The relationship of individual, family, and community characteristics with physical health: an adult study in 27 rural Minnesota counties.
OBJECTIVE
This study; investigates associations between the proportion of farm families in rural counties and the health of rural individuals, independent of county poverty rate and individual and family socioeconomic factors. This study also examines relationships of these socioeconomic factors and prevalence of specific diseases.


METHODS
Multilevel analysis of 10,485 responses to a mailed health survey in 27 nonmetropolitan Minnesota counties.


RESULTS
Individual- and family-level variables such as age, gender, lower income, and unemployment were significantly associated with adverse physical health. The percentage of farm families in counties was significantly associated with adverse physical health of adults, independent of individual and family characteristics, county poverty rate, ethnic composition, and population density.
Wickrama
K A Thulitha
KA
Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802-3903, USA. tkw120@psu.edu
Wickrama
K A S
KA
Romas
John A
JA
D000328:Adult; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019058:Community Networks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors