Staying healthy : the case of cotton and cane growers in Australia Willis, Karen, Johns, Susan, Kilpatrick, Sue and Peek, Karla 2011, Staying healthy : the case of cotton and cane growers in AustraliaHealth and well-being : a social and cultural perspective, Nova Science Publishers, Inc, Hauppauge, N.Y., pp.117-125. Attached Files Name Description MIMEType Size Downloads Title Staying healthy : the case of cotton and cane growers in Australia Author(s) Willis, Karen Johns, Susan Kilpatrick, Sue Peek, Karla Title of book Health and well-being : a social and cultural perspective Publication date 2011 Series Public Health in the 21st Century Chapter number 11 Total chapters 24 Start page 117 End page 125 Total pages 9 Publisher Nova Science Publishers, Inc Place of Publication Hauppauge, N.Y. Keyword(s) Stress Mental health Physical activity Nutrition Social Engagement Summary Farmers and fishers have always been exposed to the vagaries of climate and global economic forces. However, in recent years there has been an accumulation of factors which are having a particularly severe impact upon rural Australia. The global financial crisis has negatively affected commodity prices and the viability of some rural communities is under threat. There is evidence to suggest that climate change is already impacting adversely on many primary producers and their ability to farm using traditional methods. Furthermore, many parts of rural Australia are still experiencing the effects of long-term drought and associated problems. Together, these circumstances can rightly be conceived of as 'difficult times'. Key areas recently identified in a decline in mental health among farmers include: increasing isolation, ongoing drought, increased government regulations, and a widening of the schism between urban and rural Australians. While there is a body of literature on behaviour around illness in the context of the stress of ' difficult times', there is little on preventative behaviours in these circumstances. This chapter reports preliminary findings from an exploratory research projects that investigates the process by which farmers and fishers achieve and maintain good physical and mental health in the context of 'difficult times'. The research takes a multiple case study approach, with five Australian sites, each with a different industry base, representing communities undergoing 'difficult times'. This chapter focuses on two of the sites and data obtained from interviews with farmers in the cotton and sugar industries. It discusses the behavioural choices that they make to maintain good physical health and mental wellbeing. These include choices about nutrition, physical activity, social connections such as participation in community, social or farm-related groups, opportunities for relaxation and regular medical check-ups. ISBN 9781612094878 Language eng Field of Research 111799 Public Health and Health Services not elsewhere classified Socio Economic Objective 920506 Rural Health HERDC Research category B1 Book chapter Copyright notice ©2011, Nova Science Publishers, Inc Persistent URL http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30034546 Document type: Book Chapter Collection: Alfred Deakin Research Institute   Unless expressly stated otherwise, the copyright for items in DRO is owned by the author, with all rights reserved. Versions Version Filter Type Wed, 11 May 2011, 15:34:39 EST Wed, 11 May 2011, 15:38:19 EST Thu, 12 May 2011, 14:30:29 EST Wed, 25 May 2011, 09:29:07 EST Wed, 25 May 2011, 10:25:57 EST Mon, 27 Jun 2011, 10:16:13 EST Mon, 27 Jun 2011, 10:25:26 EST Mon, 27 Jun 2011, 10:26:17 EST Mon, 27 Jun 2011, 10:27:39 EST Tue, 28 Jun 2011, 08:44:28 EST Filtered Full Citation counts:   Cited 0 times in TR Web of Science Cited 0 times in Scopus Search Google Scholar Access Statistics: 321 Abstract Views, 5 File Downloads  -  Detailed Statistics Created: Wed, 11 May 2011, 15:34:27 EST by Kylie Koulkoudinas

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