Respiratory Disease in Migrant Farmworkers.

Introduction: Respiratory problems are prevalent among persons who work in agriculture, however, publications examining the respiratory status in LatinX farmworkers are limited. The purpose of this study is to assess the respiratory status of LatinX farmworkers across New York State.

Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of data gathered from Spanish language OSHA respiratory questionnaires completed between January 2017 and March 2019.

2D-IR Spectroscopy Shows that Optimized DNA Minor Groove Binding of Hoechst33258 Follows an Induced Fit Model.

The induced fit binding model describes a conformational change occurring when a small molecule binds to its biomacromolecular target. The result is enhanced noncovalent interactions between the ligand and biomolecule. Induced fit is well-established for small molecule-protein interactions, but its relevance to small molecule-DNA binding is less clear.

Frequency of satisfaction and dissatisfaction with practice among rural-based, group-employed physicians and non-physician practitioners.

Background: Widespread dissatisfaction among United States (U.S.) clinicians could endanger ongoing reforms.

Resilience among Employed Physicians and Mid-Level Practitioners in Upstate New York.

Objective: To investigate the factors associated with resilience among medical professionals.

Data Sources/study Setting: Administrative information from a rural health care network (1 academic medical center, 6 hospitals, 31 clinics, and 20 school health centers) was triangulated with self-report data from 308 respondents (response rate = 65.1 percent) to a 9/2013-1/2014 survey among practitioners serving a nine-county 5,600-square-mile area.

Implementing a National Tractor Safety Program: Using "Whole System in a Room" to Mobilize Partners and Implement Solutions.

Fatalities due to tractor overturns have long plagued the U.S. farm community.

Validation of Single-Item Screening Measures for Provider Burnout in a Rural Health Care Network.

We validated three single-item measures for emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalization (DP) among rural physician/nonphysician practitioners. We linked cross-sectional survey data (on provider demographics, satisfaction, resilience, and burnout) with administrative information from an integrated health care network (1 academic medical center, 6 community hospitals, 31 clinics, and 19 school-based health centers) in an eight-county underserved area of upstate New York. In total, 308 physicians and advanced-practice clinicians completed a self-administered, multi-instrument questionnaire (65.

The healthy start partnership: an approach to obesity prevention in young families.

This article investigates the impact of community-based interventions developed by the Healthy Start Partnership (HSP) to promote healthy body weights in families. Intercept surveys were conducted to monitor community exposure. A nonconcurrent, no treatment control design was used to assess population-level weight outcomes.

Associations among social capital, parenting for active lifestyles, and youth physical activity in rural families living in upstate New York.

While emerging research supports a positive relationship between social capital and youth physical activity (PA), few studies have examined possible mechanisms explaining this relationship and no studies have focused on rural youth. In this study, we examined parents' support of children's PA as an intermediary factor linking social capital and youth PA in a largely rural cross sectional sample of American children aged 6- to 19-years and their parents/guardians (N=767 families) living in upstate New York. Parents completed a self-administered survey assessing demographic factors, perceived social capital, support for children's PA, and children's PA including time spent outdoors and days per week of sufficient PA.

Improving agricultural injury surveillance: a comparison of incidence and type of injury event among three data sources.

Background: Agriculture ranks as one of the most hazardous industries in the nation. Ongoing injury surveillance is key to identifying and preventing major sources of injury.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the total number and types of injuries identified from community reporting versus two newly available medical data systems.

The social marketing of safety behaviors: a quasi-randomized controlled trial of tractor retrofitting incentives.

Objectives: We assessed the effect of social marketing incentives on dispositions toward retrofitting and retrofitting behavior among farmers whose tractors lacked rollover protective structures.

Methods: From 2006 to 2007, we conducted a quasi-randomized controlled trial with 391 farm owners in New York and Pennsylvania surveyed before and after exposure to 1 of 3 tractor retrofitting incentive combinations. These combinations were offered in 3 trial regions; region 1 received rebates; region 2 received rebates, messages, and promotion and was considered the social marketing region; and region 3 received messages and promotion.

Dealing with pre-ROPS tractors: is a trade-in program the solution?

Tractor overturns are the leading cause of work-related death in an industry with the highest occupational fatality rate. Rollover protective structures (ROPS) and seatbelts are 99% effective in reducing the risk of an overturn fatality. However, kits are not available for 20% of tractors currently lacking ROPS.

Results from inspections of farmer-installed rollover protective structures.

This study sought to assess the feasibility of self-installing rollover protective structures (ROPS) and to identify any patterns of self-installation deficiencies in a sample of New York ROPS Retrofit Rebate Program participants. Inspection engineers looked for/at damage, rust, holes, deteriorated welding, location of attachment, axle housing, the presence of original plates/bolts, and adequate seatbelt installation. Results indicated that only 31% of farmers received correct parts and also installed these parts properly.

Community collaborations for farmworker health in New York and Maine: process analysis of two successful interventions.

We conducted a process evaluation of 2 successful farmworker community-based participatory research intervention development projects (in Maine and New York State). Participant surveys measured satisfaction with the program process. We used qualitative methods to analyze free-text responses.

Occupational injury and treatment patterns of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.

Migrant and seasonal farmworkers are thought to be at increased risk for occupational injury and illness. Past surveillance efforts that employed medical chart review may not be representative of all farmworkers, since the proportion of farmworkers using migrant health centers (MHCs) and area hospital emergency rooms (ERs) was unknown. The purpose of the current study was to determine the proportion of workers using MHCs versus other sources of occupational health care, and to use these data to correct previous occupational injury and illness rate estimates.

Growth of the Spanish-speaking workforce in the Northeast dairy industry.

The Spanish-speaking proportion of the Northeast dairy industry workforce is believed to be increasing. This study quantifies the extent of this increase over time in New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont, and compares demographics between English- and Spanish-speaking workers. A total of 293 farms were followed for 21 months via telephone.

Electromyographic assessment of apple bucket intervention designed to reduce back strain.

The authors previously developed an apple bucket that was modified by use of a hip belt to reduce muscle fatigue. The intervention of belt use was accepted by workers and shown not to interfere with productivity. However, use of this intervention did not appear to reduce muscle fatigue when measured by tests of voluntary muscle strength.

Estimating the occupational morbidity for migrant and seasonal farmworkers in New York state: a comparison of two methods.

Purpose: Compare occupational morbidity estimates for migrant and seasonal farmworkers obtained from survey methods versus chart review methods and estimate the proportion of morbidity treated at federally recognized migrant health centers (MHCs) in a highly agricultural region of New York.

Methods: We simultaneously conducted 1) an occupational injury and illness survey among agricultural workers, 2) MHC chart reviews, and 3) hospital emergency room (ER) chart reviews.

Results: Of the 24 injuries reported by 550 survey subjects, 54.

Spanish-speaking dairy workers in New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont: results from a survey of farm owners.

A New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH) study surveyed 294 dairy farms in New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. The study utilized a quarterly telephone survey to assess the proportion of Spanish-speaking workers on these farms, and also to contrast the hazard level of work tasks and prevalence of lost work time between Spanish- and English-speaking workers. The total workforce followed in the study was comprised of 14.

"Safety for agricultural educators": evaluation of an intervention to enhance awareness of agricultural hazards.

Safety for Agricultural Educators (SAGE) is a two-sided fact sheet on agricultural hazards that has been distributed by the New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH) to Northeastern high school agriculture educators over the past six years. It was intended to supplement and stimulate the teaching of safety principles in agricultural education classes and thus enhance the awareness and knowledge of young people working on farms. This paper describes an evaluation of SAGE's success at achieving these goals.

Development and initial assessment of objective fatigue measures for apple harvest work.

Previous research has shown that neck, back and shoulder musculoskeletal strain is a major occupational health problem affecting migrant orchard harvest workers. Researchers seek to measure the effect of an ergonomic modification to the apple picking bucket on muscle fatigue, however objective measures for use in the orchard are not yet available. The purpose of this study is to develop simple back, shoulder or arm strength measures, which detect statistically significant drops in strength over one workday.

Orchard evaluation of ergonomically modified apple bucket.

Background: While preliminary laboratory tests indicate that a hip belt reduces the load on the back, neck and shoulders associated with musculoskeletal strain, an orchard trial is needed to more realistically assess both effectiveness and acceptability.

Objective: to evaluate the hip belt's effectiveness in three areas: worker acceptance, worker productivity, and one-day muscle fatigue of the back and shoulder.

Methods: Ninety-six New York apple harvest workers were randomly assigned to use the intervention hip belt or placebo belt for one week.

Laboratory evaluation of belt usage with apple buckets.

Background: Migrant and seasonal orchard harvest workers experience musculoskeletal strain caused by carrying heavy loads and holding awkward postures. An ergonomic hip belt designed to redistribute weight from the upper back, neck, and shoulders to the hips was evaluated.

Methods: A comparison of muscle exertion (using electromyography [EMG]) of four key back and shoulder muscles and shoulder surface pressure (using a surface pressure sensor [PS]) was made among 10 laboratory volunteers under intervention and control conditions, in two postures (standing erect [0 degrees ]) and flexed [45 degrees ]).

Noise and chemical induced hearing loss: special considerations for farm youth.

Farm youth face multiple risks for injury and illness in agriculture. Reviewed here is evidence from current literature illustrating the noise and chemical exposure hearing risks that farm youth potentially face. Sources of noise (e.