Injuries to Youth Living on U.S. Farms in 2001with Comparison to 1998

Abstract

To obtain sustained injury surveillance data for youth on farms, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health developed the Childhood Agricultural Injury Survey (CAIS) in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The first CAIS collected data for youth less than 20 years in 1998 through a regionally stratified telephone survey of 50,000 U.S. farm households; a second CAIS for 2001 was conducted using the same methodology. In 2001, there were approximately 1.2 million youth living on U.S. farms. These youth suffered an estimated 19,397 injuries (15.7/1,000 household youth). Approximately 60% (11,571) of the household youth injuries were to males. For all household youth, 10-15 year olds experienced the most injuries (49%, 9,486). In addition to providing estimates of demographics, injuries, and injury rates for household youth from the 2001 CAIS, this article provides a comparison to results from the 1998 CAIS. The number of household youth injuries on farms from 1998 to 2001 decreased by almost 30% (27,321 vs. 19,397). The results of this study show an overall decrease in the injury rate for youth living on the farm from 1998 to 2001 (18.8/1,000 household youth vs. 15.7/1,000 household youth). However, there was a considerable increase in the number of injuries to household females less than 20 years of age during this same time period. There was also an increase in the number of all terrain vehicle (ATV) and horse-related injuries. Continued surveillance is needed to assess if these are significant trends or the result of changing farm demographics.

Risk and preventive factors for fatalities in All-terrain Vehicle Accidents in New Zealand

“…These vehicles have large low-pressure tyres, seats designed to be straddled, handlebars for steering, and motorcycle-type engines (Rodgers and Prowpit, 2001). Concerns about the safety of ATVs have risen over the past two decades following the growing number of ATV injuries and fatalities (Axelband et al, 2007;Hall et al, 2009;Helmkamp, 2001;Helmkamp et al, 2008a;Hendricks et al, 2006;Moore, 2008;Rodgers and Prowpit, 2001). In New Zealand, the Department of Labour has identified the estimated 70,000 ATVs in use in New Zealand as a major safety concern associated with an average of seven deaths per year, and costs to ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), New Zealand's national no-fault insurer) totaling over NZ$ 3.5 million per year (Moore, 2008).…”

Gendered Agricultural Space and Safety: Towards Embodied, Situated Knowledge

“…Greater participation by women in agricultural production over recent decades 14,47,48 has also led to an increased rate of farm-related occupational injuries among women. 49 There is thus a need for research on gender and agricultural farm safety. 25 In such research, it is vital to bear in mind that women in agriculture do not constitute a homogeneous group 50,51 and that various groups of women are occupy different positions: the self-employed farmer, family member, or hired labor, permanent or temporary, citizen or migrant worker, etc.…”

Offering Answers and Insight into Occupational Health Dangers for a Variety of Populations

“…2 In Hendricks' analysis, injury rates decreased in 2001 compared to 1998, while Hard and Meyers report the fatality rates increased in several youth age groups in 1997-2002 compared to 1992-1997. Also, the fatality rate is higher in crop production than livestock production while the nonfatal injury rate is higher in livestock production than crop production.…”