The protective mental health effects of farm work among aging farmers.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Reed D
• Description:
  Objective: Much has been written about the physical risks of agricultural work. This report highlights the lesser examined impact of the mental aspects of farmwork among aging farmers discovered from a NIOSH funded study that examined work, work organization, health and injury, and future plans of farmers ages 50 and over. Methods: Five wave survey study conducted 2002-2006 with a panel of farmers (n=1,423), primarily married couples, in Kentucky and South Carolina. Focus groups (19) that included 127 participants who had completed the surveys were embedded within the study to illuminate dimensions not conducive to survey methods. Results: Mean age of participants was 65, with 51% male, and 78% White. Participants were engaged in farming and 40% defined health as "the ability to work." Injury rate for males: 14.4/100 farmers; women: 4.4. Using the 20 item CES-D measure, only 12% of the participants scored above the cut-off (>16) for possible depression. White males scored significantly less than White females or Blacks of either gender. The 12 item John Henry Self-efficacy score was higher for Black males than for Black females or Whites of either gender, and was high for the overall group (40.8, SD=4.6; possible range 12-60). Scores were significantly higher in the oldest 2 age groups. Focus group results confirmed the positive influence of farmwork on mental health and frank agreement that depression would occur if they could not contribute to farmwork. Many could not fathom what they would do if farmwork was not an option. Some even suggested suicide. Conclusions: Although injury fatality rates for older farmers are higher than for younger farmers, it is important to consider the psychological benefits of farmwork for aging farmers. Results from this study illustrate the need to develop safety strategies for continued work as farmer's age.
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Manufacturing And Industrial Facilities Occupational Health Safety Workplace
• Keywords:
  Age Factors Farmers Gender Factors Health Disparities Health Surveys Medical Care Mental Health Psychological Reactions Racial Factors Work Experience
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Abstract
• Place as Subject:
  Kentucky ; OSHA Region 4
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  166
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20052981
• Citation:
  NOIRS 2011-Abstracts of the National Occupational Injury Research Symposium, October 18-20, 2011, Morgantown, West Virginia. Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, NOIRS 2011-Abstracts, 2011 Oct; :166
• Contact Point Address:
  Deborah Reed, Ph.D., College of Nursing University of Kentucky 553 CON Building 760, Rose Street Lexington, KY 40536 USA
• Email:
  dbreed01@uky.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2012
• NORA Priority Area:
  Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
• Performing Organization:
  University of Kentucky
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20010930
• Source Full Name:
  NOIRS 2011-Abstracts of the National Occupational Injury Research Symposium, October 18-20, 2011, Morgantown, West Virginia
• End Date:
  20270929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:49ed3b4d7da8f278e6cd142afcce4cdd7da6a630bb10bf4aa40e8155cb9ba3e25b9decad93c7fb726a22b12592ad880378a9c2af3aa689bf2116b6af6a40957b
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/181734/cdc_181734_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 47.71 KB ]