Nearly 30,000 people agreed to participate in the Coset-MSA study, conducted by Santé publique France among workers in the agricultural sector in partnership with the Mutualité sociale agricole (MSA). Pending the initial epidemiological analyses, this first report summarizes the cohort’s enrollment phase (November 2017 to July 2018) and describes the preparation and conduct of data collection.

An observatory to study health in relation to occupational risks

Coset-MSA represents the “agricultural workers” component of the Coset program, a longitudinal observatory designed to describe and monitor the health of the main types of workers in France in relation to occupational factors. The results produced will contribute to improving our understanding of the relationships between working conditions and the health of the working population. They will help better define prevention priorities in the agricultural sector in particular and in the world of work in general.

A successful rollout

270,000 people randomly selected from the workforce in 2016 were invited to participate in the Coset-MSA study by completing the inclusion questionnaire regarding their health and working conditions.

During the survey, various measures were taken to improve participation. By the time it closed, 27,044 people (11% of those contacted) had completed the questionnaire and were included in the study.

Diverse data from various sources

The questionnaire covered occupational activity and health status, with a specific focus on respiratory, psychological, and musculoskeletal health, as well as health-risk behaviors. The individual’s most recent occupational activity was described, including its physical, psychological, and chemical constraints. On average, it took 37 minutes to complete the questionnaire. In addition to this self-reported information, a collection of individual data regarding healthcare utilization, hospitalizations, and career history was compiled by extracting data from health insurance and pension insurance databases.

Long-term monitoring

Respondents will be surveyed again on a regular basis (the next questionnaire is scheduled for 2021). At the same time, additional data regarding the health and employment status of the individuals being monitored will be periodically extracted from existing information systems to update socio-professional data and identify the occurrence of health events.

Analyses and results

An initial epidemiological assessment will be conducted in 2020, followed by thematic analyses on exposures and the main health issues addressed in the inclusion questionnaire.