Reported frequency of dairy farm-associated health hazards, Otsego County, New York, 1982-1983.

We surveyed a self-selected sample of dairy farm owners/residents to determine the feasibility of establishing a surveillance system that would identify health risks common to this type of farming activity. Data obtained included demographic characteristics of the farm families, number of milk cows, prevalence of selected respiratory diseases, and farm-related injuries among farm owners. Despite a low overall response rate (45 percent), farm owners/residents reported a higher prevalence of respiratory conditions than that of the United States as a whole. Male farm owners were less likely to smoke than U.S. white males as a whole. The number of farm owners reporting farm-related injuries during a one-year period (9 percent) was similar to previous reports.