Penn State Research Projects To Track Farm Injury Impacts
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) Researchers in Penn
State’s College of Agricultural
Sciences and the Pennsylvania
Office of Rural Health in the
College of Health and Human
Development are conducting two
separate but related studies
tracking the social and economic
impacts of farm-related injuries
on farm families and their com
munities.
“How do you find out what
the loss of a farmer meant to the
organizations he once belonged
to, how that loss affects the farm
er’s community, or what finan
cial pressures a severe injury
meant to a farm operation?” said
Dennis Murphy, professor of ag
ricultural engineering. “Individu
als are not the only ones experi
encing financial losses. The
community and the state also see
financial impacts. It’s crucial for
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farmers to participate in this
study so that we can gain a clear
er picture of how injuries can af
fect an entire community.”
“Farming communities rely on
individuals to be involved in a
number of local activities,” said
Lisa Davis, director of the Office
of Rural Health. “The loss of key
community leaders can be devas
tating.”
The research team will inter
view fanners, their families and
community members. Murphy
and Davis believe that the com
bined experiences gleaned from
these interviews will allow a pic
ture to emerge that provides a
larger view of farmers as contrib
uting members of their commu
nities. Documenting the impacts
on a community provides a tool
to promote changes that will help
reduce farm injuries and fatali
ties.
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Murphy said one set of mail
ings is going out to farm families
who have been affected by farm
injuries or death. The mailing list
comes from Penn State’s Farm
Injury Statistics database, which
is compiled from newspaper ac
counts and death certificates.
The letter asks farmers who have
suffered injuries that caused
some level of disability, or rela
tives of farmers who have died in
farm-related accidents, to partic
ipate in the project. If they agree,
members of the research team
will interview them about their
life as a farmer and the ways in
which they participate in the
community.
“After the initial interview
with a family member, we will
speak with key colleagues of the
farmer in the community,” said
Sally Maud Robertson, research
assistant in agricultural engi-
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The second project centers on
tracking the economic impacts of
farm injuries on families and
their communities, as well as the
cumulative financial impact on
Pennsylvania’s economy. In co
operation with the Pennsylvania
Farm Bureau, the researchers
will mail out a letter every four
months through the fall of 2001.
If any of the farm operations re
ceiving the letters had a farm in
jury, they are asked to partici
pate in a detailed interview
focusing on the financial costs of
a farm worker injury.
“The letter basically asks
farmers if they would mind being
interviewed about a farm in
jury,” Robertson explains. “They
return the mailer with their
name, phone number and recom
mendations as to the best time to
call.”
Robertson said all interviews
remain confidential.
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“Penn State collates many
farm-related safety statistics, but
these studies really can help us
understand how a farm injury af
fects people and organizations
beyond the victim of the injury,”
Murphy said. “We hope that
farm operators will work with us
to help understand this issue.”
The Pennsylvania Office of
Rural Health is a joint effort of
the College of Health and
Human Development and Penn
State Cooperative Extension. Its
mission is to improve the health
of rural communities and their
residents throughout the com
monwealth. The office compiles,
analyzes, and disseminates in
formation to policy makers,
health providers, health educat
ors, and health administrators. It
also strengthens the existing net
work of rural providers, plan
ners, and advocates by encourag
ing partnerships and identifying
opportunities for collaboration
and cooperation.
The office’s mission
also includes increas
ing interest in rural
health needs, opportu
nities, and policy is
sues, and acting as a
liaison between aca
demia, state govern
ment, professional as
sociations, and the
general public.
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