Children's agricultural health: traumatic injuries and hazardous inorganic exposures.
BACKGROUND
Farming is one of the most hazardous occupational industries in the USA, and farms pose numerous health risks for youth visiting, living in, or working in the farm environment.


OBJECTIVE
This review discusses both potential traumatic injuries and hazardous inorganic exposures that are common in agricultural settings.


RESULTS
An estimated 2 million youth under the age of 20 currently live or work on US farms. Approximately 103 farm fatalities occur in this age group each year; over 32,000 nonfatal youth injuries occurred on farms in 1998. Children working in US agriculture make up only 8% of the population of working minors overall, yet they account for 40% of work-related fatalities among minors. Farm children and youth are also exposed to potentially harmful chemicals, such as pesticides and solvents, and many of these exposures go undetected. The long-term health effects of exposure to pesticides or solvents are not known, but the developmental vulnerabilities of children and youth are of particular concern.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical and epidemiologic research in pediatric populations is needed to expand the empirical data, particularly for inorganic and organic exposures, musculoskeletal trauma, skin disorders, occupation-induced hearing loss, and psychosocial stress. Rural health professionals can work to reduce these risks to farm youth by becoming more aware of the problem, by conducting clinical and epidemiologic research, and by engaging in advocacy at state and local levels.
Perry
Melissa J
MJ
Occupational Health Program, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA. mperry@hsph.harvard.edu
D000293:Adolescent; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004651:Employment / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000145:classification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality
D015386:Hazardous Substances