Health impacts of the 2005 flood events on feedlot farm families in southern Alberta, Canada

Abstract

In the summer of 2005, southern Alberta received heavy rainfall that led to extensive flooding. Four separate flooding events severely affected several rural communities, roads, bridges, and businesses within the region; specifically, the flooding affected farm families living on Canada's largest feedlot operations in the area. This article explores the health-related impacts of the 2005 flood events on families who reside on feedlot farms in southern Alberta. Utilizing random sampling, an in-person survey was conducted between September and December 2005 with 33 affected feedlot farm families living in the Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District, home of the greatest number of large beef feedlot operations in Canada. Three percent of participants (and 12% of their family members) reported flood-related health problems. However, 63% of participants (and 58% of their family members) reported flood-related mental health problems, and 40% (and 24% of family members) indicated that they experienced isolation and helplessness. Only 9% of the participants accessed health services. Most participants reported that their communities were more helpful in dealing with their flood-related health problems than were public and service delivery sectors. A majority (91%) of participants reported that their family was helpful, followed by friends (64%), neighbors (42%), church (39%), and employees (36%). Among the affected feedlot farm families, a small percentage experienced physical health problems but a much larger percentage had mental health problems. However, only a few utilized health care services. This information will be important to health care leaders and policy makers as they plan and develop efficient and effective health care support for farm families exposed to flooding events.

Farmstead drinking water sources, concerns and safety practices of livestock farm families in southern Alberta, Canada

“…Smell and taste of water (27) Watershed contamination (21) Testing of water quality (15) Loss of immunity (6) www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3541 (on-line)…”

“…water from their farm (lagoons and pens) through sprinkler/pivot systems onto the fields during heavy precipitation, particularly during floods [27].…”

“…LNID's water distribution system is 650 km in length and is spread between the towns of Fort MacLeod and Turin [25]. The LNID services over 52,600 ha of cultivated lands, pastures and feedlot farm dugouts through diked and mostly lined open canals and pipelines to reduce seepage and contamination [20,27]. The farm dugouts are commonly located close to the watercourse.…”

“…The district also supplies thousands of people with water for domestic use [5]. Consequently, LNID's well advanced irrigation system has fostered growth in livestock and food processing industries as well as socioeconomic development in the area [17,24,27,29].…”

Determining Canadian water utility preparedness for the impacts of climate change

“…Globally, we have operations, in the absence of effective adaptations, can have impacts on the health of Canadians that are multifaceted and complex. Examples of health impacts include death or serious injury from floods or heavy rains (Acharya et al, 2007;Du et al, 2010), increased potential for illness caused by food-borne, water-borne or vector-borne pathogens (eg., Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli 0157:H7, Cryptosporidium, enteric viruses, West Nile virus) and stress disorders from loss of loved ones, property and livelihoods (Acharya et al, 2007;Berry et al, 2014;Du et al, 2010;Ebi & Paulson, 2010;World Health Organization [WHO], 2013). In order to be protective in the face of these pressures, water utility officials need to prepare for the impacts of climate change by increasing their understanding of current and future risks and taking needed adaptation measures (Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], 2012a;IPCC, 2008;Water UK, 2008;UN-Water, 2010).…”