No abstract

Agriculture is one of the most hazardous occupations in the United States. We examined the work-related injury rate and risk factors among 290 Iowa male principal farm operators using a population-based, prospective study. Baseline data were collected between 1991 and 1994, and injury events were surveyed in the fall of 1995. Cumulative incidence of farmwork-related injury during the previous year was 10.5%. We found that depressive symptoms (odds ratio, 3.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.04 to 9.99) and the number of hours working with animals (odds ratio, 2.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.04 to 4.44) were associated with the incidence of farmwork-related injuries.

Background Farmers are at risk for airways diseases resulting from exposures which include organic agents and chemicals on the farm. Few data on airways disease and farm exposures are available from population‐based studies. The Iowa Farm Family Health and Hazard Surveillance Project provided the opportunity to assess associations between symptoms of airway disease and several farm exposures, including pesticides, grain dust, animal confinement, and exposures from silos, in a population‐based study. Methods A stratified two‐stage cluster sample was used to provide a representative farmer sample from the state. Participants provided questionnaire responses concerning demographic, respiratory symptoms, smoking, and exposure information. Associations between farm exposures and airways disease symptoms were assessed in the 385 farmer participants using χ2 analysis and logistic regression analysis adjusting for age and smoking. Results The most frequently reported respiratory symptoms were flu‐like symptoms in connection with dusty work (22%), dyspnea (21%), and phlegm (15%). Current smoking was uncommon (13%). Among farmers, applying pesticides to livestock was associated with significantly increased odds of phlegm (OR = 1.91, 95% CI 1.02–3.57), chest ever wheezy (OR = 3.92, 95% CI 1.76–8.72), and flu‐like symptoms (OR = 2.93, 95% CI 1.69–5.12) in models adjusting for age and smoking. Conventional vertical silos were significantly associated with increased odds of chest ever wheezy (OR = 2.75, 95% CI 1.23–6.12) and flu‐like symptoms (OR = 2.40, 95% CI 1.31–4.37). There were also significant associations between several respiratory symptoms and the presence of animal confinement facilities on the farm. Conclusions The association between insecticide application to livestock and symptoms of airways disease is a new finding that could lead to further study of specific airway responses and exposures associated with this practice. Results confirming associations between respiratory symptoms and conventional vertical silos may be important in future studies aimed at prevention and control of exposures in those farm buildings. Am. J. Ind. Med. 38:455–462, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Our results suggest that sonographic features that may potentially assist in differentiating papillary lesions include size, margin, echo pattern, posterior features, and intralesional vascularity.