It would help if we could obtain better information about the frequency and patterns of occupational illness in farming and other rural occupations

Professor David Coggon

Four areas of the country have been selected for the study, including north Devon, Powys in Wales, Staffordshire with adjacent parts of Derbyshire and south Lincolnshire.

About 30,000 working-age men are being invited to take part.

Many rural workers are self-employed and do not have access to the kind of occupational health that larger employers provide.

"Yet they often do demanding and dangerous jobs," said the team.

High death rates

"For example, agricultural workers have high death rates from accidental injury and are prone to arthritis of the hip, probably due to repeated heavy lifting."

Professor David Coggon, a specialist in occupational and environmental medicine at the university, said the work should assist in accurately targeting improved services.

"It would help if we could obtain better information about the frequency and patterns of occupational illness in farming and other rural occupations.

" We will be gathering data on the prevalence and impact of a wide range of health conditions.

"These include back pain, vibration white finger, noise-induced hearing loss, asthma and other respiratory illnesses."