Musculoskeletal pain among Midwest farmers and associations with agricultural activities

Nathan B Fethke; Linda A Merlino; Fredric Gerr; Mark C Schall Jr; Cassidy A Branch

doi:10.1002/ajim.22398

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Musculoskeletal pain among Midwest farmers and associations with agricultural activities

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Musculoskeletal pain among Midwest farmers and associations with agricultural activities

Nathan B Fethke, Linda A Merlino, Fredric Gerr, Mark C Schall Jr and Cassidy A Branch

American journal of industrial medicine, Vol.58(3), pp.319-330

03/2015

DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22398

PMID: 25345841

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Abstract

Although agricultural workers experience a high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain, associations between specific agricultural activities and musculoskeletal pain are not well characterized. Among 518 regional farmers, responses to a mailed questionnaire were used to estimate (i) the 2-week prevalence of low back, neck/shoulder, and elbow/wrist/hand pain, and (ii) associations between the average hours per week performing common agricultural activities and musculoskeletal pain. The low back was the most common location of musculoskeletal pain (33.2%), followed by the neck/shoulder (30.8%) and elbow/wrist/hand (21.6%). Statistically significant adjusted associations were observed between performing equipment repair and maintenance and low back pain; milking animals and neck/shoulder pain; and manual material handling and elbow/wrist/hand pain, among others. The observed prevalence estimates are consistent with previous literature, and the associations between agricultural activities and musculoskeletal pain provide an initial basis for targeted intervention research.

Low Back Pain - epidemiology

Prevalence

Humans

Middle Aged

Musculoskeletal Pain - etiology

Upper Extremity - injuries

Neck Pain - epidemiology

Male

Musculoskeletal Pain - epidemiology

Agriculture - methods

Neck Pain - etiology

Occupational Injuries - epidemiology

Occupational Injuries - etiology

Agriculture - statistics & numerical data

Equipment and Supplies - adverse effects

Low Back Pain - etiology

Midwestern United States - epidemiology

Adult

Female

Surveys and Questionnaires

Aged

Work - statistics & numerical data

Details

Title: Subtitle: Musculoskeletal pain among Midwest farmers and associations with agricultural activities
Creators: Nathan B Fethke - Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
Linda A Merlino
Fredric Gerr
Mark C Schall Jr
Cassidy A Branch
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: American journal of industrial medicine, Vol.58(3), pp.319-330
DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22398
PMID: 25345841
NLM abbreviation: Am J Ind Med
ISSN: 0271-3586
eISSN: 1097-0274
Publisher: United States
Grant note: U54 OH007548 / NIOSH CDC HHS
Language: English
Date published: 03/2015
Academic Unit: Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Occupational and Environmental Health; Epidemiology; Industrial and Systems Engineering; Center for Social Science Innovation; Injury Prevention Research Center; Public Policy Center (Archive)
Record Identifier: 9983997998202771

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