Health, Medication Use and Agricultural Injury: A Review

Agricultural work in the United States and Canada continues to be one of the most dangerous vocations, and surveillance evidence suggests that older farmers (aged 60 years and older) are at greater risk of serious injury than their younger counterparts. The purpose of this paper is to outline illnesses and medications that may contribute to older farmers ’ increased risk of agricultural injury. A review of farm injury literature was conducted examining disease and medication factors related to injury. The older farm population is growing and will continue to grow into the future. Health care providers in rural areas need to be aware of the lifestyle and types of activities older farmers engage in while they continue to contribute to farm production. Farmers and farm families need to work closely with their health care providers to ensure issues such as chronic illnesses and polypharmacy do not add excessive risk to older farmers and that diseases and health conditions are managed in the most appropriate manner. It is incumbent on health care systems and professionals to address health and illness issues that can mitigate the injury burden for the individual farmer and for society