Surveillance of working conditions and the work environment: development of a national hazard surveillance tool in New Zealand.

Objectives: Changes to work and the impact of these changes on worker health and safety have been significant. A core surveillance data set is needed to understand the impact of working conditions and work environments. Yet, there is little harmony amongst international surveys and a critical lack of guidance identifying the best directions for surveillance efforts.

Cancer mortality by occupation among New Zealand women: 1988-1997.

Aim: To examine cancer mortality by occupation among New Zealand women, 1988-1997.

Method: Proportional mortality ratios (PMRs) were calculated for the six most common general occupations among women: clerical workers, health professionals, teachers, farmers, cleaners and textile workers. Age groups examined were those aged 20-59 and those > or =20 years.

Chemical exposure among NZ farmers.

The objectives were to describe chemical use among farmers; to develop an exposure intensity score for three chemicals of interest: organophosphates (OPs), glyphosate (GP), and phenoxy herbicides (PHs). This was a cross-sectional study of a stratified random sample of farmers. Demographic, health and chemical use information were collected via questionnaire and an exposure level score developed.

Dust and noise exposures among farmers in Southland,New Zealand.

This was a cross-sectional survey of the health of farmers in Southland, New Zealand and in a sub-sample, included daily noise and inhalable dust exposure measurements, and a walk through assessment of farm buildings. The median inhalable dust level for arable farmers was 1.7 mg/m(3) with 0.

Obtaining health information from farmers: interviews versus postal questionnaires in a New Zealand case study.

Purpose: To compare the effectiveness of interviewer-led and postal surveys in gathering adequate health data for occupational health programmes among farmers.

Methods: Two cross-sectional studies of farmers from southern New Zealand were conducted. Farms were randomly selected from the public land valuation roll and all farmers and farm workers invited to participate in the farmers' health study.

Noise exposure and hearing loss in agriculture: a survey of farmers and farm workers in the Southland region of New Zealand.

Farmers are known to be exposed to intermittent intense noise from a variety of sources, but long-term exposure and the resulting risk of hearing loss have not been well characterized. We studied a cross-sectional random sample of farms on which agricultural workers completed an audiometric test and questionnaire, and performed noise dosimetry on a subsample. Sixty-five percent of farms and a total of 586 workers participated.