Injuries to Australian veterinarians working with horses.
Abstract: Data from a health risks of Australian veterinarians (HRAV) study were reviewed to identify reported serious injuries incurred while working with horses and the factors associated with these injuries. Of the 2188 serious injuries reported in the HRAV study, 1583 (72.3 per cent) were associated with animals, and of these, 453 (28.6 per cent) involved horses. Most of them were sustained in stock or handling yards. Factors associated with an increased frequency of injury included activities such as suturing, wound care, tubing and drenching. The parts of the body most commonly injured were the head and face and the lower extremities. Fractures were the most common type of serious injury. The use of safety precautions at the time of the injury was reported by 70 per cent of those injured.
Publication Date: 2009-02-17 PubMed ID: 19218591DOI: 10.1136/vr.164.7.207Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research examines the number and types of injuries that Australian veterinarians experienced while working with horses. It analyzes data from a larger study on the health risks of Australian veterinarians, identifying patterns and factors associated with these injuries.
Overview of Research Findings
- The researchers reviewed data from the Health Risks of Australian Veterinarians (HRAV) study. The goal was to identify serious injuries veterinarians suffered when working with horses and the factors associated with these injuries.
- The HRAV study reported a total of 2188 serious injuries. Of these, 1583 (or 72.3%) were animal-related. Horses were involved in 453 (or 28.6%) of the animal-related injuries.
- Most of these injuries happened in stock or handling yards, where veterinary activities often occur.
Type of Activities and Injuries
- In terms of specific activities, the study revealed that certain tasks such as suturing, wound care, tubing, and drenching were associated with a higher frequency of injury. These activities often involve close contact with the horse, which could increase the risk of injury.
- The parts of the body most commonly injured were the head and face followed by the lower extremities. This could be because these body parts are more exposed and vulnerable during veterinary work.
- Fractures were identified as the most common type of serious injury in these cases. This underscores the potential severity of injuries linked to horse-related work in veterinary practice.
Use of Safety Precautions
- Interestingly, despite the high number of injuries, the use of safety precautions was reported by 70% of those injured. This suggests that while safety measures are often in place, they don’t necessarily prevent all injuries in veterinary practice settings.
- This underscores the need for innovative solutions to improve the safety of veterinarians on the job. These might include better training, use of more advanced safety equipment, or changes to working procedures with horses to reduce risk.
Cite This Article
APA
Lucas M, Day L, Fritschi L.
(2009).
Injuries to Australian veterinarians working with horses.
Vet Rec, 164(7), 207-209.
https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.164.7.207 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- School of Population Health, M431, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia. mlucas@meddent.uwa.edu.au
MeSH Terms
- Accidents, Occupational / statistics & numerical data
- Animals
- Australia / epidemiology
- Female
- Horses
- Humans
- Male
- Risk Factors
- Surveys and Questionnaires
- Veterinarians / statistics & numerical data
- Wounds and Injuries / epidemiology
- Wounds and Injuries / etiology
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Gronqvist G, Rogers C, Gee E, Martinez A, Bolwell C. Veterinary and Equine Science Students' Interpretation of Horse Behaviour. Animals (Basel) 2017 Aug 15;7(8).
- DeAraugo J, McLaren S, McManus P, McGreevy PD. Improving the Understanding of Psychological Factors Contributing to Horse-Related Accident and Injury: Context, Loss of Focus, Cognitive Errors and Rigidity. Animals (Basel) 2016 Feb 15;6(2).
- Riley CB, Liddiard JR, Thompson K. A Cross-Sectional Study of Horse-Related Injuries in Veterinary and Animal Science Students at an Australian University. Animals (Basel) 2015 Sep 25;5(4):951-64.
- Curtis L, Trewin I, England GC, Burford JH, Freeman SL. Veterinary practitioners' selection of diagnostic tests for the primary evaluation of colic in the horse. Vet Rec Open 2015;2(2):e000145.
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