From self-care behaviours to cardiometabolic risks prevention for the health of farmers: Nursing implications.

AIMS: The study aimed to explore farmers' self-care behaviours including oral hygiene, remaining natural teeth, cardiometabolic risks, hepatitis, risk of stroke and their determinant factors.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between June 2020 and March 2021 in the south-western remote areas of Taiwan. We recruited current farmers who participated in an annual community health screening conducted by a collaborated local hospital. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire. Blood samples were drawn and stored in the central laboratory of the cooperating hospital. The study outcomes included cardiometabolic risks, the remaining natural teeth, and farmers' self-care behaviours including oral hygiene, adopting a healthy diet and substance use.

RESULTS: Overall, 183 current farmers (55.2% women, aged 66.9 ± 11.7 years) were enrolled. Abnormal blood pressure, high risk of stroke, metabolic syndrome and hepatitis C virus infection were found among the participants. The average remaining teeth were 12.1, 73.2% of participants had <20 teeth; 90.2% and 71% did not undergo regular dental check-ups and scaling or use dental floss, respectively. The determinant factors associated with the remaining teeth included a high risk of stroke, teeth scaling and dental floss use. Although only 3.8% felt mentally distressed, many farmers were unaware of having potential cardiometabolic diseases and curable viral hepatitis, and only two had received antiviral treatment.

CONCLUSION: The farmers in this study had a high prevalence of cardiometabolic risks, a high probability of stroke, inadequate number of remaining teeth and poor oral hygiene behaviours. These findings can provide evidence to develop health promotion programmes for farmers.

IMPACT: This study demonstrates the health needs of farmers. We strongly recommend that community nurses empower farmers to engage in self-care behaviours through tailored health promotion programmes. For instance, by discussing cardiometabolic risk prevention from the farmers' perspectives to improve their health literacy.