Probable suicide among male farmers and agricultural workers in the Republic of Ireland: Exploring coronial data

Objectives: Some scholars argue that more farmers/agricultural workers die by suicide than do members of other occupational groups. However, there is limited information on farmer suicide in Ireland. Addressing this gap, the present study used coronial data to determine whether male farmers have higher suicide incidence rates than other men. It also examined the characteristics that differentiate suicide among farmers/agricultural workers from other male suicides. Methods: Data from the Irish Probable Suicide Deaths Study (IPSDS) 2015-2018 were used. The IPSDS cohort (n = 2,349) comprises all coroner-determined suicides and research-determined suicides (i.e., on the balance of probabilities). Male farmers/agricultural workers were compared with an age and sex matched control group (i.e., all other males 15 years and over in the dataset). Age specific suicide incidence rates were calculated using 2016 Census population estimates. Descriptive statistics examined the relationships between farmers’ and other males’ sociodemographics, clinical characteristics, and circumstances of death. Results: Male farmers accounted for 8% of all male probable suicides in Ireland 2015-2018. The age specific incidence rates were significantly higher for farmers over 65 years. Analyses showed that farmers were older, more likely to be living with family/partner and/or children, and less likely to have had a history of self-harm and drug/alcohol dependency. Conclusion: As older male farmers in Ireland seem to have the highest suicide risk, when compared to non-farmer males of same ages, further studies are necessary to identify farming sub-populations at elevated risk of suicide and opportunities for intervention.