The Saskatchewan Farm Injury Cohort (SFIC) is a major new Canadian study that was developed to evaluate potential causes of injury among farmers and their family members. The cohort involves 2,390 farms and 5,492 farm people being followed over a two-year period. The article describes the rationale and methodology for the baseline and longitudinal components of this study. The SFIC is one of the first studies to apply population health theory to the modeling of risks for injury in a defined Canadian population. In doing so, the relative influence of several potential causes of farm injury, including physical, socioeconomic, and cultural factors, will be estimated. Study findings will inform the content and targeting of injury prevention initiatives specific to the farm occupational environment.
Canadian Agricultural Injury Surveillance Program. Agricultural injuries in Canada for1990 −2000. Kingston (ON): Queen's University; 2003.
3.
LockerARDorlandJLHartlingLPickettW. Economic burden of agricultural machinery injuries in Ontario, 1985 to 1996 J Rural Health 2003;19:285–91.
4.
BrisonRJPickettWBergRLLinnemanJZentnerJMarlengaB.Fatal agricultural injuries in preschool children: Risks, injury patterns and strategies for prevention. CMAJ2006; 174:1723–6.
5.
GoldcampMHendricksKJMyersJR. Farm fatalities to youth 1995–2000: A comparison by age groups. J Safety Res2004;35:151–7.
6.
SimpsonKSebastianRArbuckleTEBancejCPickettW.Stress on the farm and its association with injury. J Agric Saf Health2004; 10:141–53.
7.
TurnerCMcClureRPirozzoS.Injury and risk-taking behavior—a systematic review. Accid Anal Prev2004; 36:93–101.
8.
MurphyDJ. Safety and health for production agriculture. St. Joseph (MI): American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers; 1992.
9.
Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Advisory Committee on Population Health. Strategies for population health: Investing in the health of Canadians. Ottawa (ON): Health Canada, Minister of Supply and Services Canada; 1994.
10.
MacintyreSEllawayACumminsS.Place effects on health: How can we conceptualise, operationalise and measure them?Soc Sci Med2002; 55:125–39.
11.
HagelLMMcDuffieHHDosmanJALupescuCLockingerLBidwellJ.The agricultural health and safety network: The 10-year history of a unique extension program. J Agric Saf Health1999; 5:227–37.
12.
Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Land use and farming systems. In: SmithDGHoppeTA, project coordinators. Prairie agricultural landscapes: A land resource review. Regina (SK): Minister of Public Works and Government Services; 2000. p. 81–120.
13.
PickettWBrisonRJNiezgodaHChipmanML. Nonfatal farm injuries in Ontario: A population-based survey. Accid Anal Prev1995; 27:425–33.
14.
PickettWHartlingLDimich-WardHGuernseyJRHagelLVoaklanderDC, Surveillance of hospitalized farm injuries in Canada. Inj Prev2001; 7:123–8.
15.
HagelLMDosmanJARennieDCIngramMWSenthilselvanA.Effect of age on hospitalized machine-related farm injuries among the Saskatchewan farm population. J Agric Saf Health2004; 10:155–62.
16.
LordSSherringtonCMenzH.Falls in older people: Risk factors and strategies for prevention. Cambridge (UK): Cambridge University Press; 2001.
17.
AndersonPCremonaAPatonATurnerCWallaceP.The risk of alcohol. Addiction1993; 88:1493–508.
18.
RothmanKJGreenlandS. Precision and validity in epidemiologic studies. In: RothmanAMGreenlandS, editors. Modern epidemiology, 2nd ed.Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins: 1998; p. 123–5.
CurrieCSamdalOBoyceWSmithR, editors. Health behaviour in school-aged children: A WHO cross-national study. Research protocol for the2001 /2002 survey. Edinburgh (Scotland): University of Edinburgh Child and Adolescent Health Research Unit; 2001.
21.
ChoiSWPeek-AsaCSprinceNLRautiainenRHFlammeGAWhittenPS, Sleep quantity and quality as a predictor of injuries in a rural population. Am J Emerg Med2006; 24:189–96.
22.
DillmanDA. Mail and Internet surveys: The tailored design method. 2nd ed.New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.; 2000.
23.
DayLDosmanJHagelLDostalerSSnodgrassPThiessenJ, Application of novel communication technologies to the study of farm families: A randomized controlled trial. Prev Med2008; 46:364–9.
