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This paper describes the Emory Agromedicine Training Project, a component of Occupational Medicine residency training at Emory University since 1991. The Project places occupational medicine residents in rural settings, where they perform a range of activities: working on farms, service visits to farms, grand rounds presentations to rural hospitals, public presentations in farm communities, and clinical service in the migrant health program. In addition they complete a directed reading syllabus and a research project. The rotation has been successful in building the residents' knowledge of agricultural safety and health, instilling positive attitudes toward the field, and achieving desired behaviors and skills. In addition, strong statewide networking was accomplished through this initiative. Areas of limited success include the small number of residents trained, some resident dissatisfaction with intense travel requirements and security concerns, and inability to secure long-term funding. We conclude that agricultural safety and health is highly suitable for inclusion in occupational medicine training, and this model should be extended to primary care specialties such as family practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide, accounting for half of the world's 40 million blind. The majority of the world's 20 million cataract blind live in the developing world. About 5 million new cases of cataract blindness occur each year. Only a small percentage of persons in the Third World who develop cataracts receive cataract surgery. Cataract blindness causes severe economic and social problems in these countries. Because of increased longevity and population growth in the Third World, the number of untreated cataract cases is escalating rapidly. Governmental, non-governmental and service club organizations have put extraordinary effort and resources into reversing the trend of increasing cataract blindness, but much work still needs to be done. Current surgical methods used in the Third World have not yet succeeded in reducing the backlog of cataracts, due in part to either their prohibitive cost or poor results. Extra capsular cataract extraction (ECCE) with placement of a posterior chamber intraocular lens (PC-IOL) is the hope for preferred method of treatment. This paper discusses a largely overlooked method of cataract surgery which may be an additional, cost-effective and efficacious means of providing good sight rehabilitation. Combining intracapsular cataract extraction, currently the most common method used in the rural developing world, with anterior chamber intraocular lens implantation (ICCE AC-IOL), may prove effective in reducing the cataract backlog in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insects, arachnids, and other medically important arthropods affect human health directly by bites, stings, and blisters, and indirectly by disease transmission. In this paper, three widely divergent cases of insect- or arachnid-caused human illness are presented—a spider bite, a mosquito-borne disease case, and an imaginary mite problem. Some key references are included for each topic, as well as editorial comment to add perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

M.C.S. presents with non-specific multi-organ symptoms in individuals who do not manifest evidence of specific organ malfunctioning. Experts disagree about whether the disorder is caused by exposure to environmental chemicals in low concentrations or whether it has a psychological basis. This paper (a) describes two patients who were firmly convinced that they suffered from M.C.S., (b) discusses a differential diagnosis of the disorder, and (c) suggests an approach to management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the agromedicine highlights of the 50th Annual Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Conference of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention held in Atlanta, Georgia from April 23-27, 2001. Retrospective review of major investigations conducted by the EIS with agromedicine implications; Abstracts of papers presented at the conference.

As a medical student completing a required rural community medicine clerkship, I discovered my home community's concern for mental health of farmers. A local economic downturn affects everyone, but especially the farmers. One farmer had recently committed suicide. Leaning heavily on work presented at a Nebraska summit on the farm crisis and mental health and on the National Rural Health Association issue paper on rural mental health, I found farmer and rural mental health to be a widespread concern, exacerbated by a scarcity of rural mental health resources. In my recommendations for rural Alabama, I endorse recommendations of others, including strengthening the local family physician role as "front door" to the mental health system, outreach with such agents as extension personnel and ministers, and farm crisis hotlines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A problem that agriculture faces daily is injury to its workers. South Carolina is not exempt from this problem. This paper discusses South Carolina's agricultural injury records and injury surveillance needs. From 1996-1998 there was a total of 827 farm related injuries reported by South Carolina hospitals: 79% of the victims were males, 70% were whites and 42% occurred to adults ranging in age from 35-64. The most common injury was trauma to the lower limbs (34%). One critical data element necessary in safety programming is determining the cause of these injuries. Hospital data does not answer causal questions. However, these data do highlight questions that need to be addressed to provide the necessary information to both educate and increase awareness for the rural residents of South Carolina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manufacturing of herbal preparations or dietary supplements, has become a multibillion dollar industry in the United States. Presently, dietary supplements are not considered drugs by the government, but arc classified as food supplements. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) has defined dietary supplements as a product intended to supplement the diet that contains one or more of a vitamin, mineral, an herb or other botanical, an amino acid or a dietary substance to supplement the diet by increasing the total dictary intake, or concentrates, metabolites, constituents, extracts or combinations of any ingredients described above. The main limitation of DSHEA is that it deals only with herbs as dietary supplements, i.e., as foods and not as drugs. A quandary still exists among: (1) the consumers who want to use these products safely; (2) the government that wishes to protect its citizens from potential hazards; and (3) the conventional medical community still questioning the safety and efficacy of these products. DSHEA does not appear to be the final verdict on herbal regulation, but just the first step in a long process of interpretation, evaluation, and decision-making required in the U.S. for regulation of any new class of such products. This paper reviews the current status facing the consumer, medical industry, and government in regards to herbal use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food-borne pathogens sicken 76 million people and result in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths each year in this country. Long-term studies have overwhelmingly demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of food irradiation for preventing such illness and earned support from numerous health organizations. Unfortunately, these benefits cannot be realized if consumers do not purchase irradiated meats. As a result of recent government approvals, irradiated chicken and ground beef will be increasingly available to U.S. consumers during 2000. This paper describes the irradiation process, its benefits in preventing food-borne illness, and current educational efforts in this area by the Florida Department of Health. Public health professionals and medical practitioners can make a valuable contribution to reducing food-borne illness by becoming knowledgeable on the irradiation process and by advocating for the consumption of irradiated meats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are over 15 million persons with diabetes mellitus in the United States. Amputation of the feet and legs due to the complications of diabetes is one of the biggest threats to persons with diabetes and can result in permanent disability. Extrinsic factors including improper footwear, mechanical trauma, and thermal injury increase the risk of ulceration in the insensate foot. Farming is well known to be one of the most hazardous occupations. The complex farm environment poses extra threats to those with diabetes. This paper discusses some of these threats and suggestions for prevention of lower extremity ulcers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many years, farming has consistently had one of the highest death rates of any industry in America. The National Safety Council has classified agriculture as the most hazardous occupation in America. It is estimated that at least 25 percent of farmers and farm workers suffer disabilities that impede their ability to carry out essential farming tasks. These disabilities include amputations, impaired vision, stroke, head injury, etc. Unlike industrial workers, farmers and farm workers do not have networks of rehabilitation specialists, case managers, or even Workers' Compensation insurance to handle the circumstances of their disabled conditions. They need help, but such help is not usually available. This is where the AgrAbility Project comes into focus. This paper presents the cases of three Kentucky farmers who sustained farm-related and non-farm-related injuries that resulted in some form of disability. These farmers were on the verge of giving up farming when they came into contact with the Kentucky AgrAbil-ity Project. That contact has made a significant difference in the lives of these farmers. All three are now farming with the aid of assistive technology and modified farm equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Horses are found on many farms and are used by children and youth for recreation and farm work. This presence increases exposure to activities that carry inherent risks for injuries from bites, kicks, and falls from horses. This paper advocates the use of safety helmets as a passive measure to prevent severe injuries, such as head trauma, that result from horse-related incidents. We use data drawn from members of eight 4-H horse clubs in Kentucky to explore possible explanations for low rates of helmet use. The results are compared with findings from existing literature, and intervention strategies for increasing use of safety-approved equestrian helmets are outlined. We suggest that the participant's risk perception involved in assessing the dangers for any given riding activity correlates with the person's view of helmet use. Further, helmet use is not only a function of risk perception associated with the riding activity, but the negative stereotypical image of helmets as well. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Hispanic migrant farmworkers have only recently become a part of Kentucky's farm labor force. Previously, small farms in the state relied on family members and neighbors to harvest crops, especially tobacco. However, as these numbers of local workers have diminished, more small farmers are hiring Hispanic farmworkers. From 1992 to 1995, there was a 40− increase in the number of Hispanic migrant farmworkers in Kentucky, bringing population estimates to between 6000 and 8000; increases are projected into the foreseeable future. This paper describes one of the first steps taken to address the health and social needs of migrant farmworkers in Ken-tucky. The Migrant Network Coalition is a group of individuals rep-resenting over 30 agencies in Central Kentucky that deal with mi-grant farmworkers. In an effort to inform the broader community about the special needs of migrant farmworkers, the Coalition hosted the first statewide conference on migrant issues in Kentucky. The conference attracted over 120 participants representing a variety of service agencies and agricultural sectors. The vast majority of atten-dees gave the conference high marks, and over 80− reported that they found the presentations to be both enjoyable and informative. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Tractor rollovers are a major cause of farm-related deaths. A rollover protective structure (ROPS) dramatically reduces fatalities during tractor overturns. However, pre-ROPS (before ROPS were available) tractor axle housings were not designed to support the ROPS. This paper presents the strength test investigating pre-ROPS tractor axle housings, evaluating their suitability for accepting reliable ROPS. The factor of safety between longitudinal yield torque of the axle housing and the maximum torque subjected during ASAE S519 longitudinal static test is determined. The relationship between twisting angle and torque of the axle housing is established. The results show that a particular pre-ROPS axle housing can successfully support the ROPS with a safety factor of about two. The test was conducted in accordance to ASAE Standard S519 on a single axle housing. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Keokuk County Rural Health Study is a population-based, prospective study of environmental exposures and health status of a large randomly-selected sample of residents from each of three strata in one rural Iowa county. The study focuses on injury rates and respiratory disease; in addition, it monitors health care de-livery; geriatric, reproductive, and mental health; and other health outcomes. Injury and disease prevalence are investigated in relation to occupational, agricultural, and other environmental exposures. This paper describes the sampling method, the protocol, and the demographic profile of adult subjects of the first 400 households en-rolled in the study. Farmers were slightly younger than rural non-farmers and townspeople and more farmers had lived in the county all of their lives. Females were more highly educated than were males, and less than half as many female farmers had lived in the county all their lives than had male farmers. Net household income figures were complex and are shown in a graph in Table 1. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

When milking cows that are kept in stanchion barns, the milker has to use various working postures and movements that involve walking, sitting, rising, squatting, kneeling, stooping, bending, twisting and stretching. They must do this while holding a load of 3-6 kg (cluster, teat cups) in one hand under the cow's udder at a relatively long distance from the body. This is the usual working situation for most farmers and farm workers in Swedish dairy production. Only 5 per cent of the seventeen thousand Swedish dairy farms have any type of loose-housing system with parlor milking, which reduces a lot of the ergonomic stress. An increasing number of the milkers and the relief personnel now working in dairy farming are young women who may have less physical strength than men. Much additional research is needed to obtain the data necessary for the planning of safer and better dairy barns, in which the average man or woman can work. This paper is a review of research conducted over the past 20 years, with analysis and recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a comparative analysis from two data sets, the NIOSH Iowa Farm Family Health and Hazard Survey and the Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll. The objective was to investigate the role of stress as a possible risk factor for agricultural injuries. The Iowa Farm Family Health and Hazard Survey is based on a sample of 989 farm families in Iowa resulting in 390 useable responses from 1994. The Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll is a statewide random sample of 3270 farmers in 1989 to which 2016 Iowa farmers responded. Complementary dimensions of stress from each survey are analyzed and shown to be strongly associated with agricultural injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A paper-and-pencil simulation exercise depicts the difficult decisions of a farm family as they struggle to work safely while trying to expand farm size, maintain production, cope with labor shortages, bad weather and equipment problems. Response patterns of 34 persons mimic choices of other farmers faced with real-life decision alternatives like those depicted in the exercise. Farmers judged the exercise as authentic and useful for teaching them relationships among workload, stress, economics, safety, and injury prevention as an integral part of farm planning and management. Many reported that the exercise convinced them to make safety a higher priority. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Almost every week the rural media provide farming communities around Australia with information about health and safety hazards on farms. The results of the increasing research and data collection are being made broadly available. But are we just adding yet another worry to already stressed farmers, farm workers and farm families by this approach? Until recently, there was little information or support available to farmers to assist them to identify the hazards on their own workplace, to assess the relative risk to health and safety of the many hazards identified, or to plan adoption of effective solutions to reduce risk based on the cash flow of the farming enterprise. Managing Farm Safety is a program which has been developed through integration of data findings, research findings, farmer responsibilities under OHS Occupational Health and Safety legislation, farm management practicalities, farm cash flow and farmer aspirations. The program will be incorporated into rural education, training and extension services. The services to farmers and farm families include access to training in farm OHS management, provision of a management tool or kit which includes and on-farm audit, record of education and training for employees, record of farm chemicals usage, and information about risk reduction solutions are available, their relative effectiveness and the cost of each option. The program will be provided in commodity specific format as more of the major industry groups in Australian agriculture move to adopt the approach. This paper describes the data flow system used in the development and maintenance of this program. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The W. K. Kellogg Agricultural Safety and Health (ASH) initiative represented a major effort by a philanthropic organization to address the continuing high prevalence of injuries and illnesses within the agricultural sector. A major emphasis within the initiative was an overall evaluation of the entire group. This overall evaluation discovered eighteen general “lessons learned” which represented common patterns and characteristics seen across all projects. The projects sought to further this evaluation process by offering specific research hypotheses, based upon the “lessons learned,'' as those lessons applied to their individual projects. These specific research hypotheses illustrated opportunities available for cooperative endeavors. This paper used experiences of the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service project as an example. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: Greenhouse crop production is increasing as consumer demand increases, specifically in areas where the natural climate is more hostile to the desired production. However, no formal scientific assessment of the sustainability of existing facilities currently exists, and there is sufficient consumer demand for assessing this from seed to shelf. The primary objective of this study was to assess the sustainability of current systems in North America. This was accomplished through the development of various sustainability, or S-score, equations. This paper specifically focuses on greenhouse safety practices observed at facilities as well as follow-up telephone surveys. Methods: There were 22 greenhouse facilities in the private sector that volunteered to provide data for these equations. Each facility was assigned a region: Florida (n = 3), Northeast (n = 7), Midwest (n = 5), and Southwest (n = 6). Key parameters were organized according to five general categories based on safety aspects and techniques and applied techniques. Each category was assigned a weight. Each weight was then incorporated into the master sustainability equation as coefficients. The final value was an "S-score" for each facility. Descriptive statistics were analyzed to determine parameter dominance and statistical significance. The facilities ranged in size from a small, seasonal greenhouse to large facilities ranking in the top 100 in terms of size. Additionally, facilities with either or both vegetable and ornamental production participated in this study. Results/Findings: Overall, greenhouse facilities were found to have a range of S-scores from 4.1 to 8.4. Larger greenhouses tended to have safer working environments and higher S-scores due to liability and production concerns. Additionally, these facilities were more likely to have professional safety personnel and more financial resources to invest in safety-specific training. Practical Application: Greenhouse managers and owner-operators will be able to better assess their own properties for safety problems as well as track and monitor various criteria for a more sustainable operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This presentation focuses on implementation of digital technologies and mobile devices to transform hazard risk assessment among agricultural workers. Many hazard risk assessments have traditionally been paper-based. Often these instruments require instruction and practice to effectively use them. SaferFarm.org website was launched to assist those working in and around production agricultural worksites with properly identifying and assessing injury risks using digital media accessible through mobile devices. Moving assessment tools to a digital platform signals advancement in safety and health management tools. However, an emerging workforce, who are often referred to as digital natives, may ultimately hold insights into the functionality and accessibility of the mobile friendly hazard assessment tool. Methods: An informational presentation was developed by the authors and delivered to youth engaged in FFA and 4 H. Participants were from Pennsylvania and Utah. After the presentation, participants were recruited to register for the SaferFarm.org tool. Students practice the functions of the tool assessing one tractor, one PTO-powered machine, and one agricultural structure. Participants then completed a user experience survey. Results/Findings: Preliminary results showed that nearly one-half of participants (46%) indicated "it's okay" when asked if the resource was interesting to use. Only 28% of participants indicated they were able to add the names of tractors, machines, and structures very easily. Fewer than a quarter of participants (16%) indicated that the prompts were very useful in helping them understand what to do. Almost half of participants (48%) indicated the features and components worked at an average speed. Practical application: This tool is valuable and addresses the need for relevant and real-time risk assessment on farms among new, young, less experienced workers. Incentives or intrinsic motivation to use the tool should be considered by management personnel. Connecting risk assessment/management and successful agricultural careers will provide practical methods for improving worksite safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A discussion of the articles published for this issue of the journal is presented. It elaborates that two of the papers in this issue build upon previous publications address agricultural pesticide exposure surveillance and youth and adolescent agricultural-related injuries. It emphasizes that the method of exposure drives where and how the data are reported and captured, and that one reporting mechanism is not adequate at present to capture the full spectrum of pesticide illness.

Acceleration can decrease the stability of a tractor and result in a tractor rollover on a moderate slope. This report examines an example of an agricultural tractor rollover on a moderate slope and determines a stability index. Based on stability data and the kinematic analysis of a tractor turning on a slop, the paper modifies the index of static stability based on the steady-state operation of a tractor by introducing a dynamic factor. A tractor rollover was recorded on a video and stability parameters (pitch and roll angles and their rate, as well as yaw rate) were measured by stability sensors. The analysis of the video and stability data in real time showed that the index of tractor stability on a slope is significantly affected by its dynamics (e.g., angle rates and vehicle acceleration). The strong cornering of a tractor wheel and high yaw rate increase the possibility of rollover. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper is a report of the mental health breakout session held at the Third Annual NIOSH Agricultural Health and Safety Conference in Iowa City, Iowa, on March 24-26, 1996. The following presentations were made: Theresa Reis from Eastern Washington University, Farm Stressors Related to Farm Injury; Robert Scarth from The University of Iowa, Depression and Risk Factors Among Iowa Farmers; and Ann Stromquist from The University of Iowa, Keokuk County Rural Health Study: Depression and Factors Associated with Depression Among Farm, Rural Nonfarm, and Town Residents [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This plenary talk at the eighth annual Midwest Rural Agricultural Safety and Health Forum, November 2009, described a conference held earlier in the year focusing on the hazards and risks associated with moving agricultural equipment on public roads. The Farm Equipment-Motor Vehicle Crash Prevention Conference (FEMVCPC), March 2009, Des Moines, Iowa, drew 54 participants representing 13 states for presentations and discussions. Data showing that over 1100 farm equipment-motor vehicle crashes occur annually in the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health's nine-state region document agricultural producer stated concerns. The conference format allowed for presentations from a wide range of perspectives and provided discussion time for caucusing at two levels. The first level involved caucus by specialty (e.g., state agencies, sheriff/highway patrol, driver educators, farmers, retailers/manufacturers). The second level caucuses gathered individuals from their respective states to consider what is being done and what could be done relative to each area identified in the first level caucuses. The final product of the conference was a specific action plan each state group would advocate and bring forward in their state. On-site and 6-month follow-up evaluations with each state group indicated that the conference content increased participant knowledge and provided them with new content to use in current and future state programs. As important is the finding that participants have used conference content to foster interest, new collaborations, and specific project planning related to agricultural roadway transportation issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on the papers published in the issue including one on pig-production and air quality in adjacent communities, one on the knowledge of zoonoses and one on the cost-analysis of wearing helmets while driving all terrain vehicles.

This plenary talk at the eighth annual Midwest Rural Agricultural Safety and Health Forum, November 2009, focused on the value of having those who can benefit from, or who will use research findings (that is, partners), being involved throughout the research process. At the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Research-to-Practice (r2p) initiative was established to ensure that NIOSH-funded research is used in the workplace to prevent disease, injury, and fatality. Central to these efforts is the commitment to involve partners and stakeholders throughout the research process, from conceptualization of the research idea through the conduct of the research to the evaluation of the effectiveness of the research. Through partnerships and scientific integrity, NIOSH strives to ensure that our research contributes to improving the lives of all workers. In this presentation, mechanisms for and examples of how to identify and include appropriate partners in research and dissemination efforts for the agriculture sector were explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are over 15 million persons with diabetes mellitus in the United States. Amputation of the feet and legs due to the complications of diabetes is one of the biggest threats to persons with diabetes andcan result in permanent disability. Extrinsic factors including improper footwear, mechanical trauma, aid thermal injury increases the risk of ulceration in the insensate foot. Farming is well known to be one of the most hazardous occupations. The complex farm environment poses extra threats to those with diabetes. This paper discusses some of these threats and suggestions for prevention flower extremity ulcers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preventing or reducing exposure to agricultural chemicals is an important focus for health educators tserving migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families. The development of the US Environmental Protection AgencyWorker Protection Standard requireing that farmworkersreceive pesticide related training created a demand for culturally appropriate and effective tyraining materials, yet no compendium of such materials exist. This paper reports the results of a search for and evaluation of training materials designed for use with farmworkers. There is considerable redundancy in the training materials currently avialable to health educators. Few items address the health issue of chmicla residues in the fields, an important source of low level chronic chemical exposure for farmworkers. There are no published evaluations of the effectiveness of any of the materials. Our review suggests the need for further development and testing appropriate training materials to reduce the exposure of farmworkers to agricultural chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a community based program to reduce farm hazards through recognition and training about the role of stress in farm health and safety. Through data from focus groups and a questionnaire administered at the 1993 Agricultural Exposition in Spokane, Washington it was hypothesized that occupational stressors are perceived by farmers to be significantly related to farm injuries. Farm-related stressors include economic pressures such as debt burden, weather, undependable farm labor, government regulation, and market variability andcosts. A workshop to aid farmers was developed and conducted in Eastern Washington state to provide farmers with information about how stressors may be affecting them and to introduce and encourage interventions that alleviate stress as a potential source of farm injury. A summary of the workshop presentations and a brief analysis of the effectiveness of this intervention program follow. Evaluation data from workshop participants and from random samples of Eastern Washington farmers are analyzed. The reported results demonstrate stress reductionin workshop participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the Emory Agromedicine Training Project, a component of Occupational Medicine residency training at Emory Universitysince 1991. The Project places occupational medicine residents in rural settings, where they perform a range of activities: working on farms, service visits to farms, grand rounds presentations to rural hospitals, public presentations in farm communities, and clinical service in the migrant health program. In addition they complete a directedreading syllabus and a research project. The rotation has been successful in building the residents' knowledge of agricultural safety andhealth, instilling positive attitudes toward the field, and achieving desired behaviors and skills. In addition, strong statewide networking was accomplished through this initiative. Areas of limited success include the small number of residents trained, some resident dissatisfaction with intense travel requirements and security concerns, andinability to secure long-term funding. We conclude that agriculturalsafety and health is highly suitable for inclusion in occupational medicine training, and this model should be extended to primary care specialties such as family practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How can we translate the findings from public health research into practice? We are not doing this job very well and we need to rethink our approach so that we can do a better job. The major problem is that we public health professionals have messages to give people, but people have lives to lead, and we have not done well in closing this gap. To deal with this problem, we will need to learn how to better involve the community as an empowered partner in our work. To do that, we will have to fundamentally change our public health model: We will have to change the way we classify disease; we will have to change the way we organize and finance public health education; and we will have to deal with our arrogance. This plenary talk at the Eighth Annual Midwest Rural Agricultural Safety and Health Forum (MRASH), November 2009, described the importance of looking at health promotion and disease prevention not only at the level of the individual but also at the community and environmental level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advertisers are adept at changing our attitudes and purchasing behaviors, but we rarely notice the effects. This plenary talk at the eighth annual Midwest Rural Agricultural Safety and Health Forum, November 2009, focused on the psychology of advertising and how advertising is designed to work outside of our conscious awareness. Several psychological “tricks” are used to influence us, with the goal being to get us to change our behaviors but to think that it was our idea all along. These tricks include using emotional appeals and persuasion techniques that rely on biases in human problem solving. This power can be used for social marketing, the use of these techniques to promote social well-being, rather than simply for commercial purposes. Understanding how advertising works therefore allows us to use this power to effect positive changes in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]