Prevalence of chronic diseases and impairments among US farmers, 1986-1990.

Farmers in the United States suffer disproportionately from certain chronic diseases and impairments. This analysis estimated the prevalence of selected diseases among farmers and compared these rates with those for other US workers. Five years (1986-1990) of National Health Interview Survey data on white male workers were combined to provide a basis for estimating the prevalence of selected conditions and impairments among this subgroup. Crude prevalence rates were significantly elevated for farmers compared with other workers for cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, skin cancer, hearing loss, and amputations. These elevations persisted when farmers were compared with blue-collar workers. The crude prevalence of orthopedic impairments and chronic respiratory diseases was not elevated among farmers, but the age-adjusted prevalence ratios for cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, and amputations were significantly elevated for farmers as compared with other workers. The prevalence of hearing loss was significantly higher only for farmers older than 65 years. This method of pooling data holds promise for studying disease rates in other small segments of the US population.