Injury is a leading cause of death and disability among agricultural populations in Canada. Studies of these populations need to examine characteristics of farm operational practices as determinants of injury, as well as how physical, economic, and social settings work to protect farm people from injury. This Cohort study will examine the importance of operational risk factors as potential causes of injury. A large sample of the Saskatchewan farm population is being studied in order to: 1) study how engagement in operational risk factors is associated with various types of injuries; 2) based upon Health Canada’s “Population Health Framework”, determine whether associations between these operational risk factors and injury are moderated by environmental characteristics of farm settings. Phase I of the study started in 2006, and phase II of the study was initiated in 2013 and included the addition of musculoskeletal symptoms as an outcome. Through a collaboration with the Study team, Ergonomics lab students are using this data to investigate questions on musculoskeletal risk factors on Saskatchewan Farms.   

This study was funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research.  Find out more on the Study Website

1. McMillan, M., Trask, C. Dosman J., Hagel, L., Pickett, W. for the Saskatchewan Farm Injury Study Team (2015) Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among Saskatchewan farmers. Journal of Agromedicine.  20:292–301 Link to Journal