Examining the Relationship Between Stress, Barriers to Healthcare, and Alcohol Use in the US Agricultural Community

Farming is a high-risk, physically challenging occupation. Considering farmers report high stress and barriers to seeking healthcare, it is important to understand factors influencing alcohol use to tailor interventions and healthcare resources for alcohol use in rural areas.

An online survey was distributed to the agricultural community in the United States (n = 1045). Data was collected through QualtricsXM, and SPSS 28.0 was used for data analysis.

Both formal healthcare challenges (β = 0.112, p = .004) and stigma (β = 0.328, p < .001) were identified as predictors of increased perceived stress, while resilience (β = -0.137, p < .001) was identified as a protective factor against perceived stress. Higher perceived stress was identified as a predictor of binge drinking behavior (β = 0.151, p < .001), and formal healthcare challenges were associated with higher drinking volume (β = 0.174, p < .001), and engaging in more frequent alcohol consumption (β = 0.123, p = .004) over the last three months. Resilience was identified as a protective factor against increased alcohol consumption (β = -0.084, p = .032). Stigmatization of help-seeking for mental health challenges was associated with fewer instances of alcohol consumption over the last three months (β = -0.169, p < .001).

Interventions to address stress and alcohol consumption should focus on promoting resilience, reducing stigma, and encouraging peer support to address cultural norms around mental health and alcohol use. Rural practitioners should develop cultural competence to better serve agricultural communities to prevent alcohol use disorders. To discuss ways to reduce stigma and encourage peer support to address alcohol and mental health disorders in rural farming populations.