• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.817-825
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• 2002

Purpose: This study was carried out to investigate the prevalence and the main factors influencing the farmer's Syndrome in farmers in Korea. Method: A survey questionnaire was completed by 238 farmers who lived in 8 agricultural districts in Seosan City. The data were collected from April 10 to May 5, 2002. Results: The prevalence of the farmer's Syndrome was 42.6%, and its prevalence rate in woman was higher than that in man. The prevalence of the farmers syndrome proportionally increased with advanced age. Variables that were positively correlated with the farmer's syndrome were age, duration of farming, days of resting, and the number of the agricultural chemical's poisoning. On the other hand, variables that were negatively correlated with the farmers syndrome were smoking, sleeping hours, economic condition, and level of educational. In a regression analysis, the factors influencing the farmers syndrome were age, sex, sleeping hours, days of resting, and the number of the agricultural chemical's poisoning, which accounted for 25% of the total variance. Conclusion: Based on these study results, older age and woman gender are the remarkable risk factors influencing the farmer's syndrome. Sleeping hours, days of resting, and the number of the agricultural chemical's poisoning were also the significant attributable variables to the farmers syndrome.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.26 no.3 s.43
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• pp.321-331
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• 1993

This survey was conducted to investigate Farmers' Syndrome and its related factors in Chonnam province. 5,920 (men 6,148, women 6,722) persons in urban area and 12,870 (men 6148, women 6,722) persons in rural area were selected in stratified cluster sampling manner, and interviewed individually with structured questionnaire in April, 1992. The results were summarized as follows : 1 In rural area of Chonnam province, the prevalence of Farmers' syndrome positive was 283 per 1,000 persons (203 in male, 355 in female). In urban area of Chonnam province, control area, the prevalence of Farmers' syndrome positive was 113 (72 in male, 145 in female). The prevalence of Farmers' syndrome positive in rural area was 2.5 times higher than that of urban area, and the prevalence in female was 1.7 times higher than that of male. The prevalence in total respondents was 256. 2. In rural area of Chonnam province, the age standardized prevalence of Farmers' syndrome positive was 209 per 1,000 persons (140 in male, 267 in female). In urban area of Chonnam province, control area, the age standardized prevalence of Farmers' syndrome positive was 122(79 in male, 158 in female). The age standardized prevalence in total respondents was 194. 3. The associated factors with Farmers' syndrome in univariate analysis were having illness during recent 15 days, age, sex, occupation, area, monthly income, education, medical security status, family size and duration of farming. 4. When applying multiple logistic regression for Farmers' syndrome, the significant variables were having illness during recent 15 days, area, sex, age, education, medical security status, family size and duration of farming.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.3-14
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• 1998

To investigate the actual states of farmers syndrome and their related factors, the author surveyed a total of 534 rural residents, resided in Puyeo kun, Chungnam Province, during August 1996. The data were collected from members of an association and their families of agricultural co-operatives, and analysed. Following are the results summarized therefrom; 1. The prevalence rate of farmers syndrome as a whole was 36.7%, but that of female was higher as 45.0% than male as 27.4%. 2. The prevalence rates of farmers syndrome were higher in the group of higher age, shorter education years, longer farming careers, and longer daily farming hours. 3. The prevalence rates of farmers syndrome did not show statistically significantly different among groups of farming categories such as specialize in farming, such as side line, and not farming. 4. Sex, age, and daily farming hours were proved to be a related factors of farmers syndrome by logistic regression analysis. Odds ratio of female group was 2.06 compared with male group, above 70 years age group was 6.24 compared with below 40 years age group, and group of farming more than 8 hours a day was 2.55 compared with not farming group. 5. The mean scores of self-estimated health states of the group with farmers syndrome was lower than those with negative or suspicious farmers syndrome, but the mean scores of psychological symptoms, other than symptoms of farmers syndrome was statistically significantly higher in farmers syndrome group. Consequently, farmers syndrome seems to be not disease entity but symptom complex which is highly related with age and sex. For that reason, there is a need of study on the differentiate the farmers syndrome and chronic musculoskeletal diseases in the aged.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify health promotion lifestyle (HPL), farmers' syndrome and related factors of workers in agricultural industry. Methods: A total of 454 agricultural workers were selected through convenient sampling. Data were collected from July 1 to August 10, 2009. Data analysis included frequency, t-test, ANOVA, Scheff$\acute{e}$ test, and stepwise multiple regression using SPSS/WIN 17.0. Results: 1. The mean score of HPL was 3.30 and the prevalence of farmers' syndrome was 29.3%. 2. Analysis of farmers' syndrome showed there were statistically significant differences for gender, age, sleeping time, perceived health status, breakfast and exercise. 3. Gender, age, perceived health status, breakfast and exercise were identified as variables influencing the farmers' syndrome. Conclusion: This study suggested that we should develop health promotion programs for workers of agricultural industry considering these results.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.495-505
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• 2008

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the relation between farmers' syndrome and the quality of life of residents in suburban areas. Methods: A total of 994 subjects were selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected from June 25 to August 31, 2007. Data analysis included frequency, $X^2$-test, Fisher's exact test, t-test, ANOVA, Duncan test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient using SPSS Win 12.0. Results: 1. Analysis of farmers' syndrome showed that there were statistically significant differences according to age, gender, education, living with, family conversation, health security, monthly income, occupation, general health status, systolic blood pressure, and sleeping time. 2. Analysis of the qualify of life showed that there were statistically significant differences according to age, education, religion, family conversation, health security, monthly income, occupation, and sleeping time. 3. Farmers' syndrome was in a significantly negative correlation with quality of life. Conclusions: Considering the results above, we need to develop nursing interventions for decreasing hypertension, high blood sugar, and farmers' syndrome of residents in suburban area.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.49-59
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• 1997

Backgrounds : There has been many studies investigating the causes of farmers' syndrome. In some studies, psychologic stress is related to farmer's syndrome. And the diagnostic criteria of farmer's syndrome is similar to those of generalized anxiety disorder. So we carried out this study to investigate the psychiatric causes of farmers' syndrome. Methods : This study was done in some rural and urban areas of Kyoungsangnam Province, July, August, October and November of 1996. Those who came to free medical service and completed interview, medical examination and laboratory examination and 20-59 years old were 150 persons. And those who came to health center for health examination and completed only interview and 20-59 years old were 94 persons. The questionnaire was composed of sociodemographic factors, health risk factors, farmer's syndrome, work load, BEPSI(inventory to measure stress), Spielberger's state-trait anxiety inventory, self-rating depression scale. To examine statistical significance, we used X2-test, Mantel-Haenszel test for linear association, t-test, ANCOVA, correlation, multiple regression, logistic regression. Results : The prevalence of farmer's syndrome, adjusted for age and sex with population of Kyungsangnam Province of 1993 was 208 per 1,000(90 per 1,000 in men and 329 per 1,000 in women). In bivariate analysis, farmer's syndrome was significantly related to age, sex, job, income, smoking, alcohol drinking, work load, BEPSI, state anxiety, trait anxiety, depression, body mass index, Hwa-Byung, hypertension, anemia. However, when age and sex were adjusted, job was not significantly related to farmer's syndrome. The score of farmer's syndrome was significantly related to age, sex, work load, BEPSI, trait anxiety by multiple regression. Farmer's syndrome was significantly related to increasing age(odd ratio 1.079, 95% C.I. 1.060 - 1.099), sex(odds ratio of male 0.434, 95% C.I. 0.349 - 0.540), and BEPSI(odds ratio 1.231, 95% C.I. 1.148 - 1.320) by logistic regression. Results of logistic regression analysis of the component symptoms of farmer's syndrome were as follows. Shoulder stiffness was significantly related to increasing age, female sex and BEPSI. Lumbago was significantly related to increasing age, female sex and trait anxiety. Numb limbs and nocturia was significantly related to increasing age and female sex. Breathlessness was significantly related to work load, sleeplessness was significantly related to depression, dizziness was significantly related to job and state anxiety, and abdominal fullness was significantly related to female sex. Conclusion : Farmers' syndrome was related to work load, but was more related to psychiatric factors such as BEPSI and trait anxiety. And the occupation was not risk factor of farmers' syndrome in this study, so further study is needed to investigate the cause of farmers' syndrome.

• 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.5 no.1
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• pp.16-27
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• 1980

Five hundred seventeen farmers(214 males and 303 females), over age 30 and living in Suh San County, Unsan township, were examined to determine the prevalence of peasants syndrome. Using the health interview questionnaire, the farmers were asked whether they had any of eight subjective symptoms during the past one month before the survey, October 1979. Those symptoms reported were scored based on a pre-determined point system. The farmers with high symptom scores(7 points or more) were further examined by the liver function test. In addition, all the sample(517 cases) were subjected to the examination of urinalysis and blood pressure. The liver function test is also undertaken for those farmers with high symptome scores(7 points or more) and those with abnormal findings in urinalysis and blood pressure. The results are summarized below: 1) 156 out of 517 farmers(30.2%) have had seven points or more of the symptom scores. Among the eight major symptoms, 72% of the farmers complained of lumbago. 2) The prevalence of peasant's syndrome were higher among females and the older age group. The symptom scores of this syndrome were slightly higher among women who have had many children (e. g. 4 or more). 3) The prevalence of peasant's syndrome was also related to the level of one's education-the lower education groups were found to have higher symptom scores of this syndrome. This may be due to the fact that the lower education groups are more exposed to manual labor. 4) The points of the peasants syndrome were higher in hypertensive farmers and those with abnormal findings of urinaly sis. 5) It was reported, in Japan, that those with high scores of the syndrome are more likely to have an abnormal findings in the liver function test. However, in this study it was observed that there was no significant difference between those with high scores of the syndrome (7 points or more) and those with low score of the syndrome(6 points or less) in the prevalence of abnormal liver function. As this study indicates that the point system given for the peasant's syndrome is closely related to the high bleod pressure and abnormal urinalysis(and to some extent to the abnormal liver function), there is a need to study peasant's syndrome more extensively. Such an effort will serve to detect varonic disease conditions among farmer's towards better management of farmer's health, which is vitally important for rural development in Korea.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2156-2169
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• 2012

This study was performed to find out the relationship between farmer's syndrome and self-conscious fatigue symptoms in farmers of suburban area. The questionnaire was prepared to survey the socio-demographic characteristics, health-related behaviors, farming activities, farmer's syndrome, and self-conscious fatigue symptoms of the farmers, and the survey was carried out from April 1 to June 30, 2011 by interviewing 296 farmers residing suburban area of Daejeon city. As a results, the ratio of farmers who had positive farmer's syndrome, doubtful syndrome, and no syndrome were 34.1%, 47.6%, and 18.2%, respectively. The farmer's syndrome was positively correlated with the self-conscious fatigue symptoms, and farmers with self-conscious fatigue symptoms in high risk group were at higher risk of having farmer's syndrome. The results of hierarchic multiple regression analysis indicated that sex, education, health, and self-conscious fatigue symptom were correlated with the farmer's syndrome. Among the affective factors variables, independently self-conscious fatigue symptom was the most influential. As a conclusion, the occurrence of farmer's syndrome was influenced by the socio-demographic characteristics, health-related behaviors, and self-conscious fatigue symptoms of the farmers. Especially, self-conscious fatigue symptom was independently influenced the occurrence of farmer's syndrome.

• 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.