Citation

Firth H, Herbison P, McBride D, Feyer AM. N. Zeal. Med. J. 2001; 114(1140): 426-428.

Affiliation

New Zealand Environmental and Occupational Health Research Centre, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Otago Medical School, Dunedin. preventive-medicine@otago.ac.nz

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, New Zealand Medical Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11700751

Abstract

AIM: To describe the health of farmers in Southland. METHODS: Coss-sectional study of a random sample of farmers in Southland. RESULTS: 586 individuals were interviewed from 286 farms with a response rate of 65.4%. The prevalence of at least one injury in the last twelve months which prevented normal farm work was 17.1%. Low back pain was common with 54.6% reporting such an episode in the last twelve months. Noise-induced hearing loss was prevalent among men with 28.7% of those 45 years and over being affected. Levels of asthma appeared low with a point prevalence of 6.8%, with 4.6% on medication. There were 19.3% of male farmers who were obese. The prevalence of alcohol use disorder among men aged 15-24 years was 57.4%, and 39.0% among farm workers. Similarly, 32.0% of men in this age-group smoked, with 35.6% of farm workers being smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Farmers experienced high levels of injury, low back pain and noise-induced hearing loss. Community intervention programmes to prevent injury remain a priority for farmers, although lifestyle factors should also be addressed, particularly among farm workers.

Language: en