Abstract
A 1-year prospective study was carried out to look for risk factors of farm-related injuries in Egusquiza, Santa Fe (Argentina). Information on demographic characteristics and occupational accidents was collected on (<i>N</i>=110, <i>n</i>=78) farm workers by means of personal interviews using a structured questionnaire. Monthly telephone contact was then maintained with the workers for 1 year to document all farm-related injuries. Data analysis included incidence rate, χ2 and logistic regression. Sixty-nine farm-related injuries were reported during the study period, six injuries being the maximum number affecting one worker. A total of 46.3% of the workers suffered at least one injury during the year. The incidence rate was 7.5 injuries/100 individual-month at risk. Medical assistance was needed in 26.8% of the cases and 5.8% of the injuries caused at least 1 day off work. Hospitalization for at least 1 day was required for 2.9% of the injured workers. Previous work-related injury in the family (<i>p</i>=0.005) (odds ratio (OR)=4.6, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.6-13.3) and worker's activity (<i>p</i>=0.021) (OR=3.7, 95%CI=1.2-11.6) were associated with the dependent variable work injury. Agricultural and livestock farming are of great importance for the national economy. Workers' training on farm safety may play a key role to prevent work-related injuries and diseases.
Highlights
Agriculture is one of the most hazardous occupations in the world[1,2,3,4,5]
In the central region of Santa Fe province (Argentina) farmrelated injuries were found to be associated with gender, work relationship and number of years working at the farm[9]
The purpose and importance of the study was explained to each respondent, emphasizing that the responses had to be anonymous because the researcher interest was not on the experience of any particular farm worker, but on the frequency of events at the population level
Summary
Agriculture is one of the most hazardous occupations in the world[1,2,3,4,5]. In Argentina, agriculture has one of the highest injury rates of all industries, with an incidence rate of 96.3 farm-related injuries per one thousand injuries recorded in 20126. Farm workers are continually exposed to physical, chemical and biological hazards[1,7,8]. In the central region of Santa Fe province (Argentina) farmrelated injuries were found to be associated with gender, work relationship and number of years working at the farm[9]. No other local study about farm-related injuries and their associated risk factors has been conducted. Knowledge of risks factors for farm-related injuries and diseases could help the development of proper interventions to minimize the problem
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