Partners In Agricultural Health Project

Curriculum Index | Agricultural Links

Farming entails a wide range of tasks and the use of a variety of equipment under constantly changing and often adverse environmental conditions. The geographic dispersions, short production season, stress, presence of inexperienced children, aged workers, and lack of comprehensive safety regulations make farming a hazardous occupation. In the US, agriculture is considered to be one of the most dangerous occupations. The fatality rate for agricultural injuries is 21 per 100,000 workers as compared with 4 per 100,000 for all other industries combined. Disabling injuries occur at nearly three times the national average for all other occupations.

Despite the high rates of injury, farmers and agricultural laborers face many barriers in accessing health services. Members of farm households have fewer doctor visits and physical examinations each year and are much less likely to have health insurance coverage for preventive health care services. This coupled with recent economic difficulties caused by low market prices for livestock and crops, leaves farmers financially unable to obtain preventive health care.

Partners in Agricultural Health, was a Wisconsin project, funded by a Rural Health Outreach Grant from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, May 2000 - April 2003. The project brought together five hospitals, three public health agencies in Adams, Juneau, and Sauk Counties and the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative, the Wisconsin Office of Rural Health, and the Southwest Wisconsin AHEC to provide health promotion and disease and injury prevention to farmers and agricultural laborers in the tri-county area.

Throughout the funding period, the Partners in Ag Health developed several products including a web-site and a curriculum for health care providers and farmers. The website and curriculum were transferred to the WORH, when the funding for the project ended.

The Partners in Agricultural Health Program identified several important Ag Health Links to assist rural health practitioners and farmers and their families to navigate through important health information.

The Partners in Agricultural Health Curriculum is designed as a train the trainer manual for health care professionals. The curriculum, featuring modules developed by nationally acclaimed physicians, nurses, and epidemiologists from across the Midwest who specialize in Ag Medicine, were previously distributed in Adams, Sauk, and Juneau Counties. The purpose of the curriculum is to educate health care providers in hospitals, clinics, public health departments, and professional training programs about the unique needs of the farming population. Each module contains a companion curriculum that can be used with farmers and their families to provide health promotion and safety info. In addition to the downloadable curricula, the University of Wisconsin School of Nursing and University of Wisconsin Medical School have developed several of the modules for continuing education credits. These modules can be accessed through the University of Wisconsin School of Nursing Online Continuing Education.

This is the first comprehensive agricultural health curriculum that I have seen that provides important information for both health care providers as well as materials for farmers and their families. I hope many take advantage of this wonderful resources - it is excellent! Barbara L. Duerst, MS, RN, University of Wisconsin.

Farm Health & Safety Education Resources

This section contains downloadable PDF files and also PowerPoint presentations with both computer graphics and text outlines available for each topic. Health and safety information and teaching materials to be used by:

Farmers and their families
Physicians and nurses
Educators and researchers
Agricultural agents

Curriculum Index

I.	Adult Learning Elizabeth Rosenthal, BS, RN Mary L. Brueggeman, MS, RNC
II.	Principles & Overview of Agri-Medicine Mark Purschwitz, PhD
III.	Hearing Conservation on the Farm Lisa M. Kluge, MS, CCC-A
IV.	Agricultural Respiratory Health in Critical Need Steven R. Kirkhorn, MD, MPH, FACOEM
V.	Agricultural Behavioral Health in Critial Need Michael R. Rosmann, PhD
VI.	Zoonoses Christopher W. Olsen, DVM, PhD & George Mejicano, MD, MS
VII.	Children's Agricultural Health Safety Melissa Perry, ScD VIII. Chronic Musculoskeletal Disorders Mary Sestos, MS, PT
VIII.	Chronic Musculoskeletal Disorders Mary Sestos, MS, PT
IX.	Environmental Health in Agriculture John R. Spurzem, MD, MSPH
X.	Agricultural Skin Diseases Elizabeth Rosenthal, BS, RN & Mary L. Brueggeman, MS, R NC
XI.	Pesticide Toxicology This chapter is a self-contained Computer-Assisted Instruction CD which is available in the printed edition of this curriculum (3 ring binder). You may obtain a copy of the Pesticide CD by contacting Partners in Agricultural Health at 608-643-2343 or 800-493-1889.

PowerPoint Presentations

The following PowerPoint presentations with graphics and the accompanying printable outlines are for use in making presentations. (Note: the PowerPoint files will open in a separate window) Outlines and graphics may be used individually or in combination.

Back Injuries
PDF file to print outlines | PowerPoint Graphics

Breast and Prostate Cancer Prevention
PDF file to print outlines | PowerPoint Graphics

Cholinesterase Testing
PDF file to print outlines | PowerPoint Graphics

Farm Safety
PDF file to print outlines | PowerPoint Graphics

Farming and Mental Health
PDF file to print outlines | PowerPoint Graphics

First Aid on the Farm
PDF file to print outlines | PowerPoint Graphics

Poison Prevention
PDF file to print outlines | PowerPoint Graphics

Prevention of Respiratory Illness on the Farm
PDF file to print outlines | PowerPoint Graphics

Safety Management
PDF file to print outlines | PowerPoint Graphics

Zoonoses
PDF file to print outlines | PowerPoint Graphics