Prof. Andria Jones-Bitton, a professor in the Department of Population Medicine, was featured in a Globe and Mail article about the mental health struggles of farmers and growers.

Jones-Bitton discussed a survey she and colleagues conducted that found about 45 per cent of farmers across Canada have high stress, while 35 per cent meet the standard for depression — levels far above that of the general population.

The research Jones-Bitton and her team conducted was one of few mental health studies to focus directly on agricultural workers. She and her team are now working to raise awareness among farmers about mental health issues and to help them cope in a healthy way with the stresses of running a farm.

Jones-Bitton previously studied mental health issues among veterinarians and veterinary students.  As an epidemiologist, she has also studied food-borne, water-borne and zoonotic disease, as well as disease surveillance among small ruminants.