Midwest farm health and safety center
Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health
This center builds safety tools, training, and research to help Midwest farmers prevent injuries, breathing problems, and work risks as they age.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Iowa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11175232 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This center brings together researchers and outreach teams across nine Midwestern states to study and reduce common farm injuries and illnesses. They work directly with farmers using participatory research, basic and applied science, and education to create practical solutions like a safety checklist app and technologies to study whole-body vibration from tractors. Projects target back pain from tractor use, roadway injuries from farm vehicles, respiratory health for livestock producers, and supports for families managing aging and dementia on the farm. Outreach and translation activities are designed to put these tools into everyday farming practice.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are farmers, farm workers, and their families in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin, especially those working with tractors or livestock or managing aging-related changes.
Not a fit: People who do not work in agriculture, live outside the nine-state region, or have health concerns unrelated to farm hazards are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lower farm injuries and respiratory problems, reduce chronic back pain, and help aging farmers stay safer at work.
How similar studies have performed: Other NIOSH agricultural health centers and farm-safety programs have shown improvements in safety practices and some injury reductions, while newer technologies like whole-body vibration monitoring are still being developed and tested.
Where this research is happening
Iowa City, United States
- University of Iowa — Iowa City, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Anthony, Theresa Renee — University of Iowa
- Study coordinator: Anthony, Theresa Renee
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.