Involving farmers in preventing work-related injuries and illnesses: the NIOSH Research-to-Practice initiative

This plenary talk at the eighth annual Midwest Rural Agricultural Safety and Health Forum, November 2009, focused on the value of having those who can benefit from, or who will use research findings (that is, partners), being involved throughout the research process. At the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Research-to-Practice (r2p) initiative was established to ensure that NIOSH-funded research is used in the workplace to prevent disease, injury, and fatality. Central to these efforts is the commitment to involve partners and stakeholders throughout the research process, from conceptualization of the research idea through the conduct of the research to the evaluation of the effectiveness of the research. Through partnerships and scientific integrity, NIOSH strives to ensure that our research contributes to improving the lives of all workers. In this presentation, mechanisms for and examples of how to identify and include appropriate partners in research and dissemination efforts for the agriculture sector were explored.