Identification for Farmers/Ranchers

Oklahoma Group to Identify Farmers/Ranchers with Disabling Injuries

Article from Cultivation, The Newsletter for the Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention and Education - Summer 2000

Linda Jaco, M.S. the Program Director at ABLE Tech, located on the OSU campus, is passionate about meeting the needs of persons with disabling injuries so they can return to or maintain their occupational choices. Investigation of the statistics focused her attention on a specific occupation.

It is estimated that 15-30% of American farm operators and farm workers have physical disabilities, many of them sustained on the job and serious enough to hinder essential work-related tasks. Oklahoma ranks 5th nationally for the incidence of disabilities. Coupled with the fact that farmers have a higher overall disabling injury rate than the general population, it is logical that the injury incidence rate for Oklahoma farmers is higher than the national rate.

Partnering with the USDA/Agricultural Statistical Service, Rehab professionals at Louisiana Tech University., and Dr McKnight, a member of the SW Center Mangement Board, the research team has developed a survey and sampling methodology. Once the initial identification process is complete, the research team will recruit a state-wide network of collaborative partners to disseminate information about services, assistive devices, prevention of secondary injuries, and networks of support services for family members.
added 10/13/00