Openness to Mental Health Information and Barriers to Accessing Care Among Midwestern Farmers.

A majority of Midwestern farmers were open to receiving mental health information, but substantial minorities were unwilling to seek or receive it.

• 74.1% of producers were open to receiving mental health information
• 27.8% were unwilling to seek mental health information
• 28.4% were unwilling to receive mental health information
• 18.7% were unwilling to do either (seek or receive mental health information)
• Data came from 1024 producers across 12 Midwestern states

Medical providers, mental health professionals, and family members were the most preferred sources of mental health information among farmers.

• Agricultural retailers were the least favored source of mental health information
• Preferences were assessed among 1024 regional agricultural producers
• Findings highlight the importance of leveraging trusted messengers in outreach efforts

Attitudinal barriers were the most commonly endorsed type of barrier to mental health care across all demographic groups.

• Barriers were measured using the 30-item Barriers to Access to Care Evaluation (BACE)
• Attitudinal barriers were the most common across groups, suggesting stigma and cultural norms play a central role
• Analyses included descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate methods to explore predictors of barrier endorsement

Demographic and behavioral characteristics including sex, age, veteran status, mental health symptoms, education, anxiety, and depression were associated with distinct patterns of openness and barrier endorsement.

• Women, younger producers, veterans, and those with mental health symptoms showed distinct patterns of openness
• Individuals with higher education, anxiety, or depression also showed distinct patterns of barrier endorsement
• Multivariate methods were used to explore these demographic and behavioral predictors
• Survey data were collected via online or paper format from producers across 12 Midwestern states

Agricultural producers experience elevated stress, limited mental health access, and cultural norms that can discourage help-seeking behavior.

• Cultural norms discouraging help-seeking were identified as a contextual factor shaping mental health access in agricultural communities
• The study was designed as a regional needs assessment to understand these dynamics among Midwestern farmers
• Findings support the need for culturally relevant approaches and stigma reduction interventions tailored to specific subgroups