Work Exposures and Mental and Musculoskeletal Symptoms in Organic Farming

Details

• Personal Author:
  Hirvonen M ; Kinnunen B ; Mattila TEA ; Perkiö-Mäkelä M ; Rautiainen RH ; Väre M
• Description:
  This study focused on harmful exposures and mental and musculoskeletal symptoms in organic and conventional farming using interview data of Finnish farmers over the winter of 2014-2015. The data consisted of 2,169 full-time farmers, out of whom 231 (11%) practiced organic farming and 1,938 (89%) conventional farming. Exposure to poisonous and irritating substances was less frequent while exposures to vibration and mould ('smell of root cellar') were more frequent on organic farms. Mental and musculoskeletal symptoms were slightly more common among organic farmers, but the associations were not statistically significant in regression modelling. Risk factors for mental symptoms included animal production, hired labour, female gender, constant hurry, working alone, economic uncertainty, and inadequate recovery from workdays. Risk factors for musculoskeletal symptoms included older age, female gender, constant hurry, economic uncertainty, difficult working postures, heavy lifting and carrying, and inadequate recovery. Workload and recovery, managing the transition period and better follow-up of the occupational well-being were identified as concerns among organic farmers. Practitioner summary: Converting from conventional to organic farming has become increasingly common. Farmer interviews indicated that exposure to poisonous and irritating substances was less frequent while exposures to vibration and mould were more frequent on organic farms. Mental and musculoskeletal symptoms and risk factors were similar in both types of farming. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Agriculture Ergonomics Farmers Fungi Mental Health Musculoskeletal Diseases Musculoskeletal System Nervous System Occupational Health Safety Vibration

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• Keywords:
  Agricultural Workers Author Keywords: Occupational Exposures Mental Health Mental Symptoms Molds MSD Musculoskeletal Disorders Musculoskeletal Symptoms Organic Agriculture Posture Social Sustainability

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• ISSN:
  0014-0139
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Nebraska ; OSHA Region 7
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  242-252
• Volume:
  65
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20068036
• Citation:
  Ergonomics 2022 Feb; 65(2):242-252
• Contact Point Address:
  Tiina E. A. Mattila, Natural Resources Institute, Helsinki, 00790, Finland
• Email:
  tiina.mattila@luke.fi
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2022
• NORA Priority Area:
  Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
• Performing Organization:
  University of Nebraska Medical Center - Omaha
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20110901
• Source Full Name:
  Ergonomics
• End Date:
  20270831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:c1a127207abd58c1dd03d2ed80553112e0316badeb735eac868bbf194e1f060e892a9353faa37890b547eb865ec5ed2e39f88cdc220ecb4710daafbeac94e708
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/230259/cdc_230259_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.27 MB ]