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Horse‐Related Injuries Among Agricultural Household Members: Regional Rural Injury Study II (RRIS‐II)
Author(s) -
Erkal Sibel,
Gerberich Susan G.,
Ryan Andrew D.,
Alexander Bruce H.,
Renier Colleen M.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the journal of rural health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.439
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1748-0361
pISSN - 0890-765X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1748-0361.2009.00254.x
Subject(s) - multivariate analysis , demography , injury prevention , horse , agriculture , medicine , environmental health , occupational safety and health , incidence (geometry) , poison control , suicide prevention , human factors and ergonomics , multivariate statistics , gerontology , geography , biology , paleontology , physics , statistics , mathematics , archaeology , pathology , sociology , optics
Purpose:To determine the incidence, associated consequences, and potential risk factors for horse‐related injuries among youth and adults residing in Midwestern agricultural households. Methods : Demographic, injury, and exposure data were collected for 1999 and 2001 among randomly selected agricultural households within a 5‐state region. A causal model facilitated survey design, data analysis, and interpretation of results; directed acyclic graphs guided multivariate modeling. Findings : From 7,420 households (84% response of eligible), involving 32,601 persons, 5,045 total injury events were reported; 1,016 were animal‐related injuries, of which 215 (21%) were horse‐related (rate, 6.7 events per 1,000 persons per year). Seventy‐seven percent (77%) required health care; comparing those under age 20 and those 20 and older, 49% and 54%, respectively, lost work time on their operation (28% and 26%, one week or more), as a result of injuries largely associated with horse riding activities (70% and 56%). Multivariate analysis for youths under age 20 indicated: increased risks in North and South Dakota, for >0 hours worked, and for having a history of prior agriculture‐related injury; and decreased risks for males. For those 20 and older, increased risks were identified for a prior injury history and less than high school education. Conclusions : Horse‐related injuries, primarily associated with riding activities, are a significant problem among agricultural communities, and greatly impact their operations.