Attachment 11 BEEA Brochures

Attachment 11: BEEA FAQs
11.1)

BEEA Brochure Content for Randomly Selected and Recently Exposed Group
Respondents

11.2)

BEEA Brochure Content for Recently Exposed-Air Monitoring Group Respondents

11.3)

BEEA Brochure Content for Control Group Respondents

Attachment 11.1: BEEA Study Brochure (Randomly Selected and Recently Exposed Groups)

Biomarkers of Exposures and Effects in Agriculture
Purpose
The study will look for biologic changes associated with farming practices and exposures. In this study, we will
collect information by a questionnaire and also collect urine, blood, saliva and household dust samples. We will
use these samples to measure biologic effects that might be related to exposures in the farming environment,
which may help us to learn about the causes of cancer and other chronic diseases.
Who can participate?
Farmers who are enrolled in the Agricultural Health Study will be asked to participate. To determine if any
biologic changes we see are related to farming, we will compare those actively applying specific chemicals
or performing other farming activities to those who are not. Participation is voluntary and can be
discontinued at any time.
What is required of participants?
Study participation will involve completing a home visit with the possibility of completing two additional
home visits for a select number of participants. A trained professional will visit your home to collect blood
and saliva samples and the urine sample you have already collected, and administer a questionnaire. We
will also be collecting household dust samples. If you participate in multiple visits, one visit will be
scheduled for the off-season, whereas two will be scheduled within a three-week window of applying
specific pesticides. You will receive telephone calls from Agricultural Health Study staff in order to
schedule the home visit. Again, participation is strictly voluntary and samples will be taken only from those
who provide written consent.
Use of the data
The National Institutes of Health, Westat, and the University of Iowa are working together on this study. The
data collected in this study will be used for research purposes only to determine biologic changes that occur
as a result of farming practices or pesticide exposures. Study records will be kept strictly confidential as
provided by law. The information will be used for scientific purposes only, without identifying participants by
name.
Benefits
Although there is no direct benefit to your participation in the study, findings may benefit the health of
farmers in the future. Several tests will be done using your blood, saliva, and urine samples. The laboratory
tests are for biomedical research only and will not be useful to evaluate your own health.
Compensation
It will take time and effort for you to give urine, saliva, and, blood samples and complete the questionnaire
during a home visit. We will offer you $100 for your participation in each home visit.
For more information
Deb Lande, Iowa Study Coordinator
Phone: 1-800-217-1954
E-mail: debra-lande@uiowa.edu
Amy Miller, North Carolina Study Coordinator
Phone: 1-800-4AGHEALTH
E-mail: amymiller@westat.com

Attachment 11.2: BEEA Study Brochure (Recently Exposed Air Monitoring Group)

Biomarkers of Exposures and Effects in Agriculture
Purpose
The study will look for biologic changes associated with farming practices and exposures. In this study, we will
collect information by a questionnaire and also collect blood, saliva, urine, and household dust samples. From
a subset of participants we will also ask to collect air samples from work areas and from your breathing zone
during farming activities. We will use these samples to measure biologic effects that might be related to
exposures in the farming environment, which may help us to learn about the causes of cancer and other
chronic diseases.
Who can participate?
Farmers who are enrolled in the Agricultural Health Study will be asked to participate. To determine if any
biologic changes we see are related to farming, we will compare those performing specific farming activities
to those who are not. Participation is voluntary and can be discontinued at any time.
What is required of participants?
Study participation will involve completing a series of visits to your farm and home. A trained professional
will visit your home to collect blood, saliva and household dust samples and the urine you will have already
been asked to collect, and administer a questionnaire. For the farm visits, an industrial hygienist will
shadow you while you do your everyday work on the farm. You will be asked to wear an air sampling
device that will be worn in a clean backpack, or on a belt as in the pictures below. You will be asked to
periodically wear a second air sampling device while you perform some of your normal farming tasks. Up to
four dust monitoring visits will be scheduled in addition to up to two home visits. You will receive telephone
calls from Agricultural Health Study staff in order to schedule these visits. Again, participation is strictly
voluntary and samples will be taken only from those who provide written consent. We will offer you $100 for
your participation in each visit. This study does not involve medical treatments of any kind. This study does
not involve medical treatments of any kind. Participation is voluntary and can be discontinued at any time.

Use of the data
The National Institutes of Health, Westat, and the University of Iowa are working together on this study. The
data collected in this study will be used for research purposes only to determine biologic changes that occur
as a result of farming practices or pesticide exposures. Study records will be kept strictly confidential as
provided by law. The information will be used for scientific purposes only, without identifying participants by
name.

Benefits
Although there is no direct benefit to your participation in the study, findings may benefit the health of
farmers in the future. Several tests will be done using your blood, saliva, urine, and dust samples. Most
samples will undergo laboratory tests that are for biomedical research only and will not be useful to
evaluate your own health. If any of your samples undergo clinical tests that may be useful to evaluate your
health, we will talk to you about these tests and how you may want to receive your results.
Compensation
It will take time and effort for you to give blood, saliva, and urine samples and complete the questionnaire
during a home visit. We will offer you $100 for your participation in each home visit and for each farm visit
for the dust monitoring.
For more information
Deb Lande, Iowa Study Coordinator
Phone: 1-800-217-1954
E-mail: debra-lande@uiowa.edu
Amy Miller, North Carolina Study Coordinator
Phone: 1-800-4AGHEALTH
E-mail: amymiller@westat.com

Attachment 11.3: BEEA Study Brochure (Control Group)

The study Biomarkers of Exposure and Effect in Agriculture (BEEA) is an important effort that we would like
you to participate in. The study may help protect farmers’ health. You aren’t a farmer, but you can still help.
Here’s how.
What is the study about?
• Farmers are exposed to different chemicals and other substances that may affect their health. In the
BEEA study we are measuring the possible effects of those different exposures.
• We will look for signs of those exposures in farmers’ body fluids (blood, saliva, and urine). We will also
look for chemicals in dust samples from participants’ homes. We want to know if anything we might find
in the test results is related to the farmers’ risk of getting cancer or other chronic diseases.
• About 2,200 men will take part in the BEEA study.
• The National Cancer Institute is funding the study. Westat and the University of Iowa are helping to
conduct it.
• BEEA is part of the Agricultural Health Study, which began in 1993 and has enrolled more than 89,000
farmers and their spouses. (Read about the AHS at our website: www.aghealth.nih.gov)
Why study farmers and non-farmers?
To find out if differences we might see in the farmers’ body fluids, household dust, and overall health are
related to farming we will compare test results of farmers and a similar group of non-farmers. If the test
results are different for the farmers and non-farmers, it suggests that those changes are related to farming.
Who is eligible to be in the BEEA study?
You must be male, age 50 or older, and never diagnosed with cancer. The non-farmers can't have lived or
worked on a farm as an adult or held a job applying pesticides.
Why was I considered to participate in the study?
You were randomly picked among men age 50 and older who are registered voters in your area.
What do I have to do if I participate in BEEA?
•

•
•

A trained professional will visit your home, ask you questions about your work and your health, and
take a blood, saliva, and urine sample. (You will be mailed a container for collecting a urine sample
prior to the visit.) They will also collect small samples of dust from your home. The visit will take
about 90 minutes.
You will receive $100 as a thank you for your participation in the home visit.
Your participation is voluntary and you may drop out at any time.

What will happen with the information you collect?
•
•
•

All of the information will be used for scientific research only.
Your name will not be connected to the information you provide.
As required by law, we will keep your study records strictly confidential.

Will I benefit from this study?
You don't benefit directly from participating in the study, but you will be helping us find new clues about the
causes of disease in the farming community. Only through the help of people like you can we do this vital
research.
How do I sign up?

•

We will call you in the next couple of weeks to see if you are eligible and want to be in the study.

•
•

If you do participate in the study, the interviewer will ask you to pick a date and time for a home visit.
Before the visit, we will send you materials about the study to read.

Thank you for considering helping with the study. Your participation will greatly boost our research on farmers’
health and well-being.
For more information, contact
Deb Lande, Iowa Study Coordinator
Phone: 1-800-217-1954
E-mail: debra-lande@uiowa.edu
Amy Miller, North Carolina Study Coordinator
Phone: 1-800-4AGHEALTH
E-mail: amymiller@westat.com