AOHC: Research Examines Mortality Among Farm Workers

May 6, 2003
A very special session held Tuesday, May 6, at the American Occupational Health Conference (AOHC) in Atlanta examined current research in occupational and environmental medicine and offered some surprising results.

Lora Fleming, M.D., Ph.D., and a group of researchers from the University of Miami School of Medicine, discussed predictors of acute and chronic disability for farmers and pesticide applicators compared to all other U.S. workers.

"Farmers were, on average, significantly older than the rest of the U.S. workforce," noted Fleming. After adjusting for age, gender, race and ethnicity and education, she said farmers and pesticide applicators were more likely to be male, White or Hispanic and less educated than the "typical" U.S. worker.

Risk of accidental death, as well as cancers of the nervous and lymphatic/hematopoietic systems, was significantly elevated in both male and female pesticide-exposed workers, she said. However, pesticide workers were not at increased risk for breast, prostate and testicular cancers.

Surprisingly, the results of the study "indicate that at any point in time, compared to other U.S. workers, farmers are in general healthier, whereas… pesticide applicators have similar or poorer health," said Fleming.

Sponsored Recommendations

3 Essential Elements for a Strong Safety Culture

March 13, 2024
Organizations globally have increased their attention on safety culture: trying to figure out what it really is and the aspects that are necessary to develop and sustain it. And...

Making the Case for Occupational Health Software

March 13, 2024
Deciding to invest in Occupational Health (OH) software can be a challenging leap for many organizations. This article will equip businesses with insightful strategies for effectively...

Fighting the Flu: Solutions for the Workplace

March 13, 2024
Seasonal flu continues to wreak considerable havoc both on individual wellness, as well as on our business continuity and productivity. Explore these solutions for protecting ...

Preventing SIFs with Digitization: Reduce Serious Injuries and Fatalities with Technology

March 13, 2024
This eBook discusses the origins of SIF prevention, outlines principles, models and tools available to EHS leaders to better detect and address SIF potential in their business...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!