A striking number of young farm workers are taking their own lives, a suicide researcher says.
Photo: Public domain
The review of farm suicides between 2007 to 2015 found 12 percent of those who died were teenagers, a third were aged under 30, and nearly half were less than 40.
Researcher Annette Beautrais said she carried out the review in response to the global dairy crisis and concern about the possibility of increased suicide among people working on farms.
Thirty percent of all farm-related suicides took place were among dairy farm workers.
However, Dr Beautrais found financial distress was not a major underlying cause of suicide and that existing mental illness and relationship break-ups were the leading causes.
That sort of evidence was important for suicide prevention, she said.
"It's key to developing appropriate targeted strategies rather than what was happening, which was a tendency for the interventions to be directed at farm owners," she said.
Dr Beautrais said another striking statistic was that 40 percent of farm suicides were by firearms, compared with just eight percent in the general population.
The review was part of the Rural Health Alliance's new Rural Mental Health Framework, which is designed to improve mental health and well-being in rural communities.
The Rural Health Alliance said firearms were a major part of rural life but the research suggested more intervention was needed to prevent young farm workers making rash decisions.
Alliance chief executive Michelle Thompson said relationship break-ups, combined with substance abuse and ready access to firearms, could be a deadly mix.
"We all know that guns are an integral part of rural living and farm living so we are not saying for one moment that this should be a regulatory response.
"Perhaps a solution could be returning to a farm armoury, so on the main farm there is a way to store your firearms overnight," she said.
"And if you have a worker on your farm who is going through a period of mental distress then maybe they don't have access to the firearms during that period," she said.
Farm owners could try to keep a closer eye on workers by giving them a meal in the main farmhouse each day and generally trying to pay more attention to their mental well-being, Ms Thompson said.
Where to get help:
Lifeline: 0800 543 354
Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO (24/7). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.
Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (24/7)
Samaritans: 0800 726 666 (24/7)
Youthline: 0800 376 633 (24/7) or free text 234 (8am-12am), or email talk@youthline.co.nz
What's Up: online chat (7pm-10pm) or 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787 children's helpline (1pm-10pm weekdays, 3pm-10pm weekends)
Kidsline (ages 5-18): 0800 543 754 (24/7)
Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254
Healthline: 0800 611 116
Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.