title: A prospective study of morbidity and mortality rates among farmers and rural and urban nonfarmers.
abstract: Farmers are known to have lower morbidity and mortality rates than the mean for other occupational groups in the general population. Whether this is due to the urban-rural health gradient or to occupational factors related to farming is not clear. To explore this issue, we conducted a prospective study of farmers and matched rural and urban referents. Official hospital admission and mortality data for the years 1989-1996 were obtained. The relative risk of being admitted to hospital were 10% higher among rural and urban referents than among the farmers. The biggest differences were seen for mental and cardiovascular disorders. The odds of dying during follow-up did not differ between the two rural groups but were doubled among urban referents. In conclusion, the lower morbidity and mortality rates among farmers are partly due to the urban-rural health gradient but in addition salutogenic factors linked to farming seem to be active.
authors.affiliation: Uppsala University, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Clinical Epidemiology Section, University Hospital, 751 85, Uppsala, Sweden. eva-lena.stiernstrom@AllmMed.uu.se
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Stiernström
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holmberg
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thelin
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Svärdsudd
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002423:Cause of Death / Q000639:trends; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*