Agricultural injury risk among rural California public high school students: prospective results

To characterize prospective agricultural injury experience among rural California Central Valley public high school students enrolled in agricultural sciences curriculum.

The University of California, Davis Youth Agricultural Injury Study (UCD-YAIS) examined prospective farm-work injury among students from 10 California Central Valley public high schools.

Of eligible subjects, 882 (62.5%) completed at least one annual follow-up survey. Of these, 489 reported farm work in the previous year, including 40 (8.2%) with at least one farm work-related injury. Fractures were the most common injury, especially among girls. Girls were more likely to suffer animal-related injury and boys injury from motor vehicles, machinery, or tool use. Prospective injury risk was strongly associated with prior-year farm injury (OR 8.53; 95% CI 4.02, 18.1) and farm work hours. After adjustment for farm work hours, grade level, and sex, risk was significantly associated with machinery operation, applying chemicals, number of hazardous tasks performed, riding motorcycles or mopeds, riding in back of an uncovered pick-up truck, and smoking. Risky attitude toward farm safety was associated prospectively with injury in stepwise fashion.

Adolescents are at risk for serious farm-work injuries. Although limitations on hazardous tasks and farm work hours are likely to be the most efficacious means for reducing injury, education will play an important role. Education should include inculcating safety-related attitudes and habits and focus on hazardous tasks, such as those involving animals (for girls) and motor vehicles and machinery (for boys), especially among youth with prior farm injury.