Risk factors for falls among Iowa farmers: A case-control study nested in the Agricultural Health Study

Background Farmers are at increased risk for fall‐related injury compared with other occupations. Little is known about risk factors for non‐fatal falls on the farm. This case‐control study, nested within the Agricultural Health Study, aimed to assess risk factors for work‐related falls among Iowa f...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of industrial medicine 2003-09, Vol.44 (3), p.265-272
Main Authors: Sprince, Nancy L., Zwerling, Craig, Lynch, Charles F., Whitten, Paul S., Thu, Kendall, Gillette, Patricia P., Burmeister, Leon F., Alavanja, Michael C.R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accidental Falls
Accidents, Occupational
Adult
Aged
agricultural
Agriculture
Biological and medical sciences
Case-Control Studies
falls
farmer
farming
Female
fractures
Humans
injury
Iowa
Logistic Models
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Miscellaneous
Occupational medicine
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Risk Factors
Surveys and Questionnaires
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Background Farmers are at increased risk for fall‐related injury compared with other occupations. Little is known about risk factors for non‐fatal falls on the farm. This case‐control study, nested within the Agricultural Health Study, aimed to assess risk factors for work‐related falls among Iowa farmers. Methods A screener questionnaire sent to 6,999 farmers in 1998 identified 79 farmers who reported a fall‐related farm injury that required medical advice or treatment in the previous year. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess several possible risk factors for injury among these farmers compared with 473 farmers with no injury in the previous year. Results There were significant associations between fall‐related farm injury and age between 40 and 64 years (OR = 2.21; 95% CI = 1.20–4.07), doctor‐diagnosed arthritis/rheumatism (OR = 2.05; 95% CI = 1.11–3.79), difficulty hearing normal conversation (even with a hearing aid, in the case of those who used one) (OR = 1.82; 95% CI = 1.07–3.08), and taking medications regularly (OR = 1.80; 95% CI = 1.02–3.18). Conclusions Aging and health impairments, such as arthritis and hearing difficulties, are risk factors for which accommodations and preventive strategies can be devised to prevent fall‐related injuries on the farm. Am. J. Ind. Med. 44:265–272, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ISSN:0271-3586
1097-0274
DOI:10.1002/ajim.10267