Health and Lifestyle Assessment

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

Since 2009, we have been actively participating in agricultural field days, education workshops, and farmer gatherings across Australia, having delivered over 4000 assessments to date.

What is a Health & Lifestyle Assessment?

A Health and Lifestyle Assessment is a comprehensive 20-minute health assessment.  It includes a lifestyle survey covering health behaviours, farm practices and social and emotional wellbeing. The assessment also includes cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure readings along with diabetes risk, BMI and eyesight testing.  Our assessments are conducted by trained agrihealth professionals and aim to:

• identify health and wellbeing risk factors in agricultural producers, farm workers and associated industries;
• provide knowledge and skills to assist rural people to enhance their health, wellbeing and safety practices;
• identify health indicators in agricultural regions to better target future research and service delivery.

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 health passport 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.

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). 

Farmer Voices

We believe that our farmer HLAs 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 firsthand experience with our Health checks.

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“I came to the field days to buy a new cattle crush and ramp, and got a free health check as well!”

Cattle Farmer, Queensland

“Very important service for farmers … good idea and concept that ticks all the boxes of health … much needed for the industry … I appreciate the time given … the health assessment was good, and care and empathy shown by all the staff”

Grain Farmer, Victoria

“Thanks ‘Farmer Health’ for being at the Field Day, if I didn’t get a free health check from you and your recommendations,

I wouldn’t have known that I had type 1 diabetes.“

Cropping Farmer, Victoria

Scaling Up Farmer Health Checks Through Collaborative Partnerships

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 & 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 we achieved:

• 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.

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.

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.