Kentucky Injury Prevention
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Experiences of Widows Following a Farm-related Fatality

Scheerer A, Brandt V

Farming families have been identified traditionally with a strong family bond resulting from both living and working together. When a farming fatality occurs, surviving family members are left to deal with not only the tragedy of losing a loved one, but also the loss of a coworker. The stress confronting farming families may contribute to serious consequences for their business, their relationships with each other, and the mental health of the individual members. These issues were explored through in-depth personal interviews with farming families in Kentucky.

Families who experienced a farming fatality were identified through the Kentucky Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Project, a statewide surveillance system for occupational fatalities. Eligible candidates for interviews were families in which the death had occurred between one and five years prior to the interview (1994-1998). Interviews with seven widows were selected for analysis. NUDIST software was used to organize and code the data into meaningful themes and groups.

Similar themes were found among the respondents as they described the consequences of the fatality on their family and business. Economic issues were an underlying consideration in many aspects of their experience. Even though none of the widows lost their farm or home because of financial difficulties, they did make changes in the amount or type of commodities so that it was manageable without hiring outside help. To maintain income, it was necessary to continue with chores such as feeding livestock and tending to crops which left little time for personal bereavement. Respondents discussed the changes in their farm and family, their coping mechanisms and support systems. In developing resources for families in similar circumstances, it is important to understand how intertwined their lives are with the farm environment and economics of the business.

Comments to Mark Schneider, Last Modified: July 9, 2001 by JP
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