Initiation of farm safety programs in the Arkansas Delta: a case study of participatory methods.
BACKGROUND
Outreach to high-risk communities is one of the goals of Area Health Education Centers. One such population is the farm community, which is known to suffer high rates of traumatic events.


OBJECTIVE
To describe a participatory methods initiative by the Arkansas Delta Area Health Education Center and other agencies to address farm-related health hazards in a 7-county region.


METHODS
Regional injury and fatality data were gathered from sources including Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation insurance claims, the Arkansas Statistical Service Phone Survey, the National Agricultural Statistics Service, and the Cooperative Extension Service Division of Agriculture at the University of Arkansas. Focus groups were held to assess farmer perceptions and recommendations.


RESULTS
Accidents involving tractors accounted for 42% of deaths, and accidents with crop-spraying aircraft accounted for 36%. Focus group participants agreed that planting and harvesting seasons were particularly dangerous. Recommendations included educating motorists to be more cautious on agricultural area roads, using local farmers to provide farm safety training, and making safety equipment more available.
Richter
Jan S
JS
Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72207, USA. richterjan@uams.edu
Hall
Becky G
BG
Deere
G David
GD
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001113:Area Health Education Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D001131:Arkansas / Q000453:epidemiology; D018672:Community Health Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003256:Community Participation; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006266:Health Education; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012308:Risk Management; D012423:Rural Health; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012449:Safety