ABSTRACT

Objectives: This paper seeks to: provide an overview of the impacts of and responses to the spread of COVID-19 in Ireland; assess the vulnerability of the population living in rural areas to COVID-19; compare the health status of male farmers to underlying medical conditions frequently associated with those experiencing the worst impacts of the illness; and assess the implications of COVID-19 for farmers living alone and farm households with children.

Methods: We present an overview of the impact and response to COVID-19 through the use of public health statistics and reference to policy documents. We subsequently draw on the results of ongoing geographic and health research to present an overview of the impacts and potential implications of COVID-19.

Results: The population of many rural areas and farmers in particular are highly vulnerable to adverse outcomes to COVID-19 infection. Single person farm households are at particular risk of isolation, whilst those families with children are at increased risk of stress.

Conclusions: There is an urgent need to address both COVID-19 challenges and the health and wellbeing issues confronting farmers and farm families arising out of the current pandemic by supporting these populations adopt and sustain health behaviour changes, improve their wellbeing and develop the resources that support resilience.

摘要

目标：本文旨在：概述COVID-19在爱尔兰的传播所产生的影响和应对；评估农村地区人口对COVID-19的脆弱性；将男性农民的健康状况与经常遭受该疾病最严重影响的基本医疗状况进行比较；并评估COVID-19对独居农民和有孩子的农户的影响。

方法：我们通过使用公共卫生统计资料和参考政策文件，概述对COVID-19的影响和应对。随后，我们利用正在进行的地理和健康研究的结果来概述COVID-19的影响和潜在影响。

结果：许多农村地区的人口，特别是农民，极易受到COVID-19感染不良后果的影响。单身农场家庭特别容易被孤立，而那些有孩子的家庭则面临更大的压力。

结论：迫切需要通过支持这些人群采用并维持健康行为的变化，改善其福祉并开发可用于应对COVID-19挑战和当前大流行引起的农民和农场家庭面临的健康和福祉问题支持弹性。