The Comparative Study on the Prevalence of Injury/Poisoning in the Agricultural and Fishery Population and the General Population / 農村醫學 地域保健

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: We compared the prevalence of injury and poisoning in the agricultural and fishery population with that of the general population. METHODS: The national health insurance data and agricultural and fishery qualification data were used for this study. The age-adjusted standardized morbidity ratio was used to compare the prevalence of all injuries and poisonings of the agricultural and fishery population with that of the general population for the year 2002, as well as the prevalence of certain injuries and poisonings common to the agricultural and fishery population. The age-adjusted standardized morbidity ratio and 95% confidence intervals were attained by using the general population as the standard population group. RESULTS: The age-adjusted standardized morbidity ratio of total injuries and poisonings was significantly high in the agriculture and fishery population. The standardized morbidity ratio was 137.6 in the male agriculture and fishery population and 123.3 in the female agriculture and fishery population. In terms of injuries and poisonings common to the agriculture and fishery population, the age-adjusted standardized morbidity ratio was significantly high regarding the dislocations and strains of lumbar spine/pelvis, shoulder and neck, the fracture of rib/thoracic spine/sternum and pesticide poisoning. CONCLUSIONS: The overall prevalence of injury/poisoning was significantly higher in the agriculture and fishery population than in the general population. Various forms of research should be conducted on the injuries of the agriculture and fishery population in the future. In order to compare the differences in the prevalence rates of injuries according to time and region, standard definitions of injuries and occupation related injuries are required.