Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Discomfort in Farmers and Ranchers in the U.S. Central States

Seasonal Patterns of Injury Characteristics Among Farmers and Ranchers in the U.S. Central States

OBJECTIVE

In high-risk agricultural environments, tasks, weather, and work conditions vary throughout the year. Also, injuries peak during certain periods. The primary objective of this study was to examine operator- and farm-level characteristics as risk factors for injuries within each of the four seasons. The secondary objective was to examine seasonal differences in the incident location and primary cause of these injuries.

METHOD

We analyzed data from the 2018 and 2020 Farm and Ranch Health and Safety Surveys (FRHSS), conducted in seven U.S. states by the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (CS-CASH), which were collected using a stratified random sampling approach to ensure representativeness. The survey data were merged with operation-level data from the Farm Market iD database. We employed Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) to examine the association of seasonal injuries with individual and operation-level characteristics. The chi-square test of independence was used to assess the association between injury incident location and season, as well as injury cause and season. Pairwise Z-tests of proportions were conducted to evaluate the differences in the proportions of injuries due to specific combinations of injury location and cause across each pair of seasons.

RESULTS

Surveys conducted in 2018 and 2020 yielded a combined response rate of 15.9%, with 5,428 responses and 7,915 unique operators. Of these, 903 operators reported at least one injury during the past 12 months. Seasonally, most injuries occurred in spring (34.2%), followed by summer (24.7%). Male operators had higher injury odds in the spring (adjusted OR = 1.42) and summer (aOR = 2.41). Those managing both a farm and a ranch reported increased injury risks in winter (aOR = 1.73) and spring (aOR = 1.48). Operators in cow-calf operations faced higher springtime injury risks (aOR = 1.45). High stress and exhaustion were consistent risk factors across all seasons. The highest proportion of injury incidents occurred in the farmyard (43.6%), and livestock were the most common cause of injury (24.9%).

CONCLUSION

Results highlight the need for season-specific prevention and intervention strategies, considering farmers' and ranchers' risk characteristics, injury locations, and causes. These findings can inform targeted measures for high-risk populations at optimal times and locations.

Cost of agricultural injuries in the United States: Estimates based on surveillance, insurance, and government statistics

BACKGROUND

Agriculture is a hazardous industry but the frequency and severity of agricultural injuries are not well documented as nonfatal injuries to self-employed farmers are excluded from national surveillance. The aim of this study was to provide new injury rate and cost estimates in US agriculture.

METHODS

Injury data were obtained from 2018 to 2020 Farm and Ranch Health and Safety Surveys. Responses from 7,195 farm/ranch operators included injury frequency, medical expense, and lost work time data. These injury rate and cost data were used to estimate national injury costs for self-employed farmers using Census of Agriculture operator count, injury costs for hired agricultural workers using Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) nonfatal injury count, and fatal injury costs using BLS count of fatal injuries.

RESULTS

The injury rate for self-employed farmers and ranchers was 15.25 injuries per 100 operators or 11.9 "recordable" injuries per 100 full time equivalent operators (FTE). Average costs for nonfatal injuries were: $10,878 for medical care, $4735 for lost work time, and $15,613 in total per injury case. The total national agricultural injury cost estimate was $11.31 billion per year; 11.3% higher than the earlier benchmark using 1992 data; both in March 2024 dollars. The cost burden was 2.1% of the US national gross farm income and 13.4% of the net farm income in 2019.

CONCLUSIONS

Injuries result in significant economic losses to farm and ranch operators, their family members, workers, and society. Preventive efforts should be scaled up to reduce the frequency and costs of agricultural injuries.

Injury, Musculoskeletal Symptoms, and Stress as a Function of Aging in Agricultural Operators in the Central United States

BACKGROUND

Studies show conflicting evidence on the association of age and occupational injury in agriculture, and few studies have addressed the effect of age on work-related chronic conditions or preventive practices among farmers.

METHODS

We examined the probability of injury, work-related stress, musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS), and preventive practices for MSS as a function of aging using surveillance data of 7,711 farm and ranch operators in the central United States.

FINDINGS

Segmented regression analyses of men (85% of sample) indicated that the probability of all four outcomes increased up to a certain age and then decreased; the changepoints in years of age being 59.6 for injury, 55.4 for work-related stress, 59.6 for MSS, and 67.9 for MSS preventive practices. Female operators had an increasing trend for stress up to age 29.7, while they showed no changepoints across their age spectrum in the proportion of injury, MSS, and prevention techniques.

CONCLUSION/APPLICATION TO PRACTICE

These findings emphasize the need for preventive efforts particularly among younger and middle-aged farmers and ranchers, and the need to modify work duties to match work abilities at older ages.

Animal-Related Injuries and Fatalities in the AgInjurynews Collection

OBJECTIVES

This research had three objectives. The first was to characterize reports of animal-related injuries found in the AgInjuryNews Dataset. The second objective was to compare the results of the AgInjuryNews reports to that of the Regional Rural Injury study. The third objective was to qualitatively and quantitatively assess the utility of using the AgInjuryNews database.

METHODS

A total of 104 reports on animal-related incidents representing 112 victims were sourced from AgInjuryNews. Chi square tests were performed comparing fatal and non-fatal injuries across age, gender, role in incident, animal, and activity. Additional chi square tests were performed to compare AgInjuryNews data with the results of Regional Rural Injury Study II across age, gender, animal, and activity. Utility of the dataset was assessed by examining the distribution of reports across states, the availability of articles, and qualitative observations.

RESULTS

Chi square results comparing fatal and nonfatal injuries were significant for victim gender. Results of the comparison of the two studies were significant for age and activity. A mismatch between the states with the highest populations of large animals and the states with the most reports in the AgInjryNews.org database was detected. Approximately 42% of reports the original articles were not accessible. Media bias plays a role in which cases are reported, but the size and accessibility of the dataset increases its utility.

CONCLUSION

Despite the limitations inherent to the dataset, the amount of freely accessible information and the level of insight provided make AgInjuryNews a valuable resource for agricultural injury research.

Quotation errors related to the wound management of open lower limb fractures (WOLLF) randomized clinical trial

PURPOSE

We assessed the accuracy of quotations in the published literature of the Wound Management of Open Lower Limb Fractures (WOLLF) Randomized Clinical Trial.

METHODS

A literature search was performed to identify all citations of WOLLF from 2018 to 2021. Duplicate papers, non-English language papers, textbooks, technical tip videos, Ph.D. theses, and other grey literature were excluded from analysis. Eligible publications had their full text assessed by 2 independent reviewers who used a validated framework of error classification.

RESULTS

We identified 62 original papers that met our eligibility criteria and referenced WOLLF. Of the 62 papers, 12 contained a quotation error (12/62, 19%). Errors were classified into major and minor. There were 7 major errors and 5 minor errors. The majority of quotation errors (7/12, 58%) occurred due to multi-referencing, where groups of references were used to support single assertions. There was substantial agreement between the two independent reviewers as determined by a Kappa coefficient of 0.761.

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrated a 19% quotation error rate in the literature regarding WOLLF. The majority were due to multi-referencing. We suggest that both authors and reviewers carefully check the source literature of key references.

The role of the livestock auction mart in promoting help-seeking behavior change among farmers in the UK

Certain physical and mental health issues are particularly prevalent in farming occupations, yet frequently, farmers, particularly males, are resistant to seeking help from primary care practitioners. A qualitative approach examined the perspective of stakeholders at livestock auction marts to identify the determinants for, or barriers to, seeking help, perceptions regarding basing primary care services on-site at livestock auction marts, and the role of a site-based approach, i.e. placing primary healthcare services within a traditional farmers' meeting place, in facilitating changes in help-seeking beliefs and behaviors. Findings support previous studies regarding barriers to seeking help, but demonstrate that by deconstructing these barriers through specifically designed workplace/site-oriented support services, more positive behaviors are facilitated. The study highlights how collaboration between livestock auction marts and primary healthcare services allows access to a hard-to-reach demographic in terms of healthcare, and illustrates how such socially integrative opportunities can contribute to the improvement of the mental and physical health and wellbeing of the agricultural community.

Work exposures and mental and musculoskeletal symptoms in organic farming

This study focussed on harmful exposures and mental and musculoskeletal symptoms in organic and conventional farming using interview data of Finnish farmers over the winter of 2014-2015. The data consisted of 2,169 full-time farmers, out of whom 231 (11%) practiced organic farming and 1,938 (89%) conventional farming. Exposure to poisonous and irritating substances was less frequent while exposures to vibration and mould ('smell of root cellar') were more frequent on organic farms. Mental and musculoskeletal symptoms were slightly more common among organic farmers, but the associations were not statistically significant in regression modelling. Risk factors for mental symptoms included animal production, hired labour, female gender, constant hurry, working alone, economic uncertainty, and inadequate recovery from workdays. Risk factors for musculoskeletal symptoms included older age, female gender, constant hurry, economic uncertainty, difficult working postures, heavy lifting and carrying, and inadequate recovery. Workload and recovery, managing the transition period and better follow-up of the occupational well-being were identified as concerns among organic farmers. Practitioner summary: Converting from conventional to organic farming has become increasingly common. Farmer interviews indicated that exposure to poisonous and irritating substances was less frequent while exposures to vibration and mould were more frequent on organic farms. Mental and musculoskeletal symptoms and risk factors were similar in both types of farming.

Occupational stress among farm and ranch operators in the midwestern United States

BACKGROUND

This study used surveillance data from 2018 and 2020 to test the stability of work-related strain symptoms (high stress, sleep deprivation, exhaustion) with demographic factors, work characteristics, and musculoskeletal symptoms among farm and ranch operators in seven midwestern states of the United States.

METHODS

Cross-sectional surveys were conducted among farm and ranch operators in 2018 (n = 4423) and 2020 (n = 3492). Operators were asked whether, in the past 12 months, they experienced extended work periods that resulted in high stress levels, sleep deprivation, exhaustion/fatigue, or other work-related strain symptoms. Covariates included personal and demographic factors, work characteristics, number of injuries, work-related health conditions, and exposures on the operation. Summary statistics were tabulated for explanatory and outcome variables. The classification (decision) tree approach was used to assess what variables would best separate operators with and without reported strain symptoms, based on a set of explanatory variables. Regularized regression was used to generate effect estimates between the work strain variables and explanatory variables.

RESULTS

High stress level, sleep deprivation, and exhaustion were reported more frequently in 2018 than 2020. The classification tree reproduced the 2018 model using 2020 data with approximately 80% accuracy. The mean number of reported MSD symptoms increased slightly from 1.23 in 2018 to 1.41 in 2020. Older age, more time spent in farm work, higher gross farm income (GFI), and MSD symptoms in six body regions (ankles/feet, knees, lower back, neck, shoulders, wrists/hands) were associated with all three work strain symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Musculoskeletal pain and discomfort was a strong predictor for stress, sleep deprivation, and exhaustion among farmers and ranchers. This finding indicates that reducing MSD pain and discomfort is beneficial for both physical and mental health.