Hospitalized head injuries in agricultural settings: Who are the vulnerable groups?

ObjectivesThe goal of this study was to identify subgroups of the farm population that are particularly vulnerable to head injury.MethodsA retrospective case series of hospitalized head injuries was assembled from a national registry of agricultural injuries. Vulnerable subgroups were identified based on a priori criteria and the causes and consequences of their injuries were profiled.ResultsThree distinct subgroups of farm people were identified as being vulnerable: (1) farm children under the age of 10, injured most frequently by a fall from a structural height (42.5%); (2) females 10–19 years, injured most frequently by large animals (68.8%), mainly horses, and (3) men over age 60 years, who were injured by a diversity of mechanized and animal-related external causes.ConclusionThis identification of vulnerable groups provides foundational information from which to develop and direct prevention efforts.