United Airway Disease Among Crop Farmers

ABSTRACT

Although there are observed relationships between agriculture and respiratory health problems, little attention has been given to relationship between lower and upper airway problems among farmers in the United States. The objective was to investigate the possible relationship between occupational risk factors and “united airway disease” among farmers in eastern North Carolina. Farmers and farm workers were selected from eastern North Carolina by using a cluster sampling method. A total of 180 farmers and farm workers completed the questionnaire. Data analyses were conducted to test associations and correlations between working conditions and symptoms. Lower airway symptom prevalence was 35%, and 66% had upper airway symptoms. Only 1% of farmers had physician-diagnosed rhinitis. Self-reported rhinitis and asthma symptoms were significantly correlated (r = .228, P = .003) among farmer/farm workers. Upper airway diseases are prevalent yet overlooked among farmer/farm workers. Early management of upper airway symptoms may prevent severe lower airway diseases, which will lead to increased productivity in the agricultural workforce.

KEYWORDS:

• Agriculture
• North Carolina
• respiratory disease

Acknowledgments

We thank NC Agromedicine Institute and NC Cooperative Extension Service agencies for their support, and we thank all our participants. Muge Akpinar-Elci’s affiliation under which the work was done: Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, North Carolina, USA.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by the East Carolina University Research Development Award.