Matthews, Jean Assessing Primary Care Provider Knowledge of Farmer Stressors and Self-Perceived Confidence in Caring for Farmer Mental Health Needs: A Pilot Study of Three Counties in Northeastern North Carolina. 2023. Radford University, Doctoral Capstone Project. Radford University Scholars' Repository.
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Abstract
Farming is a stressful occupation that can negatively impact farmers’ mental health. Despite farmers’ reluctance to seek care, primary care providers are one of the most common sources that farmers engage for mental health resources. Providers who know farmers’ unique stressors are deemed more trustworthy. Identifying providers’ knowledge and skills in meeting farmers’ mental health needs may be important in ameliorating the farmer mental health crisis. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate primary care providers’ knowledge of farmer stressors and their confidence in caring for farmers’ mental health needs. This pilot study provided preliminary information about methods and measures that may prove useful in investigating provider knowledge and ability to care for farmers’ mental health needs in more definitive future studies. Methodology: This was a non-experimental, cross-sectional pilot study to assess providers’ knowledge of farmer stressors and their self-perceived confidence to care for farmers’ mental health issues. A survey instrument was used to assess providers’ demographic data and their knowledge and confidence. The survey was administered to 40 primary care providers in three agriculture-producing counties in northeastern North Carolina. Results: A challenge to the planned research protocol was a lack of ability to obtain providers’ email addresses, which necessitated mailing the survey to clinical sites. Twenty-four providers returned the survey for a response rate of 60%. Respondents in the study were generally older (mean age of 55.67 years) and experienced as providers (mean of 22.33 years). Thirty-three percent (33%) of respondents were physicians, 50% NPs, and 17% PAs. Eighty-three percent practiced in a rural health clinic. Analysis of the survey instruments indicated that a shorter survey might enhance completion rates while still covering the content. While the results of pilot studies are not generalizable, with this population ANOVA testing revealed no significant difference (p = .479) in knowledge of farmer stress among providers in the three different clinical positions. There was a significant difference (p = .004) in perceived confidence among the three provider positions with Tukey B post-hoc testing showing the small group of PAs (n = 4) had a lower level of confidence. Spearman’s correlation testing found no association between providers’ years of experience and knowledge of farmer stress ( r = -.086, p = .690) or level of confidence (r = -.280, p = .185), no association between providers’ experience with farming/farmers and knowledge (r = -.071, p =.742) or confidence levels (r = .065, p = .761), and no association (r = .209, p = .327) between providers’ knowledge of farmer stress and their perceived confidence level. There was a very weak positive association (r = .375, p = .071) between perceived knowledge and actual knowledge of farmer stress. Conclusion: This small pilot study provided meaningful information for consideration in a larger future study. An essential consideration for research design is how to reach a sample group that represents the larger provider population. More careful analysis of the survey instrument is needed to generate a more concise tool. The null results on research questions indicate that further investigation is needed to determine what factors influence providers’ knowledge of farmer stress and their confidence. It is hoped that eventually factors affecting competence can be determined and evidence-based strategies generated that enhance farmers’ mental health care.
| Item Type: | Doctoral Capstone Project |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | R Medicine > R Medicine (General) |
| Divisions: | Radford University > Waldron College of Health and Human Services > Health Sciences Program |
| Date Deposited: | 06 Feb 2024 01:49 |
| Last Modified: | 06 Feb 2024 01:49 |
| URI: | http://wagner.radford.edu/id/eprint/1089 |
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