Colorado State University, Human Development and Family Studies, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1570, United States.
Colorado State University, Department of Statistics, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1877, United States.
Disabil Health J. 2018 Apr;11(2):249-255. doi: 10.1016/j.dhjo.2017.10.004. Epub 2017 Oct 16.
There is evidence that the combination of assistive technology and education increases ability to live and work independently, which in turn increases the quality of life (QOL) levels of adults with disabilities. No previously published treatment-comparison group intervention studies were found with adult farmers and ranchers with disabilities. Knowing how effective USDA's AgrAbility Project is at increasing this population's QOL and independent living and working (ILW) levels will reinforce and inform change in AgrAbility and will provide outcomes for stakeholders and public decision makers to better address agricultural communities' needs.
To assess whether or not AgrAbility is effective for enhancing QOL and ILW levels of agricultural producers with functional limitations and to assess intervention-comparison group differences.
Intervention group participants (N = 225) included ranchers and farmers from 12 states with various disabilities who participated in AgrAbility. Comparison group participants (N = 100) from 17 states also included farmers and ranchers with various disabilities; they received no on-site visits or other AgrAbility services.
In this 10-year, 27-state study, AgrAbility participants reported statistically significant presurvey-postsurvey improvements in QOL levels (mean presurvey = 5.56; mean postsurvey = 7.13) while comparison group participants reported no change in QOL (mean presurvey = 5.10; mean postsurvey = 4.91). AgrAbility group mean ILW scores rose from 2.86 to 3.71 while comparison group mean ILW scores rose slightly from 3.24 to 3.50.
These results suggest that AgrAbility was effective as compared with a no-treatment comparison group on improving QOL and ILW levels.
有证据表明，辅助技术与教育相结合可以提高独立生活和工作的能力，从而提高残疾成年人的生活质量（QOL）水平。目前尚未发现针对残疾成年农民和牧场主的治疗对照干预研究。了解美国农业部的 AgrAbility 项目在提高这一人群的 QOL 和独立生活和工作（ILW）水平方面的有效性，将加强并为 AgrAbility 提供信息，并为利益相关者和公共决策者提供结果，以更好地满足农业社区的需求。
评估 AgrAbility 是否能有效提高有功能障碍的农业生产者的生活质量和独立生活和工作水平，并评估干预对照组的差异。
干预组参与者（N=225）包括来自 12 个州的有各种残疾的牧场主和农民，他们参加了 AgrAbility。对照组参与者（N=100）来自 17 个州，也包括有各种残疾的农民和牧场主；他们没有接受现场访问或其他 AgrAbility 服务。
在这项为期 10 年、涉及 27 个州的研究中，AgrAbility 参与者报告说，他们的生活质量水平在调查前和调查后有显著的提高（平均调查前为 5.56；平均调查后为 7.13），而对照组参与者的生活质量没有变化（平均调查前为 5.10；平均调查后为 4.91）。AgrAbility 组的平均 ILW 分数从 2.86 上升到 3.71，而对照组的平均 ILW 分数略有上升，从 3.24 上升到 3.50。
这些结果表明，与无治疗对照组相比，AgrAbility 在提高生活质量和独立生活和工作水平方面是有效的。
