Predictors of early cessation of dairy farming in the French Doubs province: 12-year follow-up

Background A healthy worker effect due to respiratory disability has been noted in the farming population, but other factors may also interfere. Little has been published about factors influencing the early cessation of work in self-employed dairy farmers. Methods Two hundred and nineteen dairy farmers were included from a cohort constituted in eastern France in 1993-1994 with a 12-year follow-up. Spirometric data, personal, and farm characteristics were registered. Cox models with delayed entry in which age was the time-scale were applied to identify the baseline predictive factors of the early cessation of dairy farming. Results Working in a modern farm was protective against early cessation of dairy farming (hazard ratio: 0.36 [95% CI: 0.16-0.81]), especially in men. Having asthma was a predictive factor of early cessation, especially in women (hazard ratio: 16.12 [95% CI: 3.28-79.12]). Conclusions The most predictive factors of early cessation of dairy farming were health related in women and farm related in men. Am. J. Ind. Med. 55: 136-142, 2012. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.