HEALTH IN AGRICULTURE:
Cultivating an Understanding of the Unique Challenges
and Strengths within Farming and Ranching
Chelsea Hampton, MSW
WHY IS THIS TOPIC IMPORTANT?

Learning Objectives:
I. Participants will gain a basic understanding of/and be able to identify some
of the major health issues and conditions agricultural workers face.
II. Participants will gain a basic understanding of/and be able to identify risk
factors associated with health issues and conditions agricultural workers
face.
III. Participants will be able to identify preventative approaches and resources
for promoting agricultural health and independence.

America’s Farmers. Webisode 14 – “A Year Round Job.”
COMMON INJURIES AND PHYSICAL HEALTH
CONDITIONS AMONG AGRICULTURAL WORKERS

Arthritis - Arthritis affects approximately one-third of adults
in farming and ranching.1

Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries – An estimated 1.7 million
cases of traumatic brain injury (TBI) occur annually, and the
rates are higher for males in every age group.2

Hand and Eye Injuries - Approximately 2,000 cases of jobrelated eye injury requiring medical care occur each day in the
U.S.3
1
Agriculture and Arthritis. http://www.arthritis-ag.org/arthritis-and-you/agriculture-and-arthritis.aspx
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Injury Prevention & Control: Traumatic Brain Injury. http://www.cdc.gov/TraumaticBrainInjury/statistics.html
3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Workplace Safety & Health Topics: Eye Safety. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/eye/
2
COMMON INJURIES AND PHYSICAL HEALTH CONDITIONS
(CONTINUED…)

Hearing Loss - In the U.S., an estimated 17% of adults have some
level of hearing loss, which increases to 1 in 3 people after the age of
65.4 Agriculture is one of several industries heavily impacted by
noise-induced hearing loss.5

Cardiovascular Disease – Heart disease is the leading cause of
death for both men and women.

Skin Cancer – Agricultural workers are in a high-risk category, as
skin cancer rates are higher in farmers than in the general
population.6
4 Hearing
5 Centers
6
Loss Association of America – Basic Facts about Hearing Loss. http://www.hearingloss.org/content/basic-facts-about-hearing-loss
for Disease Control and Prevention: NIOSH Publications and Products: Work Related Hearing Loss. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2001-103/
The Forum.(1997). http://ncsu.edu/ffci/publications/1997/v2-n3-1997-summer/skin-cancer.php. NC State University.
RISK FACTORS
Nature of work in agricultural settings and physical
stress
 Lack of protective equipment and/or safety
awareness
 Lifestyle factors
 Age
 Pre-existing health conditions

COMMON HEALTH & SAFETY HAZARDS IN
FARMING AND RANCHING
Pesticides and Other Chemicals
 Operating Machinery
 Heavy Lifting
 Working with Livestock
 Noise Exposure
 Exposure to the Elements (more on this in the next
section)
 Tractor and Vehicle Accidents
 Rough/Unstable Terrain

35
30
25
20
Agriculture
15
Mining
10
Construction
5
0
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Death Rate (Deaths Per 100,000
Workers)
THE BIG PICTURE OF HAZARD, RISK, INJURY & ILLNESS IN
AGRICULTURE
Year
Data from the National Safety Council® Injury Facts® 2008 and 2011 Editions
THE BIG PICTURE… (CONTINUED)
Cases by Gender
Nonfatal Injuries and
Illnesses (2008)
Men
Women
Fatalities (2008)
Men
Women
Data from the National Safety Council® Injury Facts® 2011 Edition
THE BIG PICTURE… (CONTINUED)
Fatalities and Nonfatal Cases by Age (2008)
No. of Cases
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Nonfatal Cases
Fatalities
Under 16-19
20-24
16
25-34
35-44
Age
45-54
55-64
65+
Data from the National Safety Council® Injury
Facts® 2011 Edition
THE BIG PICTURE… (CONTINUED)
Part of Body Affected in Nonfatal
Cases (2008)
•1, 550 vehicle-related
cases
•1,090 cases due to
machinery
•300 cases due to chemicals
and chemical products
Trunk
• Of the data provided,
vehicle-related incidents
Neck
accounted for the most
Upper Extremities
fatalities with 323
Lower Extremities
Body Systems
Multiple
All Other
Head
Data from the National Safety Council® Injury
Facts® 2011 Edition
WEATHER-RELATED INJURIES AND PREVENTION

Cold Weather Injury, Illness, and Prevention
- Frostbite
- Hypothermia
- Trench Foot
- Slips and Falls
WEATHER-RELATED INJURIES AND PREVENTION

Heat-related Injury, Illness, and Prevention
- Heat Stroke
- Heat Exhaustion
- Heat Cramps
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IN AGRICULTURE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8ZhaIbEZN8&feature=relmfu
America’s Farmers Webisode 11: “Challenges.”
“Put you in a mood you can’t describe…”
“That’s when you gotta pick yourself up…you’re pretty depressed
and in the dumps when that happens.”
“Your whole livelihood is out there.”
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IN AGRICULTURE:
COMMON HEALTH ISSUES

Depression

Stress – Multiple Related Factors

Suicide Risk

PTSD in Returning Veteran-Farmers
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IN AGRICULTURE:
RISK FACTORS
Isolation in Rural Areas
 Reluctance to Seek Help
 Compounding Factors, Stressors and Underlying
Conditions

A PREVENTATIVE APPROACH: REINFORCING THE
FRAMEWORK FOR AGRICULTURAL HEALTH





Increase awareness of health issues and hazards
Promote the use of protective equipment and utilizing
proper safety measures
Increase access to health information and resources
Promote self-care, healthy life-style choices and
preventative healthcare
Prevent secondary injuries
FARMING AND RANCHING WITH A DISABILITY…
What is AgrAbility?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI3vChVHdoc&feature=player_embedded
AgrAbility: It’s About Hope. [Short Version]. Purdue University Extension.
FARMING AND RANCHING WITH A DISABILITY (CONTINUED…)

Role of Wyoming AgrAbility

Assistive Technology

Partners in Wyoming
Assistive Technology in Agriculture
Assistive Technology (Continued…)
FARMING AND RANCHING WITH A DISABILITY (CONTINUED…)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRvUYVei4G8&NR=1&feature=endscreen
What AgrAbility Means to Me – Don Trammel. National AgrAbility.
AGRICULTURAL HEALTH & SAFETY TRIVIA…






What does PPE stand for?
What would some examples of PPE include?
What does ROPS stand for?
What are some of the resources in Wyoming for agricultural
workers with disabilities?
Name three common health conditions/injuries…
Why are agricultural workers at risk?
AS A FINAL NOTE…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48H7zOQrX3U
“I’m Farming and I Grow It.” The Peterson Farm Bros.
REFERENCES:
-Australian Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety http://www.aghealth.org.au/index.php?id=5061
-Rural Assistance Center http://www.raconline.org/topics/agri_health/
- Australian Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety. (2009). Farm Health & Safety Tool Kit.
- World Health Organization. Occupational health services in agriculture and rural areas: an urgent need for
the healthy village campaign.
http://www.who.int/occupational_health/publications/newsletter/newsletter_15_regions/en/index6.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Workplace Safety & Health Topics: Agriculture
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/agriculture/
-Virginia Cooperative Extension. http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/442/442-085/442-085.html
-CDC. Worker Safety on the Farm. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2010-137/
-Map http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/NCVDSS_DTM/
-The Skin Cancer Foundation - http://www.skincancer.org/
-Farm Stress One http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/disaster/drought/old/dro-31.html
-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Workplace Safety & Health Topics: Heat Stress.
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/heatstress/
-ERS/USDA http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/WellBeing/demographics.htm
-OSHA Fact Sheet: Farm Safety. (2005). http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/FarmFactS2.pdf
-Fetsch, R.J. (June, 2011). Farming, ranching: Health hazard or opportunity? Fact Sheet No. 10.201. Consumer
Series: Family. Colorado State University Extension.
-National Safety Council. (2011). Injury Facts®, 2011 Edition. Itasca, IL: Author.
-National Safety Council. (2008). Injury Facts®, 2008 Edition. Itasca, IL: Author.
-Preventing Cold-Related Illness in Agricultural Workers. Wyoming AgrAbility.
THANK YOU!
Wyoming AgrAbility
1000 E. University Ave. Dept 3354
Laramie, WY 82071
Toll free: (866) 395-4986
Phone: (307) 766-3052
http://www.uwyo.edu/agrability/default.html
Chelsea Hampton, MSW
Former Project Coordinator
(307)766-3052
Randy Weigel, Ph.D.
Project Director
(307) 766-4186
agrability@uwyo.edu