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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Immigr Minor Health / From the Horse Worker’s Mouth: A Detailed Account of I...
Journal of immigrant and minority health2015; 18(3); 513-521; doi: 10.1007/s10903-015-0302-1

From the Horse Worker’s Mouth: A Detailed Account of Injuries Experienced by Latino Horse Workers.

Abstract: Horse breeding farms are hazardous. Yet, little is known about the injuries of Latino horse workers. This study assesses Latino horse workers' injury prevalence, describes their injuries, and analyzes differences between injuries receiving medical versus those receiving first aid care. Data were gathered from 225 Latino thoroughbred workers via a community-based purposive sampling strategy. Questions included injury experiences in the past year and details about each person's two most severe injuries. Univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted. Nearly half of workers experienced an injury in the past year, often involving a horse. Bruises and sprains/strains were most common, as were injuries to upper/lower appendages. Head/face injuries more often resulted in medical care. The injury burden in this Latino worker population is high. Personal protective equipment (PPE) and training is advised due to the high prevalence of horse-related injuries. Future research should investigate aspects of the work environment that may influence injury risk.
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Publication Date: 2015-10-16 PubMed ID: 26458955DOI: 10.1007/s10903-015-0302-1Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article examines the high prevalence of injuries among Latino workers on horse breeding farms, identifying the nature of their injuries, and highlights the differences in injuries treated medically and those treated through first aid.

Research Background

  • The study observes the experiences of Latino workers in thoroughbred horse breeding farms, a work environment known to be hazardous.
  • Prior to this study, little was known about the injury experiences of this specific worker group, hence the need for a focused investigation.

Research Methodology

  • The research employed a community-based purposive sampling strategy wherein data was collected from 225 Latino thoroughbred workers.
  • The researchers focused on injury experiences within the past year and asked for details about each worker’s two most severe injuries.
  • Statistical methods (univariate and bivariate analyses) were used to scrutinize the collected data.

Research Findings

  • Nearly half of the workers had experienced an injury in the past year, with most injuries being the direct result of an interaction with a horse.
  • The most common types of injuries were bruises and sprains/strains, mostly affecting the upper and lower appendages of the body.
  • Injuries to head/face were found to more likely result in seeking professional medical care.

Implications and Recommendations

  • This research confirmed a high incidence of injuries within the population of Latino thoroughbred workers.
  • Given the high prevalence of horse-related injuries, the researchers advocated for the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the provision of adequate safety training.
  • Last, the research indicates a need for further studies to delve into the specific aspects of the work environment that contribute to the high injury risk.

Cite This Article

APA
Swanberg JE, Clouser JM, Bush A, Westneat S. (2015). From the Horse Worker’s Mouth: A Detailed Account of Injuries Experienced by Latino Horse Workers. J Immigr Minor Health, 18(3), 513-521. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-015-0302-1

Publication

Journal of immigrant and minority health
ISSN: 1557-1920
NlmUniqueID: 101256527
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 18
Issue: 3
Pages: 513-521

Researcher Affiliations

Swanberg, Jennifer E
  • University of Maryland School of Social Work, 525 West Redwood Rd, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
Clouser, Jessica Miller
  • College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, 151 Washington Ave, 346 Bowman Hall, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA. jess.clouser@uky.edu.
Bush, Ashley
  • College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, 151 Washington Ave, 346 Bowman Hall, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA.
Westneat, Susan
  • College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, 151 Washington Ave, 346 Bowman Hall, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Adult
  • Agriculture / statistics & numerical data
  • Animals
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Hispanic or Latino / statistics & numerical data
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Occupational Health
  • Occupational Injuries / ethnology
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Trauma Severity Indices

Grant Funding

  • U54 OH007547 / NIOSH CDC HHS

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Yokomori T, Ohnuma A, Tozaki T, Segawa T, Itou T. Identification of Personality-Related Candidate Genes in Thoroughbred Racehorses Using a Bioinformatics-Based Approach Involving Functionally Annotated Human Genes. Animals (Basel) 2023 Feb 20;13(4).
    doi: 10.3390/ani13040769pubmed: 36830556google scholar: lookup
  2. Clouser JM, Bush A, Gan W, Swanberg J. Associations of Work Stress, Supervisor Unfairness, and Supervisor Inability to Speak Spanish with Occupational Injury among Latino Farmworkers. J Immigr Minor Health 2018 Aug;20(4):894-901.
    doi: 10.1007/s10903-017-0617-1pubmed: 28643172google scholar: lookup
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