Citation

Lower T, Mitchell RJ. Aust. N. Zeal. J. Public Health 2017; 41(4): 388-393.

Affiliation

Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, New South Wales.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Public Health Association of Australia, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/1753-6405.12686

PMID

28712118

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine gender differences in the characteristics, treatment costs and health outcomes of farm injuries resulting in hospitalisation of New South Wales (NSW) residents.

METHOD: A population-based study of individuals injured on a farm and admitted to hospital using linked hospital admission and mortality records from 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2014 in NSW. Health outcomes, including injury severity, hospital length of stay (LOS), 28-day readmission and 30-day mortality were examined by gender.

RESULTS: A total of 6,270 hospitalisations were identified, with males having a higher proportion of work-related injuries and injuries involving motorbikes compared to females. Females had a higher proportion of equestrian-related injuries. There were no differences in injury severity, with around 20% serious injuries, in mean LOS or 28-day hospital re-admission. Treatment costs totalled $42.7 million, with males accounting for just under 80% of the total.

CONCLUSIONS: There are some gender differences in the characteristics of farm injury-related hospitalisations. Farm injury imposes modest, but nonetheless relatively considerable, financial costs on hospital services in NSW. Implications for public health: Continued efforts to ameliorate these injuries in a farm environment, which are mainly preventable, will have personal and societal benefits.

© 2017 The Authors.

Language: en

Keywords

agriculture; farm; hospital; injury; occupational