Osteoarthritis of the hip: an occupational disease in farmers.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that farmers are at high risk of hip osteoarthritis and to investigate possible causes for such a hazard.


METHODS
Cross sectional survey.


METHODS
Five rural general practices.


METHODS
167 male farmers aged 60-76 and 83 controls from mainly sedentary jobs. All those without previous hip replacement underwent radiography of the hip.


METHODS
Hip replacement for osteoarthritis or radiological evidence of hip osteoarthritis.


RESULTS
Prevalence of hip osteoarthritis was higher in farmers than controls and especially in those who had farmed for over 10 years (odds ratio 9.3, 95% confidence interval 1.9 to 44.5). The excess could not be attributed to any one type of farming, and heavy lifting seems the likely explanation.


CONCLUSIONS
Manual handling in agriculture should be limited where possible. Consideration should be given to making hip osteoarthritis a prescribed industrial disease in farmers. There may be wider implications for the prevention of hip osteoarthritis in the general population.
Croft
P
P
ARC Epidemiology Research Unit, University of Manchester.
Coggon
D
D
Cruddas
M
M
Cooper
C
C
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015207:Osteoarthritis, Hip / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors