Programs

Health and Lifestyle Assessment

Our farmer Health and Lifestyle Assessments promote the importance of health, wellbeing and safety in farming men, women and agricultural workers.

Since 2009, we have delivered 5,089 health and lifestyle assessments.

What is a Health and Lifestyle Assessment?

A Health and Lifestyle Assessment is a comprehensive 20-minute check designed specifically for farmers and agricultural workers. It goes beyond a standard health test – exploring health behaviours, social and emotional wellbeing and farm practices.

Each assessment includes cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure readings, as well as height, weight, waist measurement, diabetes risk, and eyesight testing. 

What makes our assessments different? They’re farmer-focused – practical, relevant, and built for life on the land – and delivered by health professionals who understand farming.

The impact of our Health and Lifestyle Assessments

The Health and Lifestyle Assessment is part of a project that not only delivers valuable, on-the-ground health checks, but also uses the findings to build a deeper understanding of health across rural communities. Through this work, we aim to: 

  • Identify health and wellbeing risk factors among agricultural producers, farm workers and those in related industries.
  • Provide knowledge and practical skills to support rural people to enhance their health, wellbeing and safety.
  • Use the insights gathered to identify key health indicators, helping to guide future research and strengthen health service delivery for rural and remote communities. 

The Health and Lifestyle Assessment provides farmers and agricultural workers with knowledge and tools to improve their health, wellbeing and safety.  All participants receive a copy of their results on the day and take-home resources that serve as a valuable reference, supporting them to make positive health and safety choices beyond their participation in the assessment. 

Farmer voices

We believe that our farmer Health and Lifestyle Assessments are an excellent way to check in on your health. But don’t just take our word for it, here is what our participants have said.

Listen to Elmhurst farmer Simon Green share his first-hand experience with our health checks.

Click here to listen to Campfire Podcast Episode 23

Partner voices

Supporting the health, wellbeing and safety of our farming community goes hand in hand with strong agricultural company values. Our Health and Lifestyle Assessments offer a practical way to make a real difference in rural communities. 

Hear what our partners have shared about their experience. 

Note: De-identified data may be used for NCFH research purposes. This is confidential and governed by the Deakin University Human Research Ethics Committee (Ethics reference number 2013-107).

Scaling up farmer health checks with collaborative partnerships

What was the Scaling Up Farmer Health Checks project?

In early 2020, the NCFH received funding from the Victorian Department of Health to contribute to the implementation of the Agriculture Victoria’s Smarter Safer Farmers program to expand existing NCFH health programs, including Health and Lifestyle Assessments and AgriSafe across Victoria.

Through this initiative to scale up the delivery of farmer focused health checks over a four-year period (2019-2023), the NCFH and its partners identified individual health, wellbeing and safety risk factors for Victorian farmers and influenced positive change by providing relevant education and recommendations and encouraging farmers to prioritise looking after health and wellbeing as integral business activity.

The project facilitated the expansion of existing farmer health initiatives, including AgriSafe™ and Health and Lifestyle Assessments.  Key project components involved training and support of health professionals in conducting farmer health checks, developing protocols for program expansion, forging collaborations with health services and assessing the impact of health checks on participating farmers.

The successful project execution owes its accomplishment to the collaborative partnerships formed including, with Primary Care Connect, Northern District Health and West Wimmera Health Service to engage with 854 farmers through 4 unique farmer health programs.

What did the project achieve?
  • We were able to offer our health prevention programs to farmers in 26 Victorian farming communities in collaboration with 10 different health services.
  • Trained 15 registered nurses, who completed training in Agricultural Health and Medicine, to assist with the delivery of farmer focussed health checks and provided practical education to a further 55 nursing and medical students.
  • Identified health, wellbeing and safety risk factors, including risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes.
  • Made a total of 3375 recommendations and referrals were made to improve health, wellbeing and safety outcomes to farmers including to see go to see a GP or other health professional.
  • High levels of self-reported behaviour change and access to follow-up health, wellbeing and safety support following farmer participation in the health checks.
  • Positive impact on farming community members participating in farmer health checks.

“Really indebted to [the agrihealth professional] for saving my life. I was referred to the GP for high blood pressure and ulimately led straight to hospital.” – Female (69), FarmWorld, 2022

VIEW OUR scaling up farmer health checks INFOGRAPHIC HERE

Where will we be delivering our next Health and Lifestyle Assessments?

If you would like more information on any of our upcoming events, please contact:

Tracey Hatherell
Program Manager
03 5551 8533

How you can support us

Farming is not just a profession; it’s a way of life. Farmers work tirelessly to provide food and resources for our communities, often at the expense of their own health. Our Health and Lifestyle Assessments play a pivotal role in identifying and addressing the health, wellbeing and safety issues they face, making sure they can continue their vital work.

Financial support is essential for us to continue delivering these crucial services to farmers. To explore how you or your organisation can partner with us to ensure that farmers receive the care they need from people who understand their needs, please contact us today.

Together, we can ensure that our farmers are healthy, thriving, and continue to nourish our world.

VIEW OUR SPONSORSHIP PROSPECTUS
Cecilia Fitzgerald
Business Development & Industry Engagement Manager
(03) 5551 8533

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Created: October 20, 2022
Last Modified: October 31, 2025