• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.27 no.2 s.46
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• pp.258-273
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• 1994

To compare the physical complaints of vinylhouse farmers with those of non-vinylhouse farmers, a personal interviews on 250 vinylhouse and 142 non-vinylhouse farmers were conducted in Sungjoo county in Kyungpook province selected by a random sampling from July 5 to July 10, 1993. Blood pressure of the subjects was also measured. Vinylhouse farmers had a higher average age, larger family size, shorter experience of farming, more working hours per day and working days per year and higher annual income than the non-vinylhouse farmers. The frequency of pesticide spray of the vinylhouse farmers was 3.4 times on the average in June 1993 as compared with 2.0 times of non-vinylhouse farmers, and 16.7 times for the vinylhouse farmers during the last one year while it was 8.3 times for the non-vinylhouse farmers in the same period. While 39.6% of vinylhouse farmers experienced pesticide intoxication symptoms such as headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, itching, and skin irritation, etc. during the month of June, 25.4% of non-vinylhouse farmers experienced such symptoms. The most frequent symptoms among eight symptoms that constitute the farmers' syndrome were lumbago, numbness of hand or foot, shoulder pain and dizziness regardless of sex and type of farming. Prevalence of the farmers' syndrome in male and female among vinylhouse farmers were 22.1%, 43.4%, respectively, and the prevalence in non-vinylhouse farmers was 23.2% for male and 50.7% for female. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of farmers' syndrome between vinylhouse and non-vinylhouse farmers. However, the prevalence in female was about 2 times higher than that of male. When the effects of other factors were adjusted by multiple logistic regression for farmers' syndrome, the prevalence in female was 3.0 times higher than that of male. The prevalence of farmers' syndrome was increased as the age of farmers increased in both vinylhouse and non-vinylhouse farmers, and adjusted odds ratio of farmers' syndrome increased by 3% as the age increased by 1 year. Adjusted odds ratio for Farmers' syndrome in farmers who experienced pesticide intoxication during the month of June was 3.1 times higher than that of farmers who did not have such experience. While the prevalence of hypertension in male and female non-vinylhouse farmers were 22.4%, 13.7%, respectively, the prevalence in vinylhouse farmers were 13.5% for male and 12.0% for female. However, there was no association between farmers' syndrome and hypertension. It was found in this study that the vinylhouse farmers are at a high risk of pesticide intoxication, which is associated with tile common physical complaints. To reduce such risk it is necessary to develop farming methods which do not require the pesticide or may use less pesticide, a safer method of pesticide spraying, and the protective equipments which can be worn at a high temperature and have a better protective effect. Also education of farmers for the correct methods of ventilation after pesticide spraying in the vinylhouse and wearing the protective equipments may be considered as a supportive method. Since inappropriate posture at work and intensive labor may cause farmers' syndrome, it is recommended to develop farming tools which reduce physical burden and take a rest and exercise periodically during work. It is necessary to strengthen the hypertension management program of the Kyungpook province, because the prevalence of hypertension was as high as about 15%.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.5-13
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• 1994

To investigate the cause of Farmers' Syndrome, this study was done in some rural areas of Kyoungsangam Province, from July to August of 1993. 117 men and 112 women were completed interview, medical examination and laboratory examination. The results were as follows. 1. The prevalence of Farmers' Syndrome in women was 509 per 1,000 and it was significantly higher than that in men, 329 per 1,000(p=0.0026). Prevalence of age adjusted with rural population of Kyungsangnam Province of 1985 was 204 per 1,000 in men and 383 per 1,000 in women. The average age of subjects with Farmers' Syndrome, 58.9 was significantly higher than that of subjects without Farmers' Syndrome, 53.2(p<0.001). 2. The most frequent symptom was lumbago(27.7%), and the second was numb limbs(21.6%), and the third was shoulder stiffness(20.9%). Less than 10% of study subjects complained of breathlessness, sleeplessness, dizziness. Women complained of shoulder stiffness(p<0.001), lumbago(p<0.001), numb limbs(p<0.05), dizziness(p<0.001), abdominal fullness(p<0.001) significantly frequently than men. 3. Those aged 50 or more complained of shoulder stiffness(p<0.001), lumbago(p<0.01), numb limbs(p<0.001), nocturia(p<0.001), breathlessness(p<0.05), sleeplessness (p<0.05) and dizziness(p<0.05) significantly frequently than those aged less than 50. 4. By logistic regression, the risk factors significantly associated with Farmers' Syndrome were age(odds ratio(OR)=1.05, 95% confidence interval(CI) 1.02-1.07), sex(OR of 75,95% CI 0.58-0.97), and mental stress(OR=1.39, 95% CI 1.03-1.86). 5. By logistic regression, the risk factors significantly associated with each component symptom of Farmers' Syndrome were as follows. There were significant associations between sex(OR of male=0.51) with shoulder stiffness, age(OR=1.04) and mental stress(OR=1.72) with lumbago, age(OR=1.06), regular exercise(OR=0.35) and mental stress(OR=1.63) with numb limbs, age(OR=1.06) and abnormal LFT(OR=1.59) with nocturia, age(OR=1.08) with breathlessness, sex(OR of male=0.56) with dizziness respectively.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.12-26
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among serum adiponectin, leptin and vitamin D concentrations and the metabolic syndrome in Korean farmers. 105 (26 males, 79 females) farmers (39~78 years, mean age $59.4{\pm}9.6$ years) in Gangwon - area were included in this study. Anthropometric measurements and biochemical blood analysis of subjects were carried out. The prevalence of obesity, abdominal obesity, hypertension, diabetes, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia and hyper LDL-cholesterolemia, metabolic syndrome were 51.9%, 65.7%, 49.5%, 15.3%, 17.3%, 13.5%, 11.5% and 40.9%, respectively. Serum adiponectin and leptin levels ($8.90{\mu}g/ml$ and 12.6 ng/ml) of females were significantly higher than those ($6.49{\mu}g/ml$ and 4.88 ng/ml) of males. But there was no significant difference in 25(OH)vitamin D concentration between males (15.4 ng/ml) and females (16.9 ng/ml). In the subjects with metabolic syndrome, the adiponectin levels were significantly lower and leptin levels were significantly higher than those of the subjects without metabolic syndrome. Serum adiponectin level had positive correlations with HDL-cholesterol level (r = 0.325, p < 0.001), but showed negative correlations with triglyceride and fasting blood glucose concentrations, body weight and waist/hip circumference ratio (r = -0.202 ~ -0.317, p < 0.05). Serum leptin and 25(OH)vitamin D concentrations were positively correlated with body fat (kg, %) and BMI, waist and hip circumferences (r = 0.244 ~ 0.682, p < 0.001). The results of this study suggested that adiponectin and leptin levels could be credible indices to predict chronic diseases in farmers. However, further research on vitamin D should be carried out considering another factors.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.39-49
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• 1998

This paper is conducted to find out the current status of farmers's syndrome and injuries due to agricultural machines and pesticides by questionnaire during 4 days from July 31 to August 2, 1996. The subjects were 706 people, 332 of men and 384 of women those who live in a rural area in Yungduk-gun, Kyungsangbuk-do, Korea. The results obtained are as follow. 1. The rate of farmer's syndrome like that shoulder pain, lumbago, numbness, nocturia, dyspnea, insomnia dizziness and abdominal pain were generally higher in women than men except shoulder pain. Of them, lumbago was highest, 61.2% in men, and 78.1% in women respectively. It was higher in rate and older in age. 2. In the score of farmer's syndrome classified by Kumagai(1943) in Japan, the suspected cases with three points over 60.6% in men and 81.8% in women. 3. The prevalence of injuries by agricultural machine was 31.2% for a year from August 1995 to July 1996. The cumulative rate was 6.66%(11.8% in men and 2.34% in women) with previous cases from the before years. The major sites of injuries were arm, leg and chest in order. Among the injuries cases, 55.32% had been physical impediment. 4. The experience rate of intoxication by pesticides was 24.9% to total subjects. And dermatologic sign was 7.0%. Experience of treatment with only one time was 60.0%, and that with five times over, 20.0% Of them 18 cases had been administered in hospital.