The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #68453

Barbara Marlenga, PhD¹, Robert Brison, MD, MPH, FRCP(C)², Richard Berg, MS³, Jamie L. Zentner, MPH³, James Linneman, AS³, and William Pickett, PhD⁴. (1) National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety, 1000 North Oak Avenue, Marshfield, WI 54449, 715-389-3021, marlenga.barbara@mcrf.mfldclin.edu, (2) Dept. of Emergency Medicine, Kingston General Hospital/Queens University, 76 Stuart St, Kingston, ON K7L 3V2, Canada, (3) Marshfield Medical Research and Education Foundation, 1000 North Oak Avenue, Marshfield, WI 54449, (4) Emergency Medicine Research, Queen's University, Angada 3, Kingston General Hospital, 76 Stuart Street, Kingston, ON K7L 2V7, Canada

We are currently evaluating NAGCAT by systematically applying its content to case descriptions of pediatric farm deaths, hospitalizations, and general injury. The purpose of this retrospective review is to: 1) identify farm jobs covered by NAGCAT that are most commonly associated with childhood farm injury, 2) analyze the most frequent violations to NAGCAT, and 3) determine the proportion of pediatric farm injuries that may have been prevented if NAGCAT were applied. To date, a sample of 382 pediatric farm injury cases of children 7 years and older (minimum age covered by NAGCAT) have been identified in the United States and Canada for the years 1990-2000. For each case, we have recorded the child demographics, complete descriptions of the injury event, and detailed information specific to NAGCAT. There was a relevant NAGCAT guideline identified for 93 (24.3%) of the cases, reflecting the fact that many children were not engaged in farm work at the time of their injury. Farm work with an ATV (14%), working with large animals (11.8%), and driving a farm tractor with no implement attached (11.8%) were the NAGCAT farm jobs most commonly associated with injuries. The most frequently violated components of NAGCAT were adult responsibilities (50.5%) and child development (43%). In the judgment of our expert reviewers, if NAGCAT had been applied, 50 (53.8%) of these work-related pediatric farm injuries could have been prevented. At the completion of the study, recommendations will be made for new guidelines to cover ages, jobs, and situations not covered by NAGCAT.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will learn:
• the farm jobs covered by the North American Guidelines for Children’s Agricultural Tasks (NAGCAT) that are most commonly associated with pediatric farm injury,
• the components of NAGCAT that are most frequently violated, and
• the extent to which the application of NAGCAT may have prevented the occurrence of these pediatric farm injuries.

Keywords: Evaluation, Agricultural Work Safety

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.