Non‐fatal farm injuries on 117 eastern ontario beef and dairy farms: A one‐year study

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Abstract
A one‐year prospective survey was conducted to study the incidence of and potential risk factors for farm‐related injuries in Eastern Ontario. One hundred and seventeen dairy and beef farms were surveyed using a personal interview. Information was collected on demographic characteristics of the farm owners, workers, and families; characteristics of the farm operations; and information on behaviors potentially affecting injury risk. Monthly telephone contact was then maintained with the farms for one year in order to document all farm‐related injuries. Overall and specific injury rates were calculated. Treatment patterns for these injuries were described. The statistical significance of several potential risk factors for injury was evaluated; assessment of relative risk estimates (RR) and adjustment for confounding factors was done using logistic regression analysis. The overall farm injury rate was 7.0 persons injured per 100 person‐years (95% C.I.: 4.9,9.1, n = 547). Common patterns of injury by ICD‐9 E‐Code included accidents caused by farm machinery (E919.0), accidental falls (E880‐8), and injuries caused by animals (E906). Variables found in multivariate logistic models to be predictive of injury occurrence were living on a beef farm (RR = 2.5; p = 0.01); increased farm work experience (trend: p<0.01); full‐time exposure to farm work (RR = 2.5; p = 0.04); and, in farm owners, the use of prescription medications (RR = 2.7; p = 0.07). Forty‐six percent of the farm‐related injuries were treated in a hospital‐based emergency department (ER). Efforts to monitor the incidence of farm injuries using an ER‐based information system have the potential to significantly under‐estimate the scope of the regional farm injury problem in Eastern Ontario.

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