Rachel Hale, MS, is leading research with Arkansas farmers to assess attitudes toward climate change and health.
Assessing the health and climate change risk perceptions of small farmers through the application of the Health Belief Model
Authors:
Rachel Hale, MA
Anna Eichenberger
Keneshia Bryant-Moore, PhD, RN, FNP-BC
Background and Objective(s)
- Climate change is a pressing public health issue that threatens the health of small farmers in Arkansas. Farmers face an increased risk of heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion, stroke, and cardiovascular issues, alongside work-related injuries, death, and mental health impacts.
- This study employs the Total Worker Health® (TWH) approach using the Health Belief Model (HBM) as the theoretical framework.
- This is the first step in assessing the climate vulnerability of small farmers.
Methods
- A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was utilized with the goal of collecting 200 surveys from English or Spanish-speaking farmers with a gross farm income of < $250,000. The survey collected demographics, health status, agricultural practices, climate change beliefs, and climate change and health risk perceptions based on the HBM.
Preliminary Results
- Overall, small farmers (n=56) report good to excellent health (94.7%).
- The most reported health conditions were arthritis (25%) and depressive disorder (21.43%). 48.2% of farmers reported that within the past 10 years, they have worked fewer farm hours due to extreme weather events.
- Small farmers are employing agricultural practices such as:
- Drip irrigation (36.8%)
- Crop rotation and hoop houses (33.9%)
- Use of manure and compost (28.3%)
- Managing livestock on perennial and annual forages (26.3%)
- Over half (66%) believe our climate is changing and becoming warmer, and 55.3% believe people are responsible for the changes.
- Among the predictive variables of the HBM constructs, small farmers reported self-efficacy (51.8%), perceived susceptibility (48.2%), and perceived severity (42.8%). Only 14.3% of farmers reported they believe they have all the information they need to prepare for the health impacts of climate change.
Key Findings
- 48.2% of Arkansas small farmers believe climate change will affect their personal health.
- 14.3% believe they have all the information they need to prepare for the health impacts of climate change.
Conclusion
- This formative study aims to identify future research and interventions to improve the overall well-being, occupational safety, and adaptive capacity of small farmers.