TABLE 1.
Characteristics of 16,340 Participants in the Agricultural Health Study, 1993–1997
| All Cattle Farmers (Beef, Dairy, or Both)* | Cattle Farmers With No Other Farm Animals | Beef Farmers | Dairy Farmers | Reference† | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | 8,878 | 4,275 | 8,136 | 1,168 | 7,462 |
| Gender, n (%) | |||||
| Male | 8,733 (98.4) | 4,198 (98.2) | 8,006 (98.4) | 1,150 (98.5) | 7,216 (96.7) |
| Female | 145 (1.6) | 77 (1.8) | 130 (1.6) | 18 (1.5) | 246 (3.3) |
| Race, n (%) | |||||
| Non-Hispanic white | 8,745 (98.5) | 4,211 (98.5) | 8,014 (98.5) | 1,148 (98.3) | 7,212 (96.7) |
| Other | 122 (1.4) | 58 (1.4) | 111 (1.4) | 20 (1.7) | 240 (3.2) |
| Missing | 11 (0.1) | 6 (0.1) | 11 (0.1) | 0 | 10 (0.1) |
| State, n (%) | |||||
| North Carolina | 2,012 (22.7) | 1,512 (35.4) | 1,860 (22.9) | 221 (18.9) | 3,818 (51.2) |
| Iowa | 6,866 (77.3) | 2,763 (64.6) | 6,276 (77.1) | 947 (81.1) | 3,644 (48.8) |
| Age, mean (yr) | 47.7 | 49.9 | 48.0 | 45.0 | 51.2 |
| Education, n (%) | |||||
| ≤High school | 5,173 (58.3) | 2,519 (58.9) | 4,685 (57.6) | 773 (66.2) | 4,118 (55.2) |
| >High school | 3,564 (40.1) | 1,681 (39.3) | 3,316 (40.7) | 382 (32.7) | 3,183 (42.6) |
| Missing | 141 (1.6) | 75 (1.8) | 135 (1.7) | 13 (1.1) | 161 (2.2) |
| Smoking: ever, n (%) | 3,611 (40.7) | 1,939 (45.4) | 3,388 (41.6) | 366 (31.3) | 4,023 (53.9) |
| Missing | 9 (0.1) | 2 (0.05) | 9 (0.1) | 0 | 15 (0.2) |
| Alcohol: ever, n (%) | 5,823 (65.6) | 2,581 (60.4) | 5,344 (65.7) | 767 (65.7) | 4,181 (56.0) |
| Missing | 215 (2.4) | 126 (2.9) | 198 (2.4) | 26 (2.2) | 215 (2.9) |
| Food frequency in last year | |||||
| Hamburger, median | Twice a week | Twice a week | Twice a week | Twice a week | Once a week |
| Missing, n (%) | 82 (0.9) | 46 (1.1) | 76 (0.9) | 9 (0.8) | 84 (1.1) |
| Beef-steaks, median | Once a week | Once a week | Once a week | Once a week | 2–3 times a month |
| Missing, n (%) | 152 (1.7) | 87 (2.0) | 140 (1.7) | 18 (1.5) | 161 (2.2) |
| Chicken, median | Once a week | Once a week | Once a week | Once a week | Once a week |
| Missing, n (%) | 131 (1.5) | 70 (1.6) | 121 (1.5) | 14 (1.2) | 125 (1.7) |
| Pork-chops or ham steak, median | Once a week | 2–3 times a month | Once a week | 2–3 times a month | 2–3 times a month |
| Missing, n (%) | 115 (1.3) | 72 (1.7) | 104 (1.3) | 16 (1.4) | 112 (1.5) |
| Bacon or breakfast sausage, median | 2–3 times a month | 2–3 times a month | 2–3 times a month | 2–3 times a month | 2–3 times a month |
| Missing, n (%) | 96 (1.1) | 55 (1.3) | 85 (1.0) | 15 (1.3) | 96 (1.3) |
| Pesticides: ever use, n (%) | |||||
| Insecticide | 8,364 (94.2) | 3,993 (93.4) | 7,666 (94.2) | 1,108 (94.9) | 6,703 (89.8) |
| Missing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (0.01) |
| Herbicide | 8,716 (98.2) | 4,171 (97.6) | 7,998 (98.3) | 1,137 (97.3) | 7,200 (96.5) |
| Missing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fungicide | 2,247 (25.3) | 1,362 (31.9) | 2,125 (26.1) | 204 (17.5) | 3,280 (44.0) |
| Missing | 1 (0.01) | 0 | 1 (0.01) | 0 | 4 (0.05) |
| Fumigant | 1,534 (17.3) | 998 (23.3) | 1,473 (18.1) | 105 (9.0) | 2,147 (28.8) |
| Missing | 3 (0.03) | 2 (0.05) | 3 (0.04) | 0 | 8 (0.1) |
*
Cattle farmers may raise beef cattle or dairy cattle and 426 of them raised both beef and dairy cattle. Cattle farmers may also raise other animals on their farm. Thus, the following groups: cattle farmers with no other farm animals, beef farmers, and dairy farmers are subgroups of the overall group of cattle farmers.
†
Reference group has no self-reported animal farming exposure.