Suicide and accidental death in Australia's rural farming communities: a review of the literature

Alison Kennedy

qualifications: BBSc(Hons)

contribution: wrote the first draft, collected data

position: Postgraduate student

Australia

Prof Myfanwy Maple

qualifications: PhD

contribution: contributed to drafts

position: Associate professor

Australia

Social Work academic with research interests in suicide, suicide bereavement, trauma and loss, mental health, high risk young people.

Kathy McKay

qualifications: PhD

contribution: contributed to drafts

position: Research fellow

Kathy McKay's research focuses on perceptions and experiences of suicide and bereavement within literary and community environments.

Prof Susan Brumby

qualifications: MHM

contribution: contributed to drafts

position: Adjunct Associate Professor -University of New England

Australia

Commenced as founding Director of the National Centre for Farmer Health in November 2008 - a partnership between Western District Health Service and Deakin University. She leads the implementation of key strategies to improve the health, wellbeing and safety of farm men and women blending both her theoretical and practical understanding of health, agriculture, organisational management and rural communities. Her interests are in service delivery, workforce development, preventable disease, alcohol consumption, climate adaptation and hearing loss in farmers. Course director for the Graduate Certificate in Agricultural Health and Medicine (GCAHM), Principal Investigator of the award winning Sustainable Farm Families™ (SFF) project and Chief Investigator on Australian Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council and previously Rural Industries Research Development Corporation and beyondblue grants. Recognised for her contribution to rural health, awarded a Victorian Travelling Fellowship to the USA and the EU looking at farmer health and decision-making and an overseas study program in 2013. Susan has presented and published nationally and internationally on farmer health. Graduate and life fellow of the Australian Rural Leadership Program. Research interests: health promotion, agromedicine, social learning, statistics, farming.