Evaluation of the dairy farming systems for sustainability using multiple management and health science indicators.

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K05917
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 41050:Environmental agriculture-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: KATO Hiromi (河上博美) 北海道大学, 農学研究院, 研究員 (80466002)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 野口 真貴子 日本赤十字看護大学, 看護学部, 教授 (30459672) ; 佐藤 三穂 北海道大学, 保健科学研究院, 講師 (00431312) ; 小野 洋 日本大学, 生物資源科学部, 教授 (40446480) ; 菱沼 竜男 宇都宮大学, 農学部, 准教授 (40592077)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 抑うつ / 酪農生産システム / 農業者福祉 / 経営要因 / 精神的健康

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to examine the prevalence of depressive symptoms assessed using CES-D and its association with work environment characteristics and to identify gender differences. The prevalence of depressive symptoms differed significantly by gender: 17.3% for males and 31.7% for females. For both genders, a demanding work environment was related to depression. Farm managers with higher net agricultural income ratio, good feeding and high milk quality, which indicates the latent meaning of "well-managed farm systems" were associated with depressive symptoms. Improving the mental health of agricultural employees should be emphasized for sustainable agriculture. There is a need to formulate policies and establish social systems that consider the physical and psychological health of dairy farm workers.

Free Research Field

家畜管理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

酪農家の精神的健康状態は，他の産業の労働者に比べて悪いことが国外で報告されているが，国内での調査事例は対象者へのアクセスの困難さから少ない。酪農従事者は日本の食生活を支える重要な使命を担っており，農村特有の文化を加味した支援方法を構築し支える必要がある．本研究の遂行によって，人の心身の健康状態の現状，環境負荷量およびその相互関係が示され，解決すべき課題が抽出された．持続可能な酪農を促進するために社会的なサポートを考える上で貴重な資料となった．