Journal of Agromedicine最新文献

Objectives: Farm injuries impact more than the farmer, they affect family members, the community, and the local economy. In the Northeastern United States, while technology has improved safety measures significantly, rates of agricultural injuries, and fatalities are still very high.

Methods: In this study, we spoke with farmers who experienced a traumatic work injury as well as farm-support professionals to better understand the burden of agricultural injuries on the farmer and those closest to them. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded in NVIVO 12.

Results: Using qualitative thematic analysis approach when coding and analyzing the interview dialogue, two prominent themes emerged; i) the role of familial support post-injury and, ii) the burden of navigating a complex administrative system when seeking assistance. The injured farmers that lacked strong family support struggled to keep their businesses viable and often felt isolated and overwhelmed. In these cases, mental health counselors acted much like surrogate family members by providing emotional and structural support, but in a limited capacity. Between both the farmers and farm-support professionals interviewed, many expressed their frustrations with the time-consuming and ineffective administrative processes that injured farmers experience when trying to obtain social assistance such as unemployment, disability, or assistive technology.

Conclusion: These data may be used to better inform policy recommendations that affect injured farmers.

Objectives: Work-related stress has become prevalent among workers in various occupational sectors, including agriculture. This study assessed stress among seasonal migrant workers at a plant nursery throughout their full work shift.

Methods: The study included nine participants who performed a variety of tasks during the measurement day. Their beat-to-beat heart intervals were continuously collected using a heart rate monitor and mobile application. Their stress at work was then characterized in terms of heart rate variability (HRV) parameters (Mean RR, SDNN [Standard Deviation of NN], RMSSD [Root Mean Square of Successive Differences], VLF [Very Low Frequency] Power, LF [Low Frequency] Power, HF [High Frequency] Power, Total Power, VLF%, LF%, HF%, LF n.u. HF n.u. and LF:HF Ratio) using the Kubios HRV software. Generalized linear mixed-effects models were used to determine the effect of time of day since work began (partitioned into 15-min windows) and the assigned job tasks.

Results: Time of day was found to reduce Mean RR, SDNN, RMSSD, LF, HF, and Total Power, while increasing the LF:HF ratio, indicating stress increased as the workday progressed. Some job tasks had a significant impact on workers' stress levels. The task of field maintenance, including trimming bushes and sweeping cut branches, resulted in an increase in workers' stress. Conversely, weeding appeared to decrease SDNN, RMSSD, and VLF Power, suggesting this activity reduced stress.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated the feasibility of assessing heart rate variability in the field, providing objective data to decision-makers. To the authors' knowledge, this study is among the first to evaluate agricultural workers' stress using direct physiological measures such as heart rate variability.

Objectives: Agricultural workers may experience various health problems as a result of exposure to toxic substances, particularly to pesticides. Adequate health literacy is necessary to protect and enhance the well-being of agricultural workers. Agricultural workers have a poor rate of participation in cancer screening. This study aimed to explore the relationship between health literacy levels and participation in cancer screening among agricultural workers.

Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with 340 agricultural workers between December 2023 and May 2024. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the Descriptive Characteristics Questionnaire, Turkey Health Literacy Scale-32 (THLS-32), and Cancer Screening Participation Status Questionnaire.

Results: Participants were found to have a 32.6% adequate health literacy level. In this study, of the female agricultural workers, 37.3% had HPV DNA testing, 35.7% had mammography, 56.7% performed breast self-examination, and 26.3% had clinical breast examination. Among the participants, 27.6% participated in the fecal occult blood test and 21.1% in colonoscopy. An urologist examined 38.8% of male agricultural workers, and 34.9% had their prostate specific antigen levels checked. The health literacy levels of individuals who were older, female, single, of lower education level, had more annual working time and daily working hours in agriculture were significantly lower. A statistically significant relationship was found between participants' status of performing breast self-examination or participating in prostate cancer screenings and their health literacy levels.

Conclusion: Two-thirds of agricultural workers did not have adequate health literacy. The percentage of participants who took part in cancer screening did not exceed one-third. Therefore, qualitative studies should be conducted to investigate why agricultural workers do not participate in cancer screening initiatives to increase health literacy should be planned, and cancer screening should be recommended to agricultural workers by health professionals. Furthermore, future efforts to improve the health literacy of agricultural workers should focus on target individuals who are older, female, single, of lower education level, and more experienced (more daily working hours and years) in agriculture.

Introduction: Considering the intricate complexity of pesticide management, we applied the intervention mapping approach to develop, implement, and evaluate two interventions aimed at improving protective behaviors and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), thereby reducing pesticide exposure among farmers.

Methods: We used the steps of the Intervention Mapping (IM) process. First, a needs assessment was conducted, including a case study and a cross-sectional survey. Subsequently, the program outcomes and change objectives were specified. This was followed by program design and program production focusing on creating a culturally appropriate program. Finally, we conducted a three-armed randomized trial: 201 farmers were equally assigned to 1) education-only (n = 67); 2) education plus PPE provision (n = 67); or 3) control (n = 67) groups.

Results: Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed group × time interaction for acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was significant (p = .001). There was significantly increased AChE activity in the two intervention groups compared with controls (education-only p = .037; combined p = .001), with no between-intervention difference (p = 1.00). For protective behavior, both interventions did better than the controls (p = .001 for both), and self-reported use of PPE revealed the combined intervention did better than education-only (p = .030).

Discussion: Our results showed both interventions improved outcomes. Given its lower cost and high feasibility, educational intervention seems particularly suitable to more widespread use in farmer health programs.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to 1) explore perceptions of air quality (AQ) monitoring, hazard communication, health impacts of smoke exposure, protective controls and training needs among agricultural supervisors in alignment with the major elements of the wildfire smoke rule, and 2) compare survey responses by the language in which the survey was completed to identify training needs by group.

Methods: Bilingual personnel administered a 29-question survey in Spanish and English to agricultural supervisors and crew chiefs at two industry trainings in Washington (WA) State (12/2023, 1/2024). Data were analyzed in SPSS. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data with chi-squared tests for group comparisons by language.

Results: A total of 116 surveys were collected, with 61% completed in Spanish. Almost one-fifth (18%) of respondents reported "hypertension/cardiovascular disease" as a condition that impacts their own health, and 19% reported "asthma/respiratory disease." Of respondents, 80% agreed they have been exposed to wildfire smoke at work, and 77% reported they supervised workers who have been exposed to smoke. A significantly greater proportion of completers in Spanish (90%) reported being concerned with their own health and their workers' health in relation to smoke exposure than those completing in English (64%). Most (81%) respondents agreed they can recognize signs/symptoms when a worker is not feeling well due to smoke exposure, but only 63% reported having had training on managing workers with smoke-related symptoms. N95 masks were identified as the most realistic protective control to implement when wildfire smoke is present. There were significant differences by language group regarding what resources respondents identified as accurate for AQ monitoring at work. Most respondents (79%) had heard of the wildfire smoke rule in Washington.

Conclusion: Wildfire smoke is an occupational health threat for outdoors workers that is expected to increase. Supervisors who work in agricultural workplaces are required by law in Washington, Oregon, and California to monitor AQ, manage workers' symptoms, and implement protective controls at certain AQ thresholds. Study findings identify gaps in these areas and will support ongoing training of a critical subsector of the agricultural workforce.

Purpose: Agricultural sector crises have historically led to a sharp increase in resources for farmers' mental health. Yet, our understanding of the effectiveness, acceptability, and long-term sustainability of these is limited, and research rarely assesses the offering of programming within a geographic region.

Methods: We conducted online environmental scans in 2019 and 2022 (a period that encapsulates a farm income crisis and the height of the COVID-19 pandemic) in three Midwest states to understand: 1) what the mental health programming landscape looks like, 2) how it has evolved in response to crises, and 3) the progress made toward addressing major stressors and key barriers to care.

Findings: The number of organizations providing resources more than quadrupled, and the number of programs and resources more than tripled. Organizations most represented shifted from the farm sector in 2019 to the health sector in 2022. Educational material remained most prevalent, followed by programming to increase health care access. Meanwhile, the share of programming addressing key stressors was halved. Programming was overwhelmingly targeted at the farm population over service providers, with visual representations overall lacking diversity.

Conclusion: Findings around the sharp increases in programming and organizations involved hint at challenges connected to the coordination and sustainability of programming. The emphasis on addressing the manifestations of mental health challenges in tandem with limited linkages to financial resources raises questions about the efficacy and acceptability of programming. It also hints at the potential (re)enforcement of norms and stigma around mental health and help-seeking.

Objectives: Farmers experience high rates of shoulder injury, necessitating the need to better define the movement demands associated with farm work. Research is needed to determine whether simulating farm work in a laboratory environment will sufficiently capture the movement demands required in authentic agricultural environments. The purpose of this study was to compare variability in farm task performance between laboratory and field locations.

Methods: Inertial measurement units tracked humeral kinematics during four simulated farming work tasks (overhead drill, shovel, climb ladder, seed bag lift) and in three different locations; the laboratory, an agricultural tradeshow ("Ag in Motion"), and individual authentic grain/cattle farms. Ten participants per location were sex and age matched. Mean and peak humeral elevation, mean axial rotation, and peak internal and external rotation joint angles were evaluated for the primary "mover" arm during each of the tasks. Within and between participant variability, as well as differences in task performance across locations were evaluated.

Results: The within variability for peak humeral internal rotation during the shovel task was significantly lower in the laboratory compared to Ag in Motion and the farms (F_2,27 = 5.59, p < .01, η² = 0.29). However, within variability was comparable across locations for all other outcomes. Between participant variability was lowest in the laboratory in 12/20 outcomes, lowest at Ag in Motion in 7/20 outcomes, and lowest on the farms in only one outcome, suggesting lower between participant variability in the more highly controlled environments. Finally, significant differences in performance were elicited across locations for the overhead drill, shovel, and climb seeder tasks. Generally, lower humeral elevation and axial rotation occurred in the laboratory environment compared to Ag in Motion or the farms.

Conclusion: Simulating an occupational task in the laboratory may not fully reflect the demands of the task when performed in real-world settings. While greater between participant variability may be unavoidable in-field due to differences in equipment and other environmental variables, the greater humeral elevation and axial rotation demands elicited in the field environments suggest in-field research is necessary to fully capture the complexity of occupational movements.

Objectives: Understanding elderly farmers' health and risk factors is fundamental to preventing agricultural injuries and illnesses as the farming population ages. Few reviews have focused on how aging impacts farmers' health and safety. This study reviews scientific literature that characterizes aging farmers' physical and mental health, work-related risk factors, and potential interventions to support healthy work and aging.

Methods: In accordance with the framework established by Arksey and O'Malley (2003), we performed a scoping review by systematically searching the following databases: MEDLINE (via PubMed), CINAHL (via EBSCOhost), Web of Science (via Clarivate), AGRIS, PsycINFO (via APA PsycNet) and Embase (via Elsevier). Studies that examined elderly farmers' health and related risk factors as the primary outcome were included. Eligibility was limited to studies published in English between 1980 and 2024, conducted in the United States or globally. Included publications were organized, thematically coded, and their key findings were synthesized (without meta-analysis).

Results: Ninety-six publications were included in the final review. Our review indicates that injuries, chronic and occupational diseases, mental health, health risk factors, aging, and retirement considerations have been reported among aging farmers. Significant gaps were identified in the study of healthy aging farmers, particularly in longitudinal studies assessing the relationship between long-term occupational hazard exposure and adverse health outcomes over time.

Conclusion: A deeper understanding of aging and farmers' health, particularly through longitudinal panel studies, is needed to develop targeted prevention strategies that sustain productivity until a reasonable retirement age. Additionally, research informs societal and policy interventions that support farmers in transitioning to retirement when appropriate.

Background: Livestock disease outbreaks are challenging to control and often lead to animal deaths, sometimes necessitating the mass euthanasia of an entire herd or flock, a process known as depopulation. Depopulation is essential for safeguarding animal welfare, human health, and economic stability, as well as preventing the further spread of disease. While significant advancements have been made in the surveillance, detection, and disposal of affected farm animals, less attention has been given to the impact of livestock diseases and depopulation on farmers' mental health. This study explored the mental health effects of these events on farmers and identified strategies to enhance their resilience in coping with such stress.

Methods: Using a qualitative study, 20 farmers, veterinarians, and industry experts were recruited to describe the experience of livestock diseases and depopulation in Alberta, Canada through semi-structured, one-on-one interviews. All had experience with livestock diseases, and 18 had direct depopulation experience. To capture a broad spectrum of the impact on farmers, we gathered feedback from those raising cattle, swine, poultry, deer and elk, sheep, goats, and bees. The interviews were analyzed using a thematic approach to identify common themes.

Results: Five themes and five sub-themes emerged from the analysis: emotional distress (with sub-themes of shock and helplessness, anxiety and hypervigilance, despondency and waning motivation, fear of judgment and stigma, and contextual variables), threats to identity, economic burden, distrust and frustration with authorities, resilience and adaptation. Using our findings, we adapted the Emergency Management Framework to show what activities could be integrated to support farmers' mental health needs before, during, and after a depopulation event.

Conclusion: Farm animal diseases threaten the livelihoods and well-being of farmers as well as pose a significant threat to Canada's food security and national economy. Our findings indicate farmers who experience livestock diseases and depopulation may be at risk for poor mental health. Implications for education and training, as well as changes to policy to support the mental health and well-being of farmers is discussed.