Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health 18(2): 83-93 © 2012 ASABE ISSN 1074-7583 83 Risk Factors for Occupational Injuries among Full-Time Farmers in Finland K. Taattola, R. H. Rautiainen, J. P. Karttunen, J. Suutarinen, M. K. Viluksela, K. Louhelainen, J. Mäittälä* ABSTRACT. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the frequency of and farm man- agement-related risk factors for occupational injuries among full-time farmers. A com- puter-assisted telephone interview was conducted among randomly selected self- employed full-time farmers (n = 1182; 911 male and 271 female). The response rate was 86%. Two-thirds of the respondents raised dairy or beef cattle. Nearly 16% of the farm- ers had experienced one or more occupational injuries requiring medical consultation during the past 12 months; the total number of such injuries was 222. Injuries were more common among male (17 injuries/100 person-years) than female farmers (13 injuries/ 100 person-years). The injuries occurred most frequently in animal husbandry work (n = 97). Falling or slipping was the most common mechanism of injury. Poisson regression with a stepwise (forward) model selection procedure identified the following risk factors for occupational injuries: male gender, younger age, cooperation with other farmers, perceived high accident risk, and stress symptoms. The adjusted rate ratios for these risk factors ranged from 1.40 to 1.96. This study indicates that interventions are needed, par- ticularly among male farmers in their early years of full-time farm operation. At this stage of life, heavy financial burden and stress while establishing and expanding produc- tion may contribute to injuries. To reduce stress and related injuries, we recommend guidance for farmers regarding the organization and management of farm work. Keywords. Age, Agriculture, Farm, Gender, Health, Injury, Management, Risk, Stress. gricultural employment has decreased notably worldwide in past decades (USDA, 2010; Eurostat, 2010). In Finland, the number of agricultural holdings has also decreased, but the amount of arable land has remained quite stable (Tike, 2010, pp. 42-43). In 2004, there were about 72,000 active farms in Finland. The average farm consisted of 31 ha (77 acres) of arable land and 46 ha (134 acres) of forest (Tike, 2010, p. 43). Farming remains a male-dominated occupation; 53,890 (66%) of the 81,146 farmers and family members (in 2009) with pension and workers’ compensation insurance were male, and 27,256 (34%) were female (Mela, 2010). The mean age of Submitted for review in March 2011 as manuscript number JASH 9120; approved for publication by the Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health of ASABE in February 2012. The authors are Kirsti M. A. Taattola, MS, Senior Adviser, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Kuo- pio, Finland; Risto H. Rautiainen, ASABE Member, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Environmen- tal, Agricultural and Occupational Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, and Prin- cipal Research Scientist, MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Helsinki, Finland; Janne P. Karttunen, MS, Re- searcher, TTS, Rajamäki, Finland; Juha Suutarinen, PhD, Principal Research Scientist and Group Leader, MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Helsinki, Finland; Marja K. Viluksela, MS, Director, Work Life and the Future, Kyösti Louhelainen, PhD, Project Manager, and Jukka Mäittälä, MS, Head of Development, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Kuopio, Finland. Corresponding author: Kirsti M. A. Taattola, Finnish Insti- tute of Occupational Health, P.O. Box 310, FI-70101 Kuopio, Finland; phone: +358-40-753201; e-mail: kirsti.taattola@ttl.fi. A