Why study farmers?
Medical research suggests that while agricultural workers may be healthier than the general population, they may experience higher rates of leukemia, myeloma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and cancers of the lip, stomach, skin, brain, and prostate than people in more urban areas. Also, other diseases like asthma, neurological diseases, and poor pregnancy outcomes, like spontaneous abortion, may be related to agricultural exposures. The study focuses on agricultural factors that may affect these and other health outcomes, but more importantly seeks to identify factors that promote good health. Although the study enrolled farmers who obtained a license to apply restricted-use pesticides, farmers may have other exposures that affect their health. For example, they may have regular contact with animals or grain dusts that have been linked to asthma in susceptible individuals.
