Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Seminar highlights stress among male farmers
Philippe Roy, PhD student in Social Work at Université Laval in Canada, will lead the seminar, drawing on his research into men's mental health and, in particular, his study looking at stress, coping strategies and the perception of male roles in 32 male farmers from Québec, Canada.
Speaking ahead of the seminar, Philippe explained the issues facing male farmers: "In many ways, male farmers can be considered to be a vulnerable group, experiencing high rates of suicide, psychological distress and low use of health services. My seminar will highlight important connections between rurality, farming and masculinities in the context of men's mental health.
"Early results of my study indicate that some coping strategies, such as taking holidays, are considered useful but, somehow, unacceptable based on the social ideals of what a male farmer should be. We will also discuss the many challenges faced by those seeking help and recommendations for practice."
Karl Witty, organiser of the Centre for Men's Health Seminar Series and Research Officer at Leeds Met, added: "The series aims to raise awareness and promote discussion around the key issues within men's health and encourage the development of future, collaborative research in the field. Upcoming seminars will discuss key findings from the evaluation of the Premier League Health programme and men and suicide."
For more information about the seminar series and to reserve a place, please contactHSSResearchSupportUnit@leedsmet.ac.uk or call 0113 812 4334.