Health status and related factors in farmers by SF-12

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to understand farmers' health status by general characteristic, and to find out the related factors. METHODS: All the 984 subjects were interviewed by means of a structured questionnaire and SF-12. Among them, only 812 were eligible for analysis. Statistical methods used included frequency, t-test, ANOVA, binary logistic regression with SPSS 19.0. RESULTS: In binary logistic regression, marital status, smoking, regular exercise and monthly day off were associated with physical component score. Marital status, smoking and score of pesticide protective device wearing were associated with mental component score. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that effort to develop health promotion programs for workers of agricultural industry considering these results can improve their perceived health status.

Work-related hazards among farmers

Farmers have suffered from a variety of work-related injuries and diseases. They are exposed to a number of hazards related to farming activity. Farm machines like tractors and small cultivators and animal-related injuries are the primary causes of acute injuries and fatalities. Pesticide exposure is another dominant concern among farmers that can result in acute poisoning or some chronic health outcomes such as neurological diseases or some types of cancer. Farm work can also involve toxic chemicals such as gases (methane, ammonia, H2S, etc.), diesel exhaust particulates, miscellaneous chemicals, and heavy metals, any of which may cause respiratory disease, systemic poisoning, and other health effects in farmers. Some ingredients of pesticides, several plants (poison ivy and poison sumac), and sun and heat exposure can be causes of skin disease. The most frequent cause of respiratory disease is organic dust from livestock production and handling grain or hay. Furthermore, low back pain and osteoarthritis of the hip and knee are common problems among farmers. These are caused by poor ergonomic working conditions like heavy weight lifting, repetitive movement, and awkward postures which involve squatting for long periods of time while working near the ground, long working hours, and a heavy workload. Farmers are also vulnerable to a number of infectious diseases (avian influenza, scrub typhus, leptospirosis, etc.) that may be transmitted from animals or the farm environment. Noise and vibration from powered farm machinery, heat and cold, and a stressful environment due to diminished profit margins can affect farmers' health. Even though farmers are working under very poor working conditions, social and institutional support is insufficient. Greater interest and effort is required to improve farmers' working conditions.

Kidney Toxicity Induced by 13 Weeks Exposure to the Fruiting Body of Paecilomyces sinclairii in Rats

Paecilomyces sinclairiis (PS) is known as a functional food or human health supplement. However concerns have been raised about its kidney toxicity. This study was performed to investigate the kidney toxicity of PS by 13 week-oral administration to rats. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine, and kidney damage biomarkers including beta-2-microglobulin (beta2m), glutathione S-transferase alpha (GST-alpha), kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1), tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), calbindin, clusterin, cystatin C, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and osteopontin were measured during or after the treatment of PS. BUN, creatinine and kidney damage biomarkers in serum were not changed by PS. However, kidney cell karyomegaly and tubular hypertrophy were observed dose-dependently with higher severity in males. KIM-1, TIMP-1 and osteopontin in kidney and urine were increased dose dependently in male or at the highest dose in female rats. Increased urinary osteopontin by PS was not recovered at 2 weeks of post-exposure in both genders. Cystatin C in kidney was decreased at all treatment groups but inversely increased in urine. The changes in kidney damage biomarkers were more remarkable in male than female rats. These data indicate that the PS may provoke renal cell damage and glomerular filtration dysfunction in rats with histopathological lesions and change of kidney damage biomarkers in kidney or urine. Kidney and urinary KIM-1 and cystatin C were the most marked indicators, while kidney weight, BUN and creatinine and kidney damage biomarkers in serum were not influenced.