Table 1.
Distribution of characteristics among 22 industrial hog operation workers, North Carolina
| N=22* | Per cent | |
|---|---|---|
| Personal characteristics | ||
| Age | ||
| <24 | 2 | 9.1 |
| 25–34 | 5 | 22.7 |
| 35–44 | 11 | 50.0 |
| ≥45 | 4 | 18.2 |
| Male | 12 | 54.6 |
| Education | ||
| <High school | 6 | 27.3 |
| ≥High school | 15 | 68.2 |
| Number of household members | ||
| <3 | 2 | 9.1 |
| 3–5 | 13 | 59.1 |
| ≥6 | 6 | 27.3 |
| Children <6 years old living in household | 10 | 45.5 |
| Pets inside home | 6 | 27.3 |
| Lives on same property as hog operation | 5 | 22.7 |
| Contact sports | ||
| ≥1 month ago | 10 | 45.5 |
| <1 month ago | 6 | 27.3 |
| Work characteristics† | ||
| Years employed at current hog operation | ||
| <1 | 5 | 22.7 |
| 1–5 | 7 | 31.8 |
| 6–9 | 3 | 13.6 |
| ≥10 | 4 | 18.2 |
| Average h/week | ||
| ≤40 | 3 | 13.6 |
| 41–50 | 6 | 27.3 |
| 51–60 | 11 | 50.0 |
| >60 | 2 | 9.1 |
| Life stage of hogs in contact with at work‡ | ||
| Sows/farrow piglets/wean | 20 | 90.9 |
| Feeder/finish | 7 | 31.8 |
| Average number of hogs worked with per day§ | ||
| ≤1000 | 3 | 13.6 |
| 1001–5000 | 8 | 36.4 |
| >5000 | 5 | 22.7 |
*Totals for each characteristic may not sum to the total number of participants due to missing information.
†Reported at baseline.
‡Totals do not sum to 22 because some participants had contact with pigs in multiple life stages.
§Calculated by multiplying the average number of animals per barn at operation of employment by the number of barns worked in on an average day.