Risk factors for agricultural injury: a case-control analysis of Iowa farmers in the Agricultural Health Study.
The purpose of this case-control study nested in the Agricultural Health Study was to assess risk factors for agricultural injury among a large group of Iowa farmers. A questionnaire sent to 6,999 farmers identified 431 cases who had a farm work-related injury requiring medical advice/treatment in the previous year and 473 controls who had no injury in the previous year. We assessed several potential risk factors for injury. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed significant associations between farm work-related injury and weekly farming work hours (> or = 50 hours/week) (OR = 1.65; 95% CI = 1.23-2.21), the presence of large livestock (OR = 1.77; 95% CI = 1.24-2.51), education beyond high school (OR = 1.61; 95% CI = 1.21-2.12), regular medication use (OR = 1.44; 95% CI = 1.04-1.96), wearing a hearing aid (OR = 2.36; 95% CI = 1.07-5.20), and younger age. These results confirm the importance of risk factors identified in previous analytic studies and suggest directions for future research in preventive intervention strategies to reduce farm work-related injuries.
Sprince
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Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, 124 IREH-Oakdale Campus, University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA 52242-5000, USA. nancy-sprince@uiowa.edu
Zwerling
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C
Lynch
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CF
Whitten
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PS
Thu
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Logsden-Sackett
N
N
Burmeister
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LF
Sandler
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DP
Alavanja
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MC
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007484:Iowa / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control