The most important aspect to a healthy Australian farm - a healthy farm family

Introduction  Good health is pivotal to the success of any farm business. Engaging Australian farm men and women in health and safety is difficult with the tyranny of distance and  norms of farmers. The Sustainable Farm Families (SFF) project (Brumby et al 2009) demonstrated that when farmers are provided with information relevant to their health, wellbeing and safety they include these factors in both day-to-day and strategic decision making.    

Objectives   SFF has worked with farm women and men since 2003 across Australia. Over 2300 farming women and men have participated,  50 health services and 82 agricultural industries have been involved. The key message from SFF is ‘the most important aspect of a healthy Australian farm is a healthy farm family’.    

Method  This presentation explores the clinical health and safety indicators of farmers across Australia.     Results  Evaluation by Boymal et al (2007) confirmed the benefits of SFF to individuals with sustained reduction in body mass, waist circumference, cholesterol and glucose and blood pressure. External evaluation shows strong endorsement of SFF by farmers and agricultural industry groups (Pearson 2010).    

Discussion  Results suggest that to prevent occupational disease or injury it is integral to address the chronic and lifestyle diseases in a population isolated by geography and from health services, information, education and employment.    

References  1. Brumby SA, Willder SJ, Martin J (2009) The Sustainable Farm Families Project: changing attitudes to health. Rural and Remote Health 9 (online), 1012. Available from: http://www.rrh.org.au. PMID:19295702   2. Boymal J, Rogers P, Brumby S, & Willder S (2007). Living Longer on the Land; A health program that works - An economic evaluation of the Sustainable Farm Families Program (No. 1741514916). Canberra: Rural Industries Research Development Corporation  3.Pearson D (2010). Victorian Auditor-General’s Report: Sustainable Farm Families Program (No. ISBN 978 1 921650 50 5). Melbourne Victorian Government Printer