AGRICULTURAL INJURIES IN FINLAND

This project aims to develop knowledge on agricultural injuries and occupational diseases utilizing previously collected Finnish agricultural accident insurance data. This total population data has been collected since 1982 and includes variables which are not available from sources in the United States for self-employed farmers. The variables include primary and secondary causes of injury/illness, length of disability, specific work during injury, farm income, non-farm income, cost of medical care, lost earnings compensation, rehabilitation cost, other paid benefits, and consecutive number of injury/illness. During 1996, there were 157,708 insured farmers and family members and 10,251 injuries and 943 occupational diseases were compensated. The injury rate was 65/1,000 and the occupational disease rate was 6.4/1,000 workers. The breakdown of injuries by cause was: machines 10.9%, tractors and transport equipment 7.5%, hand tools 4.9%, chemical substances 0.8%, animals 17.3%, working environment 40.9%, working motion 13.3%, and other causes 4.9 . The breakdown of occupational diseases was: asthma 17.0%, alveolitis 6.5%, rhinitis 15.8%, skin disorders 21.3%, epicondylitis 13.8%, tenosynovitis 15.2%, and other diseases 10.5%. This information has been instrumental in driving preventive efforts in Finland, however, it has not been reported in the scientific literature in the English Language. This project will produce comprehensive descriptive injury and illness statistics. Analytical methods will be used to quantify risk factors. The effects of two interventions will be quantified: (1) no claims premium discount implemented in 1997, and (2) rollover protective structure (ROPS) which has been mandatory on tractors sold after 1969. This study addresses several gaps in current knowledge such as characteristics and causes of occupational disease, quantification of risk factors for injury and disease, effect of financial incentives and ROPS as preventive measures, and women's injuries and occupational diseases. The project is a collaborative effort between the University of Iowa and Farmers Social Insurance Institution, Finland.