Farmers and farmworkers consistently report high levels of stress associated with commodity production and rural living. The culmination of rural living, farm work, and stress is associated with elevated rates of suicide in farming occupations. A mutual partnership was created between the UK Cooperative Extension Service and the UK College of Nursing to develop the BARN Farm Workshop and Dinner Theater on mental wellness and suicide prevention in response to farmer stress and suicide. UK Cooperative Extension agents from Harrison County recruited high school youth to participate in a BARN: Farm Dinner Theater program in September/October.

Approximately 20 youth attended the BARN workshop and worked with Extension specialists and county agents to address mental wellbeing and suicide in their community. The youth learned about mental wellbeing, stress, and coping skills during the workshop, and Dr. Paul Norrod and Laura Weddle taught them to use QPR, an evidence-based suicide prevention program. Workshop participants demonstrated statistically significant increases in knowledge for mental health and wellness; recognition of stress, anxiety, and depression; understanding the steps of QPR for suicide prevention; knowledge of self-care activities; understand the importance of working with others; use of story telling to improve mental health and wellness for suicide prevention; and understand the links between improve mental wellness and suicide prevention. Further, the workshop participants indicated 100% intention to acknowledge and tell someone about their stress; utilize self-care; identify their strengths and growth areasl set clear goals; use QPR; and commit to helping others with their mental wellness. All the workshop participants “strongly agreed” that the workshop information was practical and that learned lessons were implementable in their daily lives.

The highlight of the workshop culminated in the youth delivering the BARN Dinner Theater on Mental Wellbeing. The youth worked with UK Extension agents, UK Specialists, and community members to develop all aspects of the BARN dinner theater, which 123 community members from Harrison County attended. Participants showed statistically significant increases in knowledge and understanding regarding self-care; mental wellness, the effects of stress; suicide as an important topic in their community; the need to talk about stress with family or friends; and reaching out to someone if feeling hopeless or having suicidal thoughts. Likewise, theater participants demonstrated statistically significant increases in behavioral intention regarding use of self-care to improve mental wellness; seeking resources to prevent suicide; talking and asking family and friends about their stress; telling someone if they are having suicidal thoughts; and using examples from the dinner theater to handle their stress.

Dinner theater participants left comments regarding take home messages and additional positive feedback. The majority of key take home messages reported by participants included the importance of talking about stress, taking care of themselves and seeking help from family and friends. Additionally, participants indicated that the dinner theater was a great program and expressed a desire to receive more information about QPR.

Youth Participant Comment Highlights:

"I really liked being a part of this, it was fun and educational."

"You can text or call a number to just talk to them about your health!"

"Reach out to people who could be depressed or suicidal!"

Dinner Theater Participant Comment Highlights:

"Please continue these efforts. Farm families very often see mental health issues as a sign of weakness. The more awareness that is brought, the more folks will talk. Thank you for your efforts & great job!"

"Was very impressed with the dinner theater and hope they do more things like this in the future."

"Thank you for raising levels of awareness about this topic."

"I've had suicide happen in my own family! Thank you the program very aware it happens often especially in farming community!"

More stories by Laura Weddle