Success StoryImproving Farmers' Health and Safety through Theater



Improving Farmers' Health and Safety through Theater

Author: Linda McClanahan

Planning Unit: Garrard County CES

Major Program: Farm Management

Plan of Work: Agriculture and Horticulture

Outcome: Initial Outcome

Over the last several years Extension has been partnering with the University of Kentucky College of Nursing to develop and test the efficacy of a novel intervention, didactic readers theater, focused on health and safety of farmers ages 45 and over.  Initial focus groups with farmers and their spouse that led to development of this program were held in Mercer County.  This program, funded by NIOSH and developed by agricultural nurse Dr. Deborah Reed, debuted in Mercer County originally, and with expansion to other parts of Kentucky and beyond has reached over 600 participants in eight sites.  Due to success with older farmers, additional funding was secured through NIOSH to test this safety intervention with younger farmers.  Extension agents (ANR, HORT, FCS and 4-H) worked to make the theater a special event for the farm community, complete with choreography, backdrops and table decorations.  A meal was provided with local farmers and their spouses serving as actors.  The ANR agent worked to secure the actors and work with them through practice of scripts.  Scripts, written by the agricultural health nurse, reflected the farmers' lives but also included leading health and injury challenges faced by young farmers.  Couples were invited to attend in order to create dialogue that would initiate change.  One of the challenges with young farm families is they also have children so the FCS and 4-H programs worked together to provide child care.  Over 60 people attended the theater.  Between acts the nurse led a discussion with the audience on what happened in the act and how the audience has handled similar situations.  Data was collected via phone interviews two weeks and again at two months post theater to learn about response and behavior change.  Data is still being analyzed.  Initial discussion with attendees has found they were surprised that attending the program was a worthwhile investment and has led to good family discussions.






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