Emergency presentations for farm-related injuries in older adults residing in south-western Victoria, Australia

Aust J Rural Health. 2024 Jun;32(3):498-509. doi: 10.1111/ajr.13110. Epub 2024 Mar 20.

Abstract

Introduction: Farm workers are at high risk for injuries, and epidemiological data are needed to plan resource allocation.

Objective: This study identified regions with high farm-related injury rates in the Barwon South West region of Victoria, Australia, for residents aged ≥50 yr.

Design: Retrospective synthesis using electronic medical records of emergency presentations occurring during 2017-2019 inclusive for Local Government Areas (LGA) in the study region. For each LGA, age-standardised incidence rates (per 1000 population/year) were calculated.

Findings: For men and women combined, there were 31 218 emergency presentations for any injury, and 1150 (3.68%) of these were farm-related. The overall age-standardised rate for farm-related injury presentations was 2.6 (95% CI 2.4-2.7); men had a higher rate than women (4.1, 95% CI 3.9-4.4 versus 1.2, 95% CI 1.0-1.3, respectively). For individual LGAs, the highest rates of farm-related emergency presentations occurred in Moyne and Southern Grampians, both rural LGAs. Approximately two-thirds of farm-related injuries occurred during work activities (65.0%), and most individuals arrived at the hospital by transport classified as "other" (including private car, 83.3%). There were also several common injury causes identified: "other animal related injury" (20.2%), "cutting, piercing object" (19.5%), "fall ⟨1 m" (13.1%), and "struck by or collision with object" (12.5%). Few injuries were caused by machinery (1.7%) and these occurred mainly in the LGA of Moyne (65%).

Discussion and conclusion: This study provides data to inform future research and resource allocation for the prevention of farm-related injuries.

Keywords: emergency; epidemiology; public health; rural health; rural health in general.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Emergency Service, Hospital / statistics & numerical data
  • Farmers / statistics & numerical data
  • Farms / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Occupational Injuries / epidemiology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Victoria / epidemiology
  • Wounds and Injuries* / epidemiology