The Association Between Farming Activities and Respiratory Health in Rural School Age Children

Abstract

This study assessed the prevalence of asthma in Canadian children living on and off farms and the risk of asthma and respiratory symptoms of children exposed to certain farming activities. A cross-sectional survey was sent to parents of school children ages 6 to 13 living in an agricultural community in rural Saskatchewan. History of asthma and respiratory symptoms (cough, phlegm, or wheeze), location of home, and exposure to farming activities including haying, harvesting, moving, or playing with hay bales, feeding livestock, cleaning or playing in barns, cleaning pens, and emptying or filling grain bins were assessed. The response rate was 90.6% (n = 553). The prevalence of asthma and respiratory symptoms were 18.8% and 39.8%, respectively, and did not differ by home location (farm/nonfarm). In the adjusted multivariable models conducted with each farming activity separately, children who were exposed to emptying and filling of grain bins had a higher odds of asthma (odds [OR] = 2.18, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-4.62]. Reports of playing on or near hay bales (OR = 1.89, 95% CI:1.19-3.01), (OR = 2.08, 95% CI:1.07-4.06), and cleaning pens (OR = 2.70, 95% CI:1.05-6.97) were associated with increased respiratory symptoms. Certain farming activities associated with dust and animals appear to be risk factors for asthma and respiratory symptoms in this study population and should be avoided.

Respiratory Health Effects of Large Animal Farming Environments

“…In addition, there was decreased incidence of asthma and atopy in rural Canadian children raised on a farm, especially girls for current wheeze (OR 0.7) and asthma (OR 0.59) (Ernst and Cormier 2000). However, increased rate of respiratory symptoms were reported in children that cleaned large animal pens (Farthing et al 2009). …”

Lung function in relation to farm dwelling and farming activities in rural dwelling children

“…Emptying grain bins regularly was associated with higher FEV 1 and FVC compared with those not regularly participating. Certain early farm exposures have been shown to have inverse associations with asthma presence including living on farm in the first year of life, drinking unpasteurized milk in the first year of life and mother living on farm while pregnant …”

“…Certain types of farming and farming activities have been shown to be protective against asthma including livestock farming and activities including livestock, riding horses and cleaning or playing in pens/corrals . Grain‐farming activities were associated with higher rates of asthma .…”

“…Certain early farm exposures have been shown to have inverse associations with asthma presence including living on farm in the first year of life, drinking unpasteurized milk in the first year of life and mother living on farm while pregnant. 22,[36][37][38][39][40] Certain types of farming and farming activities have been shown to be protective against asthma including livestock farming and activities including livestock, riding horses and cleaning or playing in pens/ corrals. 22,[36][37][38][39][40] Grain-farming activities were associated with higher rates of asthma.…”

Health professional education as community development: A Case report of lessons learned in rural Canada

“…Higher infant mortality rates and an increased risk of premature births were found in Pennsylvania, United States [13] . Farthing, et al (2009) found that children exposed to grain bins on farms in rural Saskatchewan, Canada, had more than two times the risk of developing asthma and respiratory issues than children who were not exposed [14] .…”