| Abstract |
The Certified Safe Farm (CSF) project was developed at the University of Iowa in 1996 in order to address the high rates of fatalities, injuries, and farm-related illnesses in the agricultural population. This multi-component, voluntary program consists of an agricultural occupational health screening conducted at an AgriSafe clinic, general preventive health education and fit-testing of personal protective equipment, and an on-farm safety review. The first large study began in 1998 in NW Iowa consisting of 150 intervention farmers and was expanded in 2003 through this grant to include more participants throughout Iowa bringing the CSF population to 300 farmers. In addition to reducing illnesses, injuries, and fatalities in participating farmers, CSF was designed with built-in incentives for farmers who participate and sponsors who support the program. Because the majority of family farmers purchase individual health insurance coverage, and because they engage in a high-risk occupation, farmers often spend much of their disposable income on monthly premiums and out-of-pocket medical expenses. Health insurance costs continue to increase to levels that put a strain on the financial stability of farm families, notwithstanding the effect these costs have on access to preventive care. Farmers must also pay premiums for crop insurance, property/casualty insurance, and liability coverage, to name a few. Farmers who meet specified CSF standards of health and safety receive incentives for certification, with cash incentives having been awarded in the past. One of the research questions of this project is to determine if CSF farmers experience reduced claim numbers and costs. Initial analyses show trends that favor the intervention group in areas of increased personal protective equipment use (PPE), reduced out-of-pocket costs, and a reduction in overall claims costs. |
