Review of Outreach Activities: Knowledge Diffusion and Technology Transfer - Agriculture Forestry and Fishing Research at NIOSH - page 124

approach, and the best example is ROPS in which the universal application and use
of the technology have not occurred, and tractor deaths occur at a greater rate than
one might expect if the technology were fully adopted. With respect to education,
one study reviewed 25 farm safety intervention education programs and found
some changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, but “none showed sustained
decrease in injuries or illnesses.” However, “multi-faceted programs appear most
successful” (DeRoo and Rautiainen, 2000).
Research on intervention over 20 years has found that no one theory or method
is likely to create an effective, sustainable, and transferable program. Therefore, in
the Great Plains Center, the Certified Safe Farm (CSF) model incorporated several
theories and principles of intervention and health promotion from past research
and experience (page 161 of Appendix 2-10 in NIOSH, 2006a). The CSF project
included intervention and control farms and a triad of services: clinical services,
education, and on-farm safety reviews. Demonstrable outcomes included increased
use of personal protective equipment and reductions in respiratory problems,
injury costs, and insurance claims.
Another example of research with multiple interventions and evaluation of
outcomes is the National Childhood Agricultural Injury Initiative. Although many
alternative explanations may be offered for the results, there were clear declines in
the number of injuries in children (from 32,800 to 22,600 from 1998 to 2001) and
their rate from 1.7 to 1.4 per 100 farms in the same period. A similar drop in deaths
and death rates occurred during the periods 1978-1983 and 1990-1993 (page 211
of Appendix 2-10 in NIOSH, 2006a).
As part of r2p, many of the Ag Centers used social marketing, increased elec-
tronic communication, and networking to provide education, train the trainers,
and communicate with agricultural workers. They used diverse communication
methods specific to audiences—Hispanic children, parents, farm workers. A ma-
jor success story is the Keokuk County project, in which Center staff conducted
multiple interventions including a 700-farm family and community partnership
for a health training (Keokuk County) program. This was a successful intensive
educational training and support model. Evaluation studies have shown that ag-
ricultural health and safety training was correlated with a reduction in fatalities.
(The authors, however, are cautious about claiming credit.)
HICAHS conducted outreach (training and education) primarily through
Cooperative Extension and in partnership with public health in K-12 schools.
HICAHS researchers undertook hazard-evaluation site visits and surveys, and
extensive outreach to the migrant community. The model it used was a regional
multi-state effort in coordination with extension specialists at the universities. It
used a participatory learning model for its technology transfer and knowledge
diffusion efforts.