This years Nebraska Agromedicine Consortium Meeting will look at some
of the critical health issues facing farm families and industrial food
production workers. The meeting will be Tuesday, Sept. 4, from 1 to 5 p.m.
at the Kearney Holiday Inn in Kearney, Neb.
This conference is designed to educate primary health-care providers
on occupational and environmental medicine, said Susanna Von Essen, M.D.,
one of the conference presenters. Dr. Von Essen is professor of internal
medicine in the section of pulmonary and critical medicine at the University
of Nebraska Medical Center. We will cover a number of issues that potentially
affect larger numbers of rural families and food producers.
The agromedicine conference is held in conjunction with meetings of
the Nebraska Rural Health Association. Four speakers will make presentations
during the agromedicine conference.
Dr. Von Essen will present StarLink Corn, Farm Animals and other Rural
Exposures: Do They Cause Asthma and Allergies? She wants participants
to be able to understand the evidence for the protective effect that certain
early childhood farm exposures have against asthma and allergy symptoms.
There is growing concern about the exposure of children to farm animals
and even cats, but Dr. Von Essen indicates that if children are exposed
to such animals in infancy, it actually builds their immunity against asthma
and allergy symptoms developing later. In effect, farm life is healthier,
but only if children are exposed at an early age. Dr. Von Essen also will
discuss the potential role of genetically engineered plant crops in causing
asthma and allergies.
Steven Hinrichs, M.D., is director of the combined microbiology and
virology laboratories at UNMC and NHS Clarkson hospitals. He also is director
of the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory at UNMC. His presentation, Implications
of Infectious Diseases for the Farm Family, will help participants recognize
the types of infectious illnesses that can be acquired from handling farm
animals. He also will discuss the role of antibiotics in animal feed in
causing human illness and the risk from E. coli infections secondary to
ingestion of contaminated meat.
Terry Stentz, Ph.D., is assistant professor in the department of construction
management and research associate in the Center for Ergonomics and Safety
Research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
A board certified professional ergonomist, Dr. Stentz is an active consultant
to such major U.S. industries as meatpacking and transportation. Dr. Stenz
will present Ergonomics in Meat Packing and the Farm: A Primer for the
Health Care Provider,” giving a brief introduction to ergonomics. He also
will discuss the meatpacking work environment, ergonomic hazards and common
cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) in the industry, the important role
of medical management teams in meat packing, and the future of ergonomics
and health care in modern meat packing sites.
Kelley Donham, DVM, is professor of occupational and environmental health,
College of Pubic Health, at the University of Iowa. Dr. Donham also has
a master’s of science degree in preventative medicine and environmental
health. He directs the Iowa Center for Agricultural Safety and Health and
is deputy director of the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health.
Dr. Donham developed the first, and one of the few, teaching programs today
in agricultural medicine. He will present Large Scale Swine Production:
Air Quality Control and Community Health Concerns to help participants
recognize the respiratory complaints and other health problems reported
by individuals living near large-scale hog facilities. Dr. Donham also
wants participants to understand the meaning of measuring dust and toxic
gases and how health providers need to work with communities near large-scale
hog confinement facilities.
Weve been holding rural health forums ever since we received a $700,000
grant six years ago, Dr. Von Essen said. But this is the most prestigious
group of presenters yet to gather for a rural Nebraska health conference.
We are encouraging all rural health care professionals and citizens to
join us at this conference.
The conference is open to the public. There is no formal membership
for the consortium at the present time, but participants are asked to register
and pay a $10 fee that assists with the costs of the program. Interested
participants should register by Friday, Aug. 31. Make checks payable to
UNMC and send them to Roxanna Jokela, University of Nebraska Medical Center,
986660 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-6660. For more
information, contact Jokela at 404-559-8946.
Continuing education credits (AMA Category 1 Credits) are available
to participants. For more information, contact Dr. Von Essen at 402-559-7397.