Toward a National Core Course in Agricultural Medicine and Curriculum in Agricultural Safety and Health: The “Building Capacity” Consensus Process

1955: The Entre` of Medicine and Public Health into the Field of Agricultural Occupational Safety and Health

The University of Iowa Institute of Agricultural Medicine (IAM) played a significant role in the development of the field of agricultural medicine. This article is an excerpt from the electronic book The Institute of Agricultural Medicine: an Iowa Idea - Worldwide Impact, 2021(https://pressbooks.uiowa.edu/agriculturalmedicinehistory/) which provides a detailed history of this story.Olaus Magnus (a clergyman in the Christian Church) in Sweden in 1555, and Bernardon Ramazzini (a physician) in Italy in 1713 wrote of health conditions in farmers. However, there is no evidence found (in the Western Hemisphere) before 1955, that a specific institute was present for the preventive health and medicine for farmers, their families, and their workers. There was an e absence of research and outreach in the medical and public health fields in agricultural medicine. The history of the Institute of Agricultural Medicine (IAM) provides a substantive grounding for the field as it stands today. Further, the institute serves as something of a precursor of the One Health Initiative. Here we trace the history of the institute and highlight its contributions to today's field of agricultural medicine.

Health Indicators of a Cohort of Midwest Farmers: Health Outcomes of Participants in the Certified Safe Farm Program

Occupational illness, injury, and fatality rates for those working in production agriculture are higher than in any other industry. A potential risk factor contributing to occupational injuries across all industries is acute or chronic co-morbidity (e.g., obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol), and related health issues that increase the risk for an occupational injury or illness. These chronic health conditions have been associated not only with increased risk for injuries, but also higher health-care costs, and greater absenteeism. Certified Safe Farm (CSF) is a comprehensive intervention program aimed to reduce occupational health and safety hazards and to promote general health among farmers. Prior publications have described CSF program efforts to reduce hazardous exposures, disabling injuries, organic dust toxic syndrome, occupational health-care costs, and to increase positive occupational health behaviors. This paper reports on the general health indicators of a cohort of 438 Iowa farm owner/operators enrolled in the CSF program. Overall, this study found that the farming population in Iowa has higher body mass index (BMI), but lower total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and lower prevalence of hypertension compared to the general population. There was evidence that the combination of high blood pressure, cholesterol, and BMI were related to increased injury rates. Poor self-reported health status was also related to increased injuries but was not related to clinical health indicators. The CSF intervention led to improvements on health outcomes, particularly among those in the 35 to 49 age group. Little research has focused on the individual's general health status as a predictor of risk of occupational injury. This study suggests the need for additional research and interventions integrating occupational safety and health prevention along with health promotion.