Abstract
BackgroundEfforts to control agricultural injuries have been underway for years. Yet, very little is known about their trends over time. We examined trends in non-fatal agricultural injuries through analyzing injuries reported in a state trauma registry.MethodsUsing Iowa Trauma Registry data collected by the Iowa Department of Public Health, we examined trends in non-fatal agricultural injuries reported by acute care hospitals accredited as Level I, II, and III Trauma Care Facilities from 2005 to 2013. Rate ratios and corresponding 95 % confidence intervals were used to examine the burden of non-fatal agricultural injuries across this period. Negative binomial regression was used to calculate the average annual change in agricultural injury rates over time. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to examine the average annual change in the number of injuries over time.ResultsBetween 2005 and 2013, a total of 1238 agricultural injuries were reported to the trauma registry by Level I, II and III trauma facilities. From 2005 to 2013, the rate of agricultural injuries per 100,000 hired workers, ranchers, and farm operators increased by 11 % for every unit increase in year and had nearly tripled over this time period. From 2005 to 2008 there was a significant annual increase of 31.74 % in the number of agricultural injuries whereas from 2008 to 2013 there was a non-significant annual increase of 3.70 %. The number of moderate and severe/critical injuries increased steadily and significantly over the study period, with annual percent increases of 13 and 20 %, respectively.ConclusionNon-fatal agricultural injuries are rising, although the documented increases could be influenced in some part by treatment patterns in the trauma system, reporting bias or increases in farm work exposure. However, these issues do not likely account for all of the increase found, and this calls for an increase in priority of agricultural safety programs. Since the majority of research involves fatal injuries, information about non-fatal injuries may help inform new intervention approaches.
Highlights
Efforts to control agricultural injuries have been underway for years
Data collection The Iowa Trauma Registry is a data repository managed by the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and is the surveillance component used for quality improvement of the Iowa Trauma System
This study found a significant increase in the agricultural injury rate per 100,000 hired workers, ranchers, and farm operators who were treated at a Level I, II, or III trauma facility, which had nearly tripled over an 8 year period, from 30.49 per 100,000 hired workers, ranchers, and farm operators in 2005 to 83.00 in 2013
Summary
Efforts to control agricultural injuries have been underway for years. Yet, very little is known about their trends over time. We examined trends in non-fatal agricultural injuries through analyzing injuries reported in a state trauma registry. Numerous studies have linked agricultural injuries to machinery including tractors, power take-off devices, grain augers, hay balers, and combine harvesters (Toscano 1997; Pickett et al 2001; Hartling et al 1998). 90 % of patients admitted for agricultural injuries required surgical intervention, and the length of hospital stay averaged 5 days (Jawa et al 2013). These injuries are associated with high risk of disability. The economic cost associated with agricultural-related injuries is substantial. In 1992, the cost of medical care for management of agricultural injuries in the United States was $4.57 billion (Leigh et al 2001)
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