Investigating health impacts of agriculture and pesticide exposure

THE SIXTH PHASE OF THE AGRICULTURAL HEALTH STUDY CONTRACT

NIH-funded research Westat, INC. · NIH-11161134

This study is looking at how farming practices, daily habits, and genetics affect the health of farmers and their spouses, especially regarding cancer, and it's for anyone in farming communities who wants to understand and improve their health.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionWestat, INC. NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Rockville, United States)
Project IDNIH-11161134 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on understanding how agricultural practices, lifestyle choices, and genetic factors influence the health of farmers and their spouses, particularly concerning cancer and other health outcomes. It involves a large cohort of over 89,000 participants from Iowa and North Carolina, who were enrolled in the study between 1993 and 1997. The study collects data through follow-up questionnaires and links participants to disease and mortality registries to track health changes over time. The goal is to provide insights that can improve health outcomes for farming communities.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are licensed pesticide applicators and their spouses living in Iowa and North Carolina.

Not a fit: Patients who are not involved in agriculture or do not have a history of pesticide exposure may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better health interventions and policies that protect farmers from cancer and other health risks associated with agricultural practices.

How similar studies have performed: Previous phases of the Agricultural Health Study have shown success in identifying health risks associated with agricultural practices, indicating that this approach is both tested and valuable.

Where this research is happening

Rockville, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Cancer Causing AgentsCancersDiseaseDisorder
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.