental health, approaches tailored to reflect the context of primary producers’ life and work have been successful. This paper reports on the co-design phase of a project designed to prevent poor mental health for primary producers—specifically, the advantages, challenges and considerations of translating face-to-face co-design methods to an online environment in response to COVID-19 restrictions. The co-design phase drew upon the existing seven-step co-design framework developed by Trischler and colleagues. Online methods were adopted for all steps of the process. This paper models how this co-design approach can work in an online, primary producer context and details key considerations for future initiatives of this type. The development of online co-design methods is an important additional research method for use not only during a pandemic but also when operating with limited resources or geographic constraints. Results demonstrate the following:
(i) co-designing online is possible given adequate preparation, training and resource allocation;
(ii) “hard to reach” populations can be engaged using online methods providing there is adequate early-stage relationship building;
(iii) co-design quality need not be compromised and may be improved when translating to online; and
(iv) saved costs and resources associated with online methods can be realigned towards intervention/service creation, promotion and user engagement. Suggestions for extending Trischler and colleagues’ model are incorporated.
Farmer Health eNews April 2021
Find out the latest from the National Centre for Farmer Health
- Campfire is set to launch in May and we need your help to ignite it!
- Steering Straight: My plan to keep on track
- Meet the team
- Wellness Wednesday
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Farmer Health eNews March 2021
Find out the latest from the National Centre for Farmer Health
- We are looking for people to pilot test Steering Straight: My Plan to Keep on Track
- Our AgriSafe Australia™ Program is now available in new locations!
- The team are back in action—see what programs are now available in 2021
- Wellness Wednesday
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Media Release: Important regional COVID-19 study commenced
Some local people have recently received an SMS inviting them to part of a survey on how attending the COVID screening clinics has affected them. It is not a scam!
Western District Health Service (WDHS), Hamilton and South West Healthcare, Warrnambool have been so important in screening and detecting COVID-19 cases in our region. Their COVID-19 services have been running consistently since March 2020 and have been vital in helping us keep an accurate finger on the pulse of COVID-19 in our region.
Researchers want to understand how people have coped before, after and whilst waiting for their COVID-19 results. To study this researchers from Federation University, Western District Health Service and South West Healthcare are collaborating to conduct the study, “Mental health at the COVID-19 frontline: An assessment of distress, anxiety and coping from attendees and staff at screening clinics”.
Principal researcher Susan Brumby said “To date over 5000 people have attended these two regional clinics and people may feel anxious about the results, worried about being sick or having symptoms and having to go home and isolate.” she said. “Findings from this study will assist us in developing new ways to support regional Victorians and healthcare workers and improve services during such a crisis”.
The study is voluntary. It uses a completely anonymous online survey that will not take more than 20 minutes to complete. People who are 18 years and older and attended either the Drive-through COVID-19 Clinic at Hamilton Base Hospital, WDHS, Hamilton OR, Respiratory Assessment Clinics South West Healthcare, Warrnambool will be contacted by SMS.
It will not take more than 20 minutes to complete and will be running until Feb 28, 2021.
The project has been approved by Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) at both South West Healthcare Human Research Ethics Committee (Ref: 2020 20) and Federation University Australia (Ref: B20-036). The research has been funded by Western Alliance Academic Health Science Centre and supported by Western District Health Service, South West Healthcare and Federation University.
Non-participation in this research will not impact any service at these healthcare settings.
If you have any questions regarding this study, please contact the Principal Researchers of this project:
Western District Health Service (WDHS) and Deakin University
School of Health
Federations University Australia
Farmer Health eNews February 2021
Find out all the latest from the National Centre for Farmer Health
- Limited number of Commonwealth Supported Places available to study the Graduate Certificate of Agricultural Health and Medicine
- Agricultural Health & Safety for Victorian Secondary School students
- New Publication
- Wellness Wednesday
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A comparison of farming and non‐farming related suicides from the United States’ National Violent Deaths Reporting System, 2003–2016
Farmers are at higher risk of suicide than other occupations and the general population. The complex suicide risk factors have not been examined in a large, population‐wide study across a significant time period. This observational study draws on existing data from the United States’ National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), including 140,523 farming‐ or non‐farming‐related suicide decedents between 2003 and 2016 from across 40 states. “Farming‐related” decedents included 2,801 suicides. Farmers had higher odds of being male, older, less well‐educated, and American Indian/Alaska Native. Farmers had higher odds of using firearms and—when farmers used a gun—higher odds of using a long‐arm weapon. Farmers had lower odds of having a known mental health condition or job problem, and lower odds of having made a previous suicide attempt or leaving a suicide note. Findings highlight the complexity of suicide risk within the context of farming in the United States and reinforce the need for tailored prevention efforts; employing means restriction of firearms; and emphasizing that traditional risk factors may not be as common in the farming population.
Farmer Health eNews January 2021
Find out all the latest from the National Centre for Farmer Health
- Support to manage the holiday and ongoing farming activities season
- Get hands on in 2021! Study Agricultural Health & Medicine
- We need your help to spread the news about the Primary Producer Knowledge Network
- Wellness Wednesday
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Directors Blog – Podcast with the University of Iowa: Knowing the territory
This week, Alexis and Steve from the University of Iowa welcome Dr. Susan Brumby to the program. Dr. Brumby is the founding director of the National Centre for Farmer Health, an innovative partnership between Western District Health Service and Deakin University Australia.
She discusses the issues surrounding the health, wellbeing and safety of farmers and agricultural workers and how a practical understanding of rural communities helps create meaningful connections.
Read more about Dr. Brumby: https://www.rrh.org.au/journal/profile/9630/susan_brumby
A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3g5jzn6
Farmer Health eNews December 2020
Find out all the latest from the National Centre for Farmer Health
- Help to manage the holiday and harvest season
- Australia’s only postgraduate Agricultural Health and Medicine unit (HMF701) goes online in 2021 for the first time!
- Join our PPKN Community Champions Network
- Wellness Wednesday
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2020-11-23: Research looks at early suicide triggers – Farm Weekly
by Bree Swift
RESEARCH to develop more targeted suicide prevention strategies for farmers is being undertaken by the National Centre for Farmer Health.
AgSPACE is an agricultural suicide prevention project that analyses coronial evidence to reduce the reliance of anecdotal reporting of suicide in rural farming communites.
A partnership between Deakin University and the Western District Health Service, Victoria, the project aims to demystify farmer suicide and compare suicide data of Australian farming regions.
“The work is focussed on prevention and early identification of risk factors associated with farming populations, their health, wellbeing and safety,” said National Centre for Farmer Health research fellow Alison Kennedy.
The first stage of research was based on 1298 non-metropolitan suicide deaths, 133 of which were determined as farming related.
The project found that farming related suicides were more likely to occur with people who were identified as employed and less likely to have received mental health treatment more than six weeks before death.
“We found farming related suicides were less likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness and particularly a mood disorder and that may be through lower rates of diagnosis, but it also may be through reduced access to services and the flow-on effect of opportunities to have a condition diagnosed,” Ms Kennedy said.
“When people were seeking support it was more likely to be in that crisis stage.
“People were also less likely to have received mental health treatment from their GP and, we do know, often people in farming communities who struggle with their mental health are more likely to present to a GP with a physical health condition rather than their mental health condition – so that’s something to keep in mind for prevention efforts.
The second stage of the AgSPACE project took a more in-depth look at 820 rural suicide deaths and found that living with physical ill health within a rural area was a common theme, with limited specialist services, long wait times, the requirement for significant travel and cultural barriers to accessing health care (in that people didn’t like to ask for help and seek assistance) was prevalent.
“There was an unwillingness to confide in others about health and sometimes that even extended to family members and people within their friendship groups,” Ms Kennedy said.
“Physical ill health really increased that sense of isolation and that sense of geographic isolation really enhanced the sense of social isolation.”
Injuries often related to work, including farming or vehicle accidents that cause chronic pain were identified as a theme in the second stage of research
“There was a burden of not being able to actively contribute to work (particularly farming), family and society and a real shame and stigma surrounding the inability to manage pain on their psychological capacities,” Ms Kennedy said.
Following the outcomes of the AgSPACE research, the National Centre for Farmer Health has recommended the need for a culturally competent rural health workforce that understands the risks faced by those living in rural communities and the culture and context in which they live and work.
“We need methods where we can engage with people early in the piece so we can look after their physical and psychosocial health,” Ms Kennedy
Alternative support delivery is an area which the organisation plans to focus on through its MH4Ag program.
The program is focussed on developing a framework to deliver peer supported psychological therapy to farm community members experiencing depression or psychological distress by taking a pragmatic approach to therapy that ties into how farming communities operate.
The second aim of the project is to work with farmers and stakeholders to develop a personalised, practical action plan to help improve farmers and farming community members’ ability to proactively focus on what to do in a challenging situation, rather than what not to do.
“We’re in the co-design stage of this project and we are running some workshops to determine what the peer-supported delivery will look like, who would be most effective to deliver it, what training would be required and what are the most effective methods of engaging the community,” Ms Kennedy said.
“We have also engaged a working group to help us develop the action plan.”
For more information visit the National Centre for Farmer Health website https://farmerhealth.org.au
- If you or someone you know needs assistance, call lifeline on 13 11 14 or RuralLink, a specialist after-hours mental health telephone service for WA rural communities on freecall 1800 552 002.
Ideas to help manage the holiday and harvest season
In what has already been a challenging few years, we are approaching a season predicted to challenge us all even further. Managing the ‘end of year rush’, farm-related fatigue, over-indulgence in food and alcohol, and the challenges of social interaction (or isolation) means this is not always the joyful time portrayed.
Farmer Health resources:
Practical ways to support your mental health:
- Managing Stress on the Farm booklet CLICK HERE
- If you need professional support during this time, our Online Psychology service is available CLICK HERE
Fact sheets which are particularly helpful at this time of the year: