Women Farmers Are Using Alcohol to Cope – Ambrook Research
More female farm owners and managers are managing stress with binge drinking, new research found.
By Rebecca McCray
The gender dynamics of parenting continue to evolve, the challenge of juggling caretaking with farm work — among many other stressors — is quite familiar to female farm owners and managers today. Recent research from the University of Georgia examining how gender intersects with stress, resilience, and alcohol use on the farm suggests the weight of these many responsibilities are taking a toll on women in particular.
While the study is not the first to sound the alarm about stress and substance use in agriculture, the use of alcohol among women stands out. The research, led by Christina Proctor, assistant professor at the University of Georgia’s College of Public Health, found women farm owners and managers not only reported “significantly higher” levels of perceived stress than their male counterparts, but also lower resilience — and a higher prevalence of binge drinking.
“Overall, alcohol consumption among women was lower, but when they did drink, they were heavily drinking,” Proctor said.