Citation

Swanton AR, Young TL, Leinenkugel K, Torner JC, Peek-Asa CL. J. Saf. Res. 2015; 53: 97-102.

Affiliation

Injury Prevention Research Center, University of Iowa, 2190 WL (Westlawn), Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, 145 N. Riverside Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. Electronic address: Corinne-peek-asa@uiowa.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, U.S. National Safety Council, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jsr.2015.03.002

PMID

25934002

Abstract

PURPOSE: To identify tractor-related injuries using data from a statewide trauma system, to characterize the mechanisms of nonfatal tractor-related injury, and to determine which injuries are associated with higher severity injury.

METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted using the Iowa State Trauma Registry to identify cases of nonfatal tractor-related injuries over an 11-year period from 2002 to 2012. Frequency of injury was reported by age, sex, severity, and nature. Injuries were classified by mechanism and a polytomous regression model was used to predict injury severity adjusting for sex and age.

RESULTS: Five-hundred thirteen nonfatal tractor-related injuries were identified with 18% classified as severe. Injuries were most frequent among males and among those ≥45years of age. Rollovers were the most frequent mechanism of both total (25%) and severe injury (38%), although the frequency of injury mechanism varied by age. Falls were the next most frequent mechanism of injury (20%) but resulted in fewer high-severity injuries. Collision (adjOR=1.89, 95% CI=1.01-3.51), rollover (adjOR=2.03, 95% CI=1.21-3.40), and run over/rolled on (adjOR=2.06, 95% CI=1.17-3.62) injuries were significantly associated with higher injury severity. Advanced age was also a significant predictor of higher severity injury (adjOR=1.82, 95% CI=1.06-3.12). SUMMARY: Mechanisms of nonfatal tractor-related injuries are heterogeneous, differ by age, and are associated with varying level of severity. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This work shows the burden of nonfatal tractor injuries on a rural state trauma system. These findings also demonstrate the heterogeneous nature of nonfatal tractor injuries and underscore the need for a multi-level approaches to injury prevention.

Language: en