How a plan for suicide prevention in Scottish farming is underway

The three-year £85,000 research programme — a collaboration between leading agriculture charity the RSABI and the University of Glasgow — aims to deepen understanding of suicide risk in the sector and develop evidence-based strategies to protect those most vulnerable.

Previous Scottish and UK studies, dating back to as early as the 1980s, have suggested that farming had the highest proportion of suicides of all industries.

Three people in the agricultural sector die by suicide each week, according to figures from 2023 from mental health organisations, including Zero Suicide Alliance and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

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In 2021, research showed the UK suicide rate for male farm workers was about three times the male national average. For the following two years, data from the Office for National Statistics indicated the number of suicide deaths among farmers increased year-on-year.

Farmers face a combination of pressures — isolation, financial uncertainty, turbulent weather, long working hours and a cultural reluctance to discuss mental health. Research has repeatedly linked these factors to elevated risk.

Although issues are thought to be contributing factors, it is hoped the comprehensive three-year study will provide more definitive answers.

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The new research programme will be jointly supervised by Professor Rory O’Connor, director of the Suicidal Behaviour Research Lab, and Katie Robb, professor of behavioural science and health at the University of Glasgow.

“For far too long, improving the understanding of suicide risk in agricultural communities has not received the attention it needs,” said Prof O’Connor.

“Over the next three years, we hope to gain a better understanding of the specific factors associated with suicide risk, which will, in turn, inform suicide prevention efforts nationally and internationally.”

Ms Bryan brings with her a personal connection to the project, having grown up on a farm in South Ayrshire.

“I’m really excited to take on this project, as it’s an area that means a great deal to me,” she said. “My undergraduate dissertation explored wellbeing, stress and coping in farming families, and my master’s research examined how farmers and stakeholders perceive mental health and wellbeing initiatives in agriculture.

“Continuing this area of work as part of my PhD at the University of Glasgow feels like a natural next step and a deeply important one. Suicide rates in farming remain far too high, and I’m looking forward to supporting change that comes from within the farming community, ensuring that any solutions are shaped by farmers, not just for them.”

Where to get help

RSABI’s free confidential support service is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, by calling 0808 1234 555 (calls won’t show up on phone bills) or through a confidential webchat service, available on RSABI’s website at www.rsabi.org.uk

If you are having thoughts of suicide, speak to someone you trust or call one of these helplines:

• Samaritans – 116 123 (available 24/7)
• Breathing Space – 0800 83 85 87 (available Monday to Thursday 6pm to 2am. At weekends, open between Friday 6pm and Monday 6am)
• NHS 24 mental health hub on: 111 (available 24/7)

If you are ever in immediate danger or have the means to cause yourself harm, you should dial 999 and request an ambulance.