Assessing the mental health issues of climate variability affecting rural and remote communities in southern Queensland

Living and working in rural and remote areas is generally a stressful existence. This stress is caused by many identified and unidentified factors. Major causes of farm stress are: climatic conditions, isolation, farming bureaucracy, time pressures, financial pressures, lack of control, relationship pressures, societal stigma, confrontation of personal beliefs and an increase in a feeling of worthlessness. This paper aims to identify critical issues associated with climate variability affecting farmers and associated communities living in Southern Queensland. This project will provide information to build a framework to assist farmers and other rural and remote communities to manage the mental health impacts of climate variability. The research has updated earlier literature of programs of relevance to climate change and its impact on the mental health of farming and associated communities. In addition, it has identified issues, services and gaps in the rural communities and appropriate measures to improve mental health in the farming sector.