You're probably aware that agriculture is one of America's most hazardous industries. Compared to other occupations, farmers—as well as their family members—have an elevated risk of fatal and nonfatal injuries. What you may not realize is that agriculture exposes workers to more than just physical health hazards. Farming and the unique challenges it poses can lead to issues like chronic stress, anxiety and depression. These mental health issues can have a long-term impact on the overall wellbeing of farmers and their families. The good news is that they're manageable. Read on to learn more

You're probably aware that agriculture is one of America's most hazardous industries. Compared to other occupations, farmers—as well as their family members—have an elevated risk of fatal and nonfatal injuries. What you may not realize is that agriculture exposes workers to more than just physical health hazards. Farming and the unique challenges it poses can lead to issues like chronic stress, anxiety and depression. These mental health issues can have a long-term impact on the overall wellbeing of farmers and their families. The good news is that they're manageable. Read on to learn more

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and SIU Medicine's Farm Family Resource Initiative invites members of the farming community to help us bring awareness to this important topic. We need to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. Let's start by debunking four common myths surrounding mental health. How many of these have you heard? Myth #1: You can tell someone has a mental health problem. An estimated 1 in 5 Americans has some form of mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. This means that you probably know several people who are dealing with mental

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and SIU Medicine's Farm Family Resource Initiative invites members of the farming community to help us bring awareness to this important topic. We need to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. Let's start by debunking four common myths surrounding mental health. How many of these have you heard? Myth #1: You can tell someone has a mental health problem. An estimated 1 in 5 Americans has some form of mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. This means that you probably know several people who are dealing with mental

Not many know what a Community Health Worker (CHW) is or what the profession entails. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) describes a CHW as “lay members of the community who work either for pay or as volunteers in association with the local health care system in urban and rural environments." CHWs usually share ethnicity, language, socioeconomic status, and life experiences with the community members they serve. Tyra Jones, Education Coordinator for the Office of Community Care at SIU Medicine says CHWS have been identified by many titles, such as community health advisors