Focusing on heart disease and cancer, the study compared the preventive health education needs of farm and nonfarm rural adults. During July and August 1975, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 57 men and 161 women living in Armstrong and Butler Counties, Pennsylvania. The sample included 119 commercial farm households and 99 rural nonfarm households. No significant differences were found between farm and nonfarm adults on preventive health attitudes, beliefs, knowledge or behaviors (e.g., susceptibility, seriousness, knowledge of cancer warning signals, dietary habits). In the case of perceived susceptibility to selected diseases, knowledge of cancer warning signals, and blood pressure checking, males consistently perceived themselves as being less susceptible to the selected illnesses than did females. Further, men's lower recall of the cancer warning signals (70% able to recall less than two) suggested the need for building a greater knowledge among men of the physiological changes related most closely to cancers having the highest 5-year survival rates. The general orientation of the adults interviewed toward health maintenance was overwhelmingly positive. Approximately 80% engaged in regular activities to maintain their health. Three practices mentioned by those actively seeking to maintain their health (diet, exercise, rest) cost very little. This may suggest that educational programs should make an effort to involve individuals at least initially in activities having a low cost. (Author/NQ)