Daniel, Bradley Understanding the experiences of farmers in Virginia regarding the impact of working in extreme weather conditions on their health and well-being: A key informant study. Doctoral Capstone Project. Radford University Scholars' Repository.
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Abstract
Background: Virginia is experiencing periods of prolonged heat, wildfire smoke exposure and other extreme weather conditions that have been magnified by climate change. Farmers in Virginia are essential workers who are at risk for physical and mental health impacts of exposure to high heat and wildfire smoke while working outdoors during extreme weather conditions. While there are studies in the literature that consider the health risks of farmworkers who work in extreme conditions, there are no recent studies of farmers facing the same challenges. Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences, concerns, impact on health and well-being and actions of farmers in Virginia regarding their working conditions related to extreme weather conditions related to climate change. Methodology: A qualitative study using an interpretive phenomenological approach was conducted to document the lived experiences of farmers in Virginia. Fifteen 30-minute semi-structured interviews were conducted with farmers, key informants, and stakeholders. Thematic analysis was used to analyze results. Constructs from the Health Belief Model and the Social-Ecological Model health behavior change theories were applied to the coding process and thematic analysis was used to analyze and report results. Results: Seventeen participants (seven farmers, six key informants and four stakeholders) participated in semi-structured interviews ranging from nine minutes to 67 minutes. Through deductive and inductive coding, a total of 44 categories/codes/subcodes were assigned and analyzed line-by-line resulting in 475 excerpts. Five themes were identified: Farm work continues in extreme weather, Compliance is hard, Trust in self, Co-op and the Farm Bureau, Nothing we can’t handle and Changes to the work. Conclusions: Farmers in Virginia recognize the risks of climate change (or extreme weather conditions) but continue to work no matter what the conditions may be. They admit challenges with compliance with protective behavior and have a defined circle of trust that centers on the individual, the Co-op and the Farm Bureau. Insights from this study can inform future model-based public health interventions for farmers in Virginia. Future studies could replicate or build on this protocol to further understand whether the farmers and other essential outdoor workers are truly ready for the extreme weather conditions. Keywords: Heat-related illness, wildfire smoke, air quality, social isolation, mental health, farmer, farmworker, agriculture, climate change, extreme weather, outdoor worker, Health Belief Model, Social-Ecological Model
| Item Type: | Doctoral Capstone Project |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General) |
| Divisions: | Radford University > Waldron College of Health and Human Services |
| Date Deposited: | 06 Jul 2025 05:52 |
| Last Modified: | 06 Jul 2025 05:52 |
| URI: | http://wagner.radford.edu/id/eprint/1188 |
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