SVLFGAccident InsuranceOld-age Insurance

Health InsuranceLong-term Care Insurance

Mental Health Morbidity and Well-Being

in Aging Agricultural Populations

safe & healthy from a single source

Social Insurance for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture

Mental Health and Well-Being (at Work)

Stress = Entirety of all comprehensible outside influences that affect the individual psychologically(by definition DIN EN ISO 10075-1 (1a))

e. g.Burnout

State of International Research

Scientific evidence for mental strain representing a strong risk factor for chronic diseases, disabilities and occupational safety

Higher perceived stress often precedes greater depressive symptoms

Farmers experience high rates of psychological distress and (occupational) suicide around the globe (suicide rates increase with age)

Strongest stressors in farming: overwork, generational conflicts, disorders and the financial situation

State of International Research

(Older) farmers define health as the ability to work

Limited ability to acknowledge or talk about mental health problems and seek help among farmers

Mental health in agricultural population is an under-researched issue (in Germany)

State of International Research

Structural Characteristics

Frequent family farming based structures (private/family life and working life unified in one location)

Limited accessibility to and stigmatisation of mental health care; greater concerns about confidentiality

Institutional mental health care programmes are not readily compatible with the profession

Prevalence of Mental Disorders

We face a trend of an ever-rising number of cases reported (mental health problems)

conservative estimates put the prevalence down to 38.2 % of EU 27 population suffering from mental disorders (at any point in time)

No substantial cultural or country variations

Most people affected don’t receive any treatment

One of the most frequent mental health disorders in the EU is the major depression

Mental Disorders – A Growing Challenge

Mental Disorders

Cardio-vascular

Disorders

AirwayDisorders

DigestiveDisorders

Musculo-skeletal

DisordersInjuries

Disability (sick leave) in percentage terms

Source: Fehlzeitenreport 2012

The Economic Impact is Immense

One third of all new disability benefit claims in OECD countries is linked to mental health problems

Projections put the total costs of depression alone to an amount of 600+ billion Euro p. a. Employers: €272bn

Economy: €242bn

Health system: 63bn

Social welfare system: €39bn

The Economic Impact is Immense

Severe mental disorders (e. g. Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia and depression) have a high prevalence-cost ratio

Costs are expected to increase sharply

Mental disorders as the core health challenge of the 21st century

Prevention Works

Studies show well-elaborated interventions to be effective in improving mental health

Above all: gains in health and quality of life

Also: very significant economic benefits

Prevention is Good Value

Many interventions are very low cost Small shift in expenditure generates efficiency gains

Most interventions are outstandingly good value for money ROI can be as high as €13.62

Broad range of payoffs: within public sector and beyond

Well-designed interventions towards mental health can tip the balance for a healthier and longer life

Need of Innovation Research and Action – Horizon 2020

Mental Health Study fostering methodological innovations such as new/improved test instruments

Mental health promotion and disorder prevention as well as psychotherapeutic interventions in working and living contexts to strengthen resilience and to reduce psychological distress in farmers Innovation Action Programmes as clinical-psychological web

based interventions, telephone councelling

De-stigmatization

Model of Multi-Level Resilience

Factors of Resilience

First Ideas Towards Possible Future Interventions

Universal: web-tool incl. e-mental-

health and access control

resilience-workshop

Selective: workshop for informal

caregivers anti-fall curses PSN (Psychosocial

Network) workshop “transfer of

business” dementia-related offers

web-tool for managers incl. e-BGM

business counseling by a safety advisor regarding OHM (occupational health management) and OIM (occupational integration management)

domestic councel by a care consultants

business-workshop PSN (Psychosocial Network)

after trauma (family/business)

workshop “transfer of business”

case-manager SVLFG responsible for holistic processing

training of professional multipliers regarding the recognition of burnout, depression, addiction (e. g. prevention service, care consultants, profession, family doctors)

training of low-threshold multipliers (e. g. profession regarding PSN)

cross-linkage of SVLFG with stationary and ambulant institutions (psychosomatics, peasant family counseling, etc.)

group concepts in stationary institutions

WG HPDP

Many thanks for your attention and

interest in mental health!