| Abstract: | ABSTRACT: The hazards of farming among adults have been well described, but less has been published regarding the nature of farm injuries among children. Fatal farm injuries in Kentucky among children under 14 years of age usually have involved agricultural equipment, primarily tractors. The average annual age specific rates for fatal injuries in Kentucky among farm children ranged from 14.8 per 100,000 to 28.5 per 100,000 for boys, and from 11.8 per 100,000 to 3.1 per 100,000 for girls. Many of these deaths could have been prevented by not allowing children to ride on tractors, or by using infant and child restraints in motor vehicles. In the older age group (10 to 14 years of age), many deaths were due to drowning, so drowning prevention programs could reduce the number of fatal injuries. Exposure to environmental hazards differ for farm children and prevention programs in this population need to target those special hazards. |
