Journal of Agromedicine最新文献

{"title":"Assessing Bovine Exposure and IgE Levels Among Dairy Workers Using a Risk Matrix.","authors":"Hilary McLeland-Wieser, Marissa Baker, Julianne Meisner, Peter Rabinowitz","doi":"10.1080/1059924X.2026.2667778","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2026.2667778","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Dairy workers face a range of occupational risks and outcomes, including acute and chronic respiratory hazards. However, the evidence for negative respiratory outcomes is mixed. Thus, more research is needed to understand the connection between occupational exposures and health outcomes on dairy farms to facilitate the development, implementation, and evaluation of improved programs and processes for injury and illness prevention. This study contributes to this need by evaluating the association between exposure risk and bovine-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E levels among dairy workers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Dairy workers (<i>n</i> = 36) self-reported time spent in various dairy-related tasks, as well as personal protective equipment used during all tasks. This information was used to develop job risk matrices for each task and all tasks combined. Serum bovine dander IgE levels were determined for all participants, and the association between exposure and IgE was assessed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Seven participants (19.4%) had an elevated bovine IgE level. Those with elevated IgE had a mean total risk matrix score of 9.0 compared to 7.6 for those without elevated IgE. In the adjusted models, there were no statistically significant associations between IgE levels and bovine allergen risk matrix scores. However, for the task of herd health, a one-point increase in the bovine allergen risk matrix score was associated with a 1.42 kU/L increase in anti-bovine IgE (<i>p</i> = .08).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This work shows the feasibility of using a semi-quantitative task risk matrix to more formally conceptualize dairy worker occupational exposure risk to a respiratory hazard. While not statistically significant, this study identified a positive association between performing herd health tasks and having elevated bovine IgE levels. This suggests task risk matrix approaches may be useful in studying other respiratory hazards in dairy production, including infectious agents.</p>","PeriodicalId":49172,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agromedicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147845137","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations of Occupational Exposures on Environmental Allergies Among Farmers and Ranchers in the Central United States.","authors":"Alexandrea Welch, Cheryl Beseler, Yi Du, Shaun Cross, Risto H Rautiainen","doi":"10.1080/1059924X.2026.2660987","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2026.2660987","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Importance: </strong>Environmental allergies plague millions of adults every year. Farmers and ranchers are at a heightened risk of exposure to allergens due to their occupation.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>Few studies have addressed the contribution of occupational exposures to environmental allergies and potential preventive strategies to reduce exposure. The objective of this study is to determine whether occupational exposures affect the risk of environmental allergies among farmers and ranchers in the central midwestern states.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Surveillance data from the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health Farm and Ranch Health and Safety Surveys from 2018, 2020, and 2023 were analyzed to investigate risk factors for environmental allergies. Logistic regression was used to evaluate associations.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>The study was conducted across seven states, including Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Surveys were mailed to randomly selected agricultural operations.</p><p><strong>Participants: </strong>Eligible participants were farm and ranch operators with an email address and an estimated gross farm income of at least $5,000. The study was sent to \"operators\" defined as those who manage a farm or ranch business.</p><p><strong>Main outcome(s) and measure(s): </strong>The primary outcome variable is the presence of environmental allergies, assessed through self-reported physician-diagnosed allergies. The primary variable of interest was air contaminant exposure. Additional predictor variables included skin exposures, musculoskeletalexposures, workstrain symptoms,musculoskeletal discomfort, sex, age, type of operation, primary occupation, percentage of worktime, and production variables.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Beingfemale (OR = 1.84) and having a primary occupation other than farm/ranch work (OR = 1.47) were significantly associated with higher odds of environmental allergies. Surprisingly, participants without symptoms of work strain (OR = 1.72), musculoskeletal discomfort (OR = 1.93), and musculoskeletal exposures (OR = 1.48) were positivelyassociated with environmental allergies. Occupational exposures, including respiratory exposure to grain, feed, or hay dust (OR = 1.43), road dust (OR = 1.39), skin contact with pesticides or fertilizers (OR = 1.22), and detergents and disinfectants (OR = 1.22) increased theodds of having environmental allergies. Dairy (OR = 0.61) and grainproduction (OR = 0.75) decreased the odds.</p><p><strong>Conclusionsand relevance: </strong>These findings highlight the need for occupational health interventions aimed at reducing respiratory and skin exposures in farm and ranch environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":49172,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agromedicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147786804","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Growing a Safety Culture: The Mechanisms of an Industry-Led Safety Learning Network Pilot in Horticulture.","authors":"Sarah Oxford, Ashleigh Blair, Ruth Nettle","doi":"10.1080/1059924X.2026.2661749","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2026.2661749","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Horticulture farms are high-risk, hard-to-reach workplaces where regulatory and education-based safety interventions often fail to achieve lasting impact. Challenges arise from multifaceted hazards, skepticism toward regulatory authority, and the precarious employment conditions of seasonal and culturally diverse workers. This paper reports on findings from a study of an Australian horticulture industry-led Safety Learning Network (SLN) pilot that aimed to drive sustainable safety-culture change.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Qualitative data collection from participants in the initiative involved semi-structured interviews with farm owners/managers (<i>n</i> = 10), observations (<i>n</i> = 6) and notes from farm visits (<i>n</i> = 2), governance meetings, and informal communications (<i>n</i> = 19). Thematic analysis involved the application of a socio-ecological framework to identify the mechanisms that contributed to the pilot's effectiveness and weaknesses in engaging horticulture farms and fostering safety culture change.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants identified three interrelated mechanisms through which the SLN supported engagement and contributed to safety culture and safety-related attitudes: building trust between the initiative leaders and farmers involved, providing practical and tailored support to farmers and their employees, and providing credible legal and industry expertise to farmers. Behavior change associated with these mechanisms included shifts in attitude and accountability among all participating farm managers and owners, and observable changes in safety behavior among workers on some farms.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Industry-led networks have the potential bridge the gap between regulation and farm-level practice and may support culture and behavior change among horticulture workers. However, evidence of effectiveness is limited and these networks typically require participatory, context-specific implementation that can be resource-intensive. Future research could incorporate independent outcome measures (e.g. injury or claims data) and longitudinal designs to assess sustainability and broader impact.</p>","PeriodicalId":49172,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agromedicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-12"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147786812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Explainable Ensemble Machine Learning for Predicting Injury Severity in Agricultural Accidents.","authors":"Omer Mermer, Eddie Zhang, Ibrahim Demir","doi":"10.1080/1059924X.2026.2658048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2026.2658048","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Agricultural injuries remain a leading occupational hazard, causing substantial human and economic losses worldwide. This study aimed to predict agricultural injury severity using linear and ensemble machine learning (ML) models, while ensuring interpretability through explainable artificial intelligence (XAI).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analyzed 2,421 agricultural incidents (2015-2024) from AgInjuryNews, categorized as fatal or non-fatal. Data were pre-processed to remove duplicates, outliers, and incomplete records, then split into training and testing sets. Multiple ML models - including Naïve Bayes, Decision Tree, Support Vector Machine, Random Forest, and Gradient Boosting - were trained and optimized using cross-validation. Ensemble approaches (bagging, boosting, stacking, and voting) were also implemented. Model performance was evaluated using accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score. Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) were applied to identify key predictors of injury severity.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Ensemble models achieved the best overall performance, with Random Forest, XGBoost, and LightGBM outperforming linear classifiers. XGBoost achieved near-perfect recall for fatal injuries, though classification of non-fatal cases remained challenging due to class imbalance. SHAP analysis consistently identified age, gender, location, and time of incident as the most influential predictors across models. These findings highlight both the predictive power of ensemble methods and the value of XAI in understanding underlying risk factors.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Ensemble ML approaches, supported by explainable AI techniques, offer effective tools for predicting injury severity in agriculture and uncovering critical contributing factors. The results underscore the importance of addressing data imbalance for improved classification of non-fatal injuries. Insights into key demographic and environmental predictors can inform targeted safety interventions and policy development, contributing to reduced injury rates and enhanced protection for agricultural workers.</p>","PeriodicalId":49172,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agromedicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-15"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147786778","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Access to Phones and Use of International Numbers Among Farmworkers in North Carolina, 2023-2024.","authors":"Abdul G Zahra, Leslie E Cofie, Catherine E LePrevost, Tania Connaughton-Espino, Natalie D Rivera, Lilibeth A Benitez, Modjulie A Moore, Mary Roby, Joseph G L Lee","doi":"10.1080/1059924X.2026.2656163","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2026.2656163","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Communication barriers can hinder health promotion and healthcare services. Migrant and seasonal farmworkers face substantial challenges to healthcare access. We used a mixed-methods approach to assess access to phones and use of international numbers among agricultural workers, specifically migrant and seasonal farmworkers, and to explore potential implications for healthcare, emergency services, and public health outreach.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>First, we surveyed migrant and seasonal farmworkers working in North Carolina, USA, about their ability to send text messages and make phone calls at their housing, including use of international phone numbers, in 2023. A total of 1,034 farmworkers participated in the survey, which used time-venue sampling. In 2023, we also interviewed farmworkers (<i>n</i> = 19) about their technology use and digital literacy skills. In 2024, as part of a statewide community assessment, we conducted listening sessions (<i>n</i> = 19) with farmworkers (<i>n</i> = 146), community health workers (<i>n</i> = 32), and healthcare team members (<i>n</i> = 34).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among survey respondents, 19% reported being unable to consistently make phone calls at their housing, and 10% reported using a phone with a number from another country. Interviews and listening sessions revealed three themes related to farmworkers' cell phone use during the agricultural season, including use of international numbers, challenges with cell phones, and the utility of phones.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Healthcare providers, emergency services, and public health practitioners should be aware that farmworkers may face barriers to making and receiving phone calls as well as sending text messages. Healthcare systems should consider how to ensure access to care for farmworkers using phones with numbers from their country of origin. While most farmworkers have access to phones, a meaningful minority cannot consistently make a phone call to coordinate care, report an emergency, or access health promotion services.</p>","PeriodicalId":49172,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agromedicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147786270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Work Safety Climate, Heat-Related Illness, and Potential Pesticide Exposure Among Latino Farmworker Adolescents and Young Adults in Arizona.","authors":"Fiorella L Carlos Chavez, Priscilla Carmiol-Rodríguez, Taylor J Arnold, Keenan A Pituch, Evan P Anderson, Amber Wutich, Alexandra Brewis, David W Coon, Thomas A Arcury","doi":"10.1080/1059924X.2026.2656164","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2026.2656164","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Latino farmworker adolescents and young adults (FW-AYA) face risks related to work safety climate (WSC) and occupational risks, including heat-related illness (HRI) and potential pesticide exposure (PE). This study describes the HRI, potential PE, and WSC realities of the Latino FW-AYA population in Arizona, correlates the HRI, PE, and WSC, and examines their associations with FW-AYA personal and work characteristics.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a cross-sectional study of FW-AYA in Arizona from February 2023 to January 2024 (N=180; 72.2% born in Mexico; 100% Mexican descent; age range = 16-25 years; 42% migrant workers). Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and chi-square tests were used to examine the prevalence and associations of WSC, HRI, and PE among FW-AYA.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 48.9% of FW-AYA indicated taking risks was part of their job; 33.3% expressed a high probability of injury at work in the next 12 months. 57.3% reported at least one HRI symptom, and 30% of FW-AYA worked in the sight of fields with pesticide or fertilizer application. Age, hours worked per day and per week, and provider of own welfare were associated with HRI; hours worked per day and per week, provider of own welfare, and remittance were associated with PE. Remittance and family financial dependency to meet basic needs were associated with WSC.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study highlights the need for employers to improve the quality of WSC, HRI, and PE training for FW-AYA and to raise awareness of personal and family factors that may affect FW-AYAs' ability to detect HRI symptoms and potential PE.</p>","PeriodicalId":49172,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agromedicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-18"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147678134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Response to Letter: Towards a Community-Driven Framework to Promote Justice for Agricultural Workers.","authors":"Carly Hyland, Isabella Kaser, Moncerrat Hernández, Dafne Cruz Rodriguez, Linda Gordon","doi":"10.1080/1059924X.2026.2646678","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1059924X.2026.2646678","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49172,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agromedicine","volume":" ","pages":"1-5"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147647239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Do Beekeepers Have a Sweet Life? Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders and Their Impact Among Apiarists in New Zealand.","authors":"Jane Pierce, Felicity Lamm, Irene Suilan Zeng, Christopher Peace, Mark Boocock, Joanne O Crawford","doi":"10.1080/1059924X.2025.2591056","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1059924X.2025.2591056","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Agriculture employs about a third of the world's workforce and has been identified as having a high prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs); however, little is known about specific agricultural sectors, particularly apiculture (commercial beekeeping). This paper presents the results of a questionnaire survey investigating the prevalence of MSDs among apiarists (commercial beekeepers) in New Zealand. A further objective was to gain an understanding of the impact of MSDs on apiarists.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Apiarists in New Zealand were invited to complete a self-reported questionnaire to assess a 12-month and 7-day prevalence of MSDs using a modified Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). Supplementary questions assessed frequency of MSD, the discomfort severity, and limitations with work. In addition, open-ended questions invited apiarists to suggest what they believed contributed to their MSD. We categorized the responses into five key WRMSD risk factors (Physical/Biomechanical; Work Organizational; Individual; Environmental; Psychosocial).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Results from a sample of 73 apiarists showed the overall 12-month prevalence of any MSD to be 89% (95%CI = 79.6-94.6), with a 7-day prevalence of 68.5% (95%CI = 57.1-78.0). The most frequently reported body parts affected were low back (74%), neck (54.8%), wrist/hands (47.9%), and shoulders (56.2%). Despite the relatively high prevalence and discomfort levels of MSDs, apiarists reported minimal limitations to work which may reflect the attitude that MSDs are an accepted part of their role. Physical demands of the beekeeping role were reported by most apiarists as contributing to MSDs, with individual factors such as age being the second most cited contributor. Only 3% of the responses identified psychosocial factors associated with MSDs.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>High prevalence of MSDs among this sample of apiarists is similar to previous reports of MSD prevalence among non-commercial beekeepers in other overseas studies. Results indicate musculoskeletal discomfort among apiarists is commonplace and suggest apiarists are likely to be working while experiencing discomfort. This potentially could have long-term ramifications for apiarists' musculoskeletal health. This is a concern for sustainability of this essential industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":49172,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agromedicine","volume":" ","pages":"242-253"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145642114","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Resilience, Loneliness, and Mental Well-Being in the UK Farming Community.","authors":"Sarah Nyczaj Kyle, Stephen Dunne, Emma Barkus","doi":"10.1080/1059924X.2025.2583409","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1059924X.2025.2583409","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Farmers and their families are at risk of loneliness due to frequent solitary working, geographical isolation, and narrow social networks. These circumstances compromise the mental well-being of farming communities, highlighting the need for a better understanding of protective psychological factors. Resilience may serve as a pathway between the negative effects of loneliness and mental well-being; however, evidence of its role in agricultural populations is scarce. This study considers whether resilience mediates the relationship between loneliness and mental well-being in the UK farming community.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional survey collected data from 320 members of the UK farming community (39.4% males; 59.4% females, 1.2% prefer not to say; Median age = 43.1 years). The convenience sample was collected through online and paper surveys and promoted via social media, farming groups, auction marts, and agricultural organizations. Participants completed the Brief Resilience Scale, Loneliness RULS-6 scale, and Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (Short).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Over half of participants (54.5%) scored within a range for mental well-being consistent with possible mild or probable clinical depression. Higher loneliness was associated with lower resilience and mental well-being, whilst higher resilience was related to higher mental well-being. A regression-based mediation analysis with 1,000 bootstrap samples (without covariates) revealed that resilience partially mediates the relationship between loneliness and mental well-being in farming community members.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study provides vital evidence of the mediating role that resilience plays in the relationship between loneliness and mental well-being in UK farming community members. Our findings emphasize the importance of resilience-building as a key mechanism to support the well-documented mental well-being challenges faced by people in farming communities. These findings add to the limited but growing body of evidence that supports the development of targeted interventions that integrate both resilience-building and loneliness reduction as a comprehensive support package. Our study demonstrates that addressing these factors in tandem is essential for improving the mental well-being of UK farming communities, ensuring people receive the necessary tools and resources to foster strength and connection.</p>","PeriodicalId":49172,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agromedicine","volume":" ","pages":"224-234"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145432729","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Poor Mental Health Days and Depression by Farming Occupation and Sociodemographic Factors: BRFSS 2019 Data from 13 States.","authors":"Jeanne M Ward, John R Blosnich","doi":"10.1080/1059924X.2025.2582655","DOIUrl":"10.1080/1059924X.2025.2582655","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Farmers are disproportionately affected by suicide, which is frequently preceded by signs of poor mental health. Findings on mental health outcomes among individuals in farming occupations are mixed. This analysis of a major national dataset sought to identify the sociodemographic factors related to poor mental health days and lifetime depression diagnosis among U.S. farming-related occupations versus the general population of people employed in non-farming occupations.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were from 13 states providing industry and occupational data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) 2019 survey. Bivariate statistics and logistic regression investigated correlates (sex, race/ethnicity, marital status, education level, and age) associated with poor mental health days in the last 30 days (14 or more days vs. 13 or fewer days) and with a depression diagnosis among farmers versus non-farmers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The analysis included 55,253 individuals, with 2,773 individuals in farming occupations. In unadjusted models, people in farming occupations were significantly more likely than those in non-farming occupations to be older, White, with lower educational attainment, and a lower prevalence of poor mental health days or depression. In adjusted models, farming and non-farming occupations had no significant difference in the odds of having poor mental health days or a depression diagnosis.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Sociodemographic differences between farming and non-farming occupations echoed previous findings. Being in a farming occupation was not associated with odds of poor mental health days or a depressive disorder diagnosis compared to non-farming occupations, which supports other findings from national datasets. These findings, along with statistics showing a higher rate of suicide among farmers and farmworkers, suggest that additional research is needed about factors related to farm-related occupational wellness and distress.</p>","PeriodicalId":49172,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agromedicine","volume":" ","pages":"186-197"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12626400/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145453836","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}