Changes in Rural Health and Environmental Factors (2001-2010) A Comparison between Agricultural and Nonagricultural Groups

To verify welfare needs, rural health and environmental factors were compared between agricultural and nonagricultural groups over the past 10 years. Based on a survey of rural life by the Rural Development Administration, whose sample included agricultural (72.8%) and nonagricultural (27.2%) groups, all factors were analyzed using SAS ( 9.3). For rural home heating, the use of oil boilers (77.2%-78.0%) decreased (53.0%-53.7%) over the same period, whereas that of electric boilers increased (21.9% and 13.5% for agricultural and nonagricultural groups, respectively). The joint water- supply increased, and the use of flush toilets (52.4% to 84.5% in the agricultural group and 64.6% to 81.4% in the nonagricultural group) and hot-water bathing was higher in the agricultural group (79% to 92.6%) than in the nonagricultural group (72.2% to 87.6%) at the p<0.001 level. Incineration accounted for the largest portion of household waste until 2006, when it was replaced by other treatment methods such as the pay-per-treatment option (44.4% and 68.3% in the agricultural and nonagricultural groups, respectively) (p<0.001). Garbage disposal in 2001 was mainly burial or animal feed, but separate collection increased in 2010 (42.2% and 64.3% in the agricultural and nonagricultural groups, respectively) (p<0.001). The self-perception of health was lower in the agricultural group than in the nonagricultural group (2.96 to 2.74 on a five-point scale in the agricultural group and 3.07 to 2.98 in the nonagricultural group). Drinking decreased less in the agricultural group (criteria: one point once a week,; 1.48 to 1.20) than in the nonagricultural group (1.13 to 0.80) at p<0.001, and a similar pattern was found for smoking (p<0.001). Health screening decreased in the last 10 years (scoring based one point/1-2 times per year,: 0.94 to 0.64 in the agricultural group and 1.08 to 0.69 in the nonagricultural group;p<0.01). These results indicate that various health and environmental factors were less favorable to farmers except for bathing in comparison to nonagricultural living in the same area. This suggests that people in agriculture are less likely to live and work in favorable environments than those outside the sector and thus indicates a need for more attention to the national health welfare system for farmers for systematic realization.

농촌 환경ㆍ건강 지표의 변화 추이(2001~2010년) -농촌 거주 농업종사자와 비농업종사자의 비교-