Characteristics Associated with Increased Farm Work-related Injuries Among Male Resident Farm Operators in Colorado, 1993

Numerous studies have reported injury risks among farmers. Few have provideddetailed information related to off-farm paid work practices and pesticide exposures inrelation to the risk of farm work-related injuries. This study provides estimates of therisk of injury associated with these exposures in a population-based survey of Coloradomale resident farm operators. Significantly associated with the risk of farm workrelatedinjuries were the number of days of off-farm employment (50-149 days) (oddsratio 3.25, 95% confidence interval 1.40, 7.53) and having a primary cash crop of largeanimals including beef, dairy, and feedlot operations (odds ratio 4.63, 95% confidenceinterval 1.01, 21.25). Organophosphate use and carbamate use on the farm in theprevious 12 months were associated with injury but were not significantly associatedwhen considered in a logistic regression model including age, cash crop, and the workrelatedvariables listed above. However, in the logistic regression analysis, the risk ofexposure to the neurotoxic carbamate chemicals was greater (odds ratio 2.03, 95%confidence interval 0.59, 6.94) among injured farm operators than in the univariateanalysis (odds ratio 1.47, 95% confidence interval 0.35, 4.60).