Abstract
Respiratory diseases and symptoms are well-recognized occupational problems among farmers. Our objective was to compare the current prevalence and occurrence trends of respiratory symptoms and disorders between different Finnish agricultural sectors and to, more specifically, determine the risk factors leading to the development of the symptoms. A questionnaire was e-mailed randomly to 10,000 members of The Farmers’ Social Insurance Institution in Finland. The response rate was 25.1%. Farmers working with animals reported more respiratory symptoms than farmers working in haying, crop farming or forestry. Organic dust exposure was associated significantly with a higher prevalence of wheezing, asthma, allergic rhinitis and allergic alveolitis. Chronic bronchitis was associated with exposure to cattle, animal excrement, organic dust and fodder exposure. The prevalence of asthma was equal compared to the general population. The sectors of farming associated with an elevated prevalence of respiratory symptoms in Finland include dairy, beef and pig farming. The trend in the increase of asthma among farmers seems to follow the development of asthma in the general population. These results remind that respiratory protection should be considered especially during exposure to agricultural organic dusts and microbes.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Niemi, J., Ahlstedt, J.: Suomen Maatalous ja Maaseutuelinkeinot, 2nd edn. Luke, Finland (2015)
Schuijs, M.J., Willart, M.A., Vergote, K., et al.: Farm dust and endotoxin protect against allergy through A20 induction in lung epithelial cells. Science 349(6252), 1106–1110 (2015)
Thelin, A.: Work and health among farmers. Scand. J Soc. Med. (Suppl. 22) (1980)
Nordgren, T.M., Charavaryamath, C.: Agriculture occupational exposures and factors affecting health effects. Curr. Allergy Asthma Rep. 18(12), 65 (2018)
Radon, K., Opravil, U., Hartung, J., et al.: Work-related respiratory disorders and farming characteristics among cattle farmers in Northern Germany. Am. J. Ind. Med. 36(4), 444–449 (1999)
Skórska, C., Mackiewicz, B., Dutkiewicz, J., et al.: Effects of exposure to grain dust in Polish farmers: work-related symptoms and immunologic response to microbial antigens associated with dust. Ann. Agric. Environ. Med. 5, 147–154 (1998)
Heller, R., Kelson, M.: Respiratory disease mortality in agricultural workers in eight member countries of the European Community. Int. J. Epidemiol. 11(2), 170–174 (1982)
Toren, K., Horte, L.G., Jarvholm, B.: Occupation and smoking adjusted mortality due to asthma among Swedish men. Br. J. Ind. Med. 48(5), 323–326 (1991)
Vohlonen, I., Husman, K., Kalimo, E., Nuutinen, J., Raitasalo, R., Tupi, K. et al.: Viljelijöiden työ ja ter-veys. A:1. Kansaneläkelaitoksen Julkaisuja, Helsinki (1979)
Susitaival, P., Husman, T.: Tuohilampi-Questionnaire for Population Studies of Hypersensitivity Diseases of Respiratory Organs, Skin and Eyes. Orion, Kuopio (1996)
Redlich, C.A., Sparer, J., Cullen, M.R.: Sick-building syndrome. Lancet 349(9057), 1013–1016 (1997)
Cherry, N., Beach, J., Senthilselvan, A., et al.: Pesticide use and Asthma in Alberta grain farmers. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 15(3), 526 (2018)
Reijula, K., Sundman-Digert, C.: Assessment of indoor air problems at work with a questionnaire. Occup. Environ. Med. 61(1), 33–38 (2004)
Radon, K., Danuser, B., Iversen, M., et al.: Respiratory symptoms in European animal farmers. Eur. Respir. J. 17(4), 747–754 (2001)
Zejda, J.E., Hurst, T.S., Rhodes, C.S., et al.: Respiratory health of swine producers: focus on young workers. Chest 103(3), 702–709 (1993)
Iversen, M., Dahl, R., Korsgaard, J., et al.: Respiratory symptoms in Danish farmers: an epidemiological study of risk factors. Thorax 43(11), 872–877 (1998)
Larsson, K.A., Eklund, A.G., Hansson, L.O., et al.: Swine dust causes intense airways inflammation in healthy subjects. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 150(4), 973–977 (1994)
Kimbell-Dunn, M., Bradshaw, L., Slater, T., et al.: Asthma and allergy in New Zealand farmers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 35(1), 51–57 (1999)
Kogevinas, M., Antó, J.M., Sunyer, J., et al.: Occupational asthma in Europe and other industrialised areas: a population-based study. Lancet 353(9166), 1750–1754 (1999)
Braun-Fahrlander, C., Gassner, M., Grize, L., et al.: Prevalence of hay fever and allergic sensitization in farmer’s children and their peers living in the same rural community. SCARPOL team. Swiss Study on Childhood Allergy and Respiratory Symptoms with Respect to Air Pollution. Clin Exp Allergy 29(1), 28–34 (1999)
Portengen, L., Sigsgaard, T., Omland, Ø., et al.: Low prevalence of atopy in young Danish farmers and farming students born and raised on a farm. Clin. Exp. Allergy 32(2), 247–253 (2002)
Heinonen, O.P., Horsmanheimo, M., Vohlonen, I., et al.: Prevalence of allergic symptoms in rural and urban populations. Eur. J. Respir. Dis. Suppl. 152, 64–69 (1987)
Terho, E.O.: Work-related respiratory disorders among finnish farmers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 18(3), 269–272 (1990)
Hedman, J., Kaprio, J., Poussa, T., et al.: Prevalence of asthma, aspirin intolerance, nasal polyposis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a population-based study. Int. J. Epidemiol. 28(4), 717–722 (1999)
Jousilahti, P., Haahtela, T., Laatikainen, T., et al.: Asthma and respiratory allergy prevalence is still increasing among Finnish young adults. Eur. Respir. J. 47(3), 985–987 (2016)
Eduard, W., Douwes, J., Omenaas, E., et al.: Do farming exposures cause or prevent asthma? Results from a study of adult Norwegian farmers. Thorax 59(5), 381–386 (2004)
Danuser, B., Weber, C., KuÈnzli, N., et al.: Respiratory symptoms in Swiss farmers: an epidemiological study of risk factors. Am. J. Ind. Med. 39(4), 410–418 (2001)
Costabel, U., Bonella, F., Guzman, J.: Chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Clin. Chest Med. 33(1), 151–163 (2012)
Definition and classification of chronic bronchitis for clinical and epidemiological purposes. A report to the Medical Research Council by their Committee on the aetiology of chronic bronchitis. Lancet 285(1), 775–779 (1965)
Guillien, A., Soumagne, T., Dalphin, J., et al.: COPD, airflow limitation and chronic bronchitis in farmers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Occup. Environ. Med. 76(1), 58–68 (2019)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Suominen, E.N., Putus, T.M. (2020). The Prevalence of Self-Reported Respiratory Symptoms and Related Diseases in Different Agricultural Sectors: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Survey in Finland. In: Arezes, P., et al. Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health II. Studies in Systems, Decision and Control, vol 277. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41486-3_28
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41486-3_28
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-41485-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-41486-3
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)