Journal of Medical Council of Iran
Volume 43, Issue 3 (2025)
jmciri 2025, 43(3): 83-94 |
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Ethics code: IR.SBMU.PHNS.REC.1402.034
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Tahernejad A, Sohrabizadeh S, Mashhadi A, Mehrabi Y. Context-Based Approaches to Enhancing the Psychological Resilience of Farmers Affected by Drought: A Policy Brief. jmciri 2025; 43 (3) :83-94
URL: http://jmciri.ir/article-1-3404-en.html
URL: http://jmciri.ir/article-1-3404-en.html
Health in Disasters and Emergencies, Air Quality and Climate Change Research Center, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Environment, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran & Associate Professor of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (6 Views)
Abstract
Background: Drought, as one of the severe consequences of climate change, has had significant impacts on the mental health of farmers in the arid and semi-arid regions of Iran. Amidst the rising prevalence of mental disorders among farmers, psychological resilience has emerged as a key factor in mitigating the mental consequences of drought. This study aimed to design and propose a set of context-based approaches to enhance the psychological resilience of farmers affected by drought in Iran.
Methods: This research constitutes the final phase of a doctoral dissertation, following two prior stages: first, a qualitative study using grounded theory to explain the process of psychological resilience among farmers; and second, a quantitative test of the resulting conceptual model through structural equation modeling, involving 400 farmers. In the final stage, using a “knowledge-to-policy” translation approach, practical strategies were developed for the key components of the model. These strategies were reviewed and finalized in Delphi sessions with interdisciplinary experts and compiled into a policy brief consisting of context-based strategies.
Results: The final conceptual model demonstrated that farmers’ psychological adaptation to drought results from the interaction of causal factors (such as personal, psychological, and knowledge-based factors) with intervening conditions (including health, economy, policy, and culture factors) and coping strategies. Based on this, 21 intervention approaches were designed covering cultural, social, economic, religious, educational, and technical domains. These approaches range from successful storytelling and local narratives, coping skills training, reconstruction of social support systems, development of psychologically informed agricultural insurance, and livelihood diversification to redefine the farmer’s role as a crisis manager.
Conclusion: The results indicate that farmers’ psychological resilience to drought is a multilayered concept influenced by diverse individual, social, cultural, economic, and institutional factors. The integrated conceptual model outlines their mental and practical adaptation process. In response to this finding, 21 culturally grounded policy strategies were developed, tailored to the institutional and cultural contexts of vulnerable regions, and are implementable at individual, family, community, and institutional levels. A key recommendation is the necessity of adopting an intersectoral and culturally adaptive approach in policy-making for the psychological management of drought. The study also emphasizes the need for future research to assess the effectiveness of these interventions, implement local pilots, and integrate international experiences to enrich localized policy frameworks
Background: Drought, as one of the severe consequences of climate change, has had significant impacts on the mental health of farmers in the arid and semi-arid regions of Iran. Amidst the rising prevalence of mental disorders among farmers, psychological resilience has emerged as a key factor in mitigating the mental consequences of drought. This study aimed to design and propose a set of context-based approaches to enhance the psychological resilience of farmers affected by drought in Iran.
Methods: This research constitutes the final phase of a doctoral dissertation, following two prior stages: first, a qualitative study using grounded theory to explain the process of psychological resilience among farmers; and second, a quantitative test of the resulting conceptual model through structural equation modeling, involving 400 farmers. In the final stage, using a “knowledge-to-policy” translation approach, practical strategies were developed for the key components of the model. These strategies were reviewed and finalized in Delphi sessions with interdisciplinary experts and compiled into a policy brief consisting of context-based strategies.
Results: The final conceptual model demonstrated that farmers’ psychological adaptation to drought results from the interaction of causal factors (such as personal, psychological, and knowledge-based factors) with intervening conditions (including health, economy, policy, and culture factors) and coping strategies. Based on this, 21 intervention approaches were designed covering cultural, social, economic, religious, educational, and technical domains. These approaches range from successful storytelling and local narratives, coping skills training, reconstruction of social support systems, development of psychologically informed agricultural insurance, and livelihood diversification to redefine the farmer’s role as a crisis manager.
Conclusion: The results indicate that farmers’ psychological resilience to drought is a multilayered concept influenced by diverse individual, social, cultural, economic, and institutional factors. The integrated conceptual model outlines their mental and practical adaptation process. In response to this finding, 21 culturally grounded policy strategies were developed, tailored to the institutional and cultural contexts of vulnerable regions, and are implementable at individual, family, community, and institutional levels. A key recommendation is the necessity of adopting an intersectoral and culturally adaptive approach in policy-making for the psychological management of drought. The study also emphasizes the need for future research to assess the effectiveness of these interventions, implement local pilots, and integrate international experiences to enrich localized policy frameworks
Type of Study: Research |
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