Transcript Agricultural OH: A New Model for Schools of Public Health

Agricultural OH:
A New Model for
Schools of Public Health
Robert McKnight, MPH, ScD
Nancy E. Johnson, DrPH, CIH
Southeast Center for
Agricultural Health & Injury Prevention
Southeast Center for Agricultural
Health and Injury Prevention
NIOSH-funded
Within the College of
Public Health at the
University of
Kentucky
Exists to fund and
direct agricultural
health and safety
projects.
What’s in Kentucky?
Horses
+ Bourbon whiskey
+ Tobacco________
AGRICULTURE
University of
Kentucky
– College of Public
Health
– Colleges of
Agriculture,
Medicine, Nursing,
Education,
Engineering
Kentucky Agriculture
Kentucky ranks 26th
of 50 states in
population (4.1 mil);
4th in number of
farms (88,000)
Average <400 acres
Horses (#1 US),
cattle, corn, broilers,
tobacco (#2 US)
UK College of Public Health
(UK CPH)
MPH program prepares professionals
for broad-based practice, integrating
5 core disciplines.
–
–
–
–
–
Biostatistics
Environmental Health
Epidemiology
Health Behavior
Health Services Management
Students take additional courses in 1-2
disciplines for higher development.
UK College of Public Health
(UK CPH)
DrPH degree is an advanced professional
practice degree
– Mastery of core competencies in the five
areas
– Advanced specialized knowledge in at least
one of the five disciplines.
Prepares students as senior-level administrators
and policy makers
Highest degree attainable for the public health
practitioner.
How does agriculture
in Kentucky intercept
with Public Health?
Older Farmers
Pesticides
Agricultural Injury - Falls
Tractor Overturns
Return to Farming with Disability
Children in Agriculture
The Public Health Solution
“Advancing the cause in production agricultural
safety and health is best accomplished by
recasting the issues of farm hazard and injury
prevention and control as public health problems
rather than as industrial work problems as they
have been traditionally viewed (Murphy 1992).”
Agriculture and Public Health
In the US, few PH
degree programs
focus on agriculture;
some on rural
health.
– Occupational safety
and health public
health students at
Iowa, Illinois, and
Minnesota
Other professionals
– MD, RN
UK CPH Health of Agricultural
Populations (HAP) Program
Trans-departmental
– Students from any of
5 disciplines
3 course sequence
– HAP curriculum
Public Health
Practicum in an
agricultural setting
Capstone research in
agricultural safety or
health.
Epidemiology
Biostatistics
Health of
Agricultural
Populations
Program
Health
Services
Management
Health
Behavior
Occupational &
Environmental
Health
HAP Courses
Injury Epidemiology and Control
– Teaches and applies Haddon Matrix to
agriculture-based case studies.
Health of Agricultural Populations
– Overview examining intersection of HAP with
each discipline & special populations/topics.
– Produce research proposal.
Advanced Agricultural Health
– In-depth re: specific disease & injury.
– Includes site visit(s) and assessment(s)
Health of Agricultural Populations
Final Project Research Proposals
MPH, HSM: Outcome measurements for a
promotoras program in a Local Health
Department
MPH, HSM: Spanish radio campaign on
tractor safety issues Osteoporosis
screening access among Kentucky
farmers
MPH, EH: Cattle-handling facilities and
injury in KY farmers
Health of Agricultural Populations
Final Project Research Proposals
MPH, HB: Focus groups on noiseinduced hearing loss in farmers
MPH, HB: Farm family education on
NAGCATS using electronic
communication
MPH, EH: Injury rates and risk factors
for part-time farmers in a metropolitan
county
MPH, Epi: Osteoporosis screening
access among Kentucky farmers
Capstone Research and
Graduates
Adolescent Pesticide Exposure in
Mississippi River Delta, DrPH (2005)
Obstructive Lung Disease in Kentucky
farmers >age 55, DrPH (2005)
Correlates of HIV testing among
uninsured Hispanic/Latino women, MPH
(2005)
Lessons Learned, 2001-2005
Need to increase
basic health and
safety knowledge for
all disciplines.
Need to increase
studies in conduct
and methods of
research.
Need to fund
student studies
Cornfield near Nancy, Ky.
Occupational Health & Safety
Competencies
Defined by Council on Linkages
Between Academia and Public Health
Practice
www.trainingfinder.org/competencies/list_levels.htm
Olson, et al (2005) identified crosscutting OHS competencies for health
and safety professionals
We want to apply basic cross-cutting
OHS competencies across disciplines.
MPH Curriculum Plan
DrPH Curriculum Plan
HAP Program Framework
Lessons Learned, 2001-2005
Distance Education
– Need better technology
for class delivery
– NetMeeting© is a new
option.
– Use success of
program and improved
delivery to recruit public
health and agriculture
extension personnel
Application to
Other Regional Industry
Trans-disciplinary
cross-cutting OHS
competencies.
Courses specific to
industry health and
safety hazards and
populations.
Research training to
facilitate future
research-to-practice
initatives