Iowa
State University Extension
Farm
operators in different situations vary in the amount of stress
they experience.
Studies
show these differences in the way various groups tend to experience
stress:
- Younger
farmers, especially those younger than 50, report more stress
than older farmers.
- Farmers
in dairy or mixed (grain and livestock) operations report
higher stress levels than farmers in grain operations.
- Farmers
employed in off-farm jobs report more stress than full-time
farm operators.
- Farm
women may experience additional stresses. Besides working
as a full-time partner in the farm business, many farm women
have full responsibility for home and family matters.
If you
fall into one of these groups, learn to recognize your symptoms
of stress. Common physical symptoms include headaches or stomach
problems. Behavioral symptoms, such as increased smoking or
drinking, also may indicate high levels of stress.
For
more information about farming and stress, see a new Extension
publication, Manage Stress to Increase Farm Safety, Pm-1265l.
Copies are available free at any Extension office.
Disclaimer
and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not
represent NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears
by permission of the author and/or copyright holder. More
NASD Review: 04/2002
This
newsletter item was distributed by Iowa State University Extension
as part of the Safe Farm program. Safe Farm promotes health
and safety in agriculture. It is funded by the National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health, Iowa State University,
and a network of groups that serve Iowa farm workers and their
families. Distribution date: December 1992.
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