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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Occupational health and safety

A Feasibility Study of Augmented Reality Intervention for Safety Education for Farm Parents and Children
Interviewed 10 Maryland farm families to determine the need for and experience using augmented reality (AR) technology for the promotion of safety on the farm for children. Describes the creation of an AR program.
Author(s): Kang Namkoong, John Leach, Junhan Chen, Jiawen Zhang, Bryan Weichelt
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 903933
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
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Farmworker Outreach Promising Practices: Lessons from the Field
Highlights ten different promising practices in farmworker outreach and discusses some of the lessons learned from each. Evaluates the ability of outreach programs to address the healthcare needs of the farmworkers served.
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Health Outreach Partners, National Center for Farmworker Health
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U.S. Department of Agriculture Equity Action Plan 2023 Update
Offers overview of 7 equity strategies from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) including promoting rural prosperity, access to USDA programs, nutrition security, wildfire prevention, increasing access to federal funding, tribal sovereignty, civil rights enforcement, and more. Highlights equity progress updates and accomplishments. Discusses rural throughout.
Date: 2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Agriculture
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A Cross-Sectional Study of Alcohol, Opioid Use, and Anxiety in Agriculturally Based Occupations
Surveyed 1,791 rural Midwestern agricultural workers to determine opioid and alcohol use, anxiety, and risk factors for alcohol use. Discusses the impact of age, marital status, gender, and other demographic factors on the findings.
Author(s): Christine Chasek, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, Rachel Rutt, Ashley Olson, Aaron Yoder
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(4), 816-823
Date: 2023
Type: Document
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The Fifth National Climate Assessment
Report outlining the impacts of climate change in the U.S., discussing impacts to both the physical earth as well as society, economics, and health sectors. Offers a look at both national topics of interest as well as the current and future risks at a regional level. Chapter 11 addresses agriculture, food systems, and rural concerns. Chapter 16 addresses Indigenous Peoples.
Date: 2023
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Global Change Research Program
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Communities, Climate Change, and Health Equity: Lessons Learned in Addressing Inequities in Heat-Related Climate Change Impacts: Proceedings of a Workshop-in Brief
Summary of a National Academies' Environmental Health Matters Initiative workshop in June 2023 discussing health equity for heat-related climate change. Highlights challenges with data gathering, recent policy changes, capacity building, and partnerships. Includes discussion of rural specific challenges, occupational health for farmworkers and other outdoor workers, and healthcare access.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Regional Surveillance of Medically-Attended Farm-related Injuries in Children and Adolescents
Analyzed a Wisconsin health clinic's medical records for children with farm-related injuries between 2017 and 2021 to determine the impact of farm residency on rate of injury. Includes analysis of area of bodily injury, time of year, and cause of injury.
Author(s): Jeffrey J. VanWormer, Richard L. Berg, Richard R. Burke, Kathrine L. Barnes, Bryan P. Weichelt
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1031618
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
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Occupational Safety and Health with Technological Developments in Livestock Farms: A Literature Review
Literature review of technology in agricultural work intended to reduce occupational safety risks on livestock farms. Includes articles published between 2015 and 2020 in English about technology being used in the United States. 80 articles were examined and gaps in the literature are discussed. Describes types of technology used, type of occupational exposure, and general occupational health and well-being.
Author(s): Marie A. Hayden, Menekse S. Barim, Darlene L. Weaver, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(24), 16440
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
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State Strategies to Support the Future of the Primary Care Physician and Nursing Workforce
Discusses primary care physician and nursing workforce challenges, including the shortage of these providers in rural and underserved areas. Describes policies and strategies implemented by states to address these challenges. Offers resources for states, health systems, and academic institutions exploring innovative strategies to address healthcare workforce challenges.
Author(s): Elaine Chhean, Anita Cardwell, Lauren Block, Sarah Tocher
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Agricultural Youth Injuries: An Updated Review of Cases from U.S. News Media Reports, 2016–2021
Analyzed 2016-2021 records in an agricultural injury news report database to determine the annual trend and characteristics of youth injuries in agricultural environments. Breaks down data by mortality, age, gender, and injury types.
Author(s): Bryan P. Weichelt, Serap Gorucu, Rick R. Burke, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 1045858
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
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