Old Order Anabaptist groups, such as the Amish and Old Order Mennonites, are a rapidly expanding agricultural minority with a long-standing presence in the U.S. farming community. However, few consolidated efforts have been identified which document the nature and extent of farm work-related injuries among these groups or address the best injury prevention strategies to impact these communities. This absence of information is particularly problematic because the unique farming practices and socio-religious customs of Old Order groups render many conventional farm safety efforts ineffective. An additional concern that is raised by preliminary studies by the principal investigator indicates a much-higher-than-average percentage of Old Order Anabaptist farm fatalities involving children. ? ? The purpose of this exploratory project is to expand the knowledge base regarding the nature of farm injuries and best-practice interventions among Old Order Anabaptist groups. To achieve this, the project team will enlarge Purdue's existing database of fatalities among the target population through the use of conventional surveillance methods and a nationwide surveillance of Old Order weekly publications. Purdue will subcontract with Messiah College (Grantham, PA), a leading institution for Anabaptist studies, to review weekly Anabaptist publications that frequently contain farm-related injury reports and to profile the level of technology being used in Amish communities. Once sufficient data have been gathered, the project team will construct statistical models and conduct a comparative analysis between farm injuries among the target population and those among the overall farming population. ? ? The project team will utilize the database, comparative analysis, and input from the project's Consultant Committee to determine technological and socio-religious factors that contribute to farm injuries, especially to children. ? ? The project will utilize a consultant panel comprised of individuals with extensive experience working with Old Order Anabaptist groups and facilitate a national symposium on the topic as a means of identifying best-practice intervention strategies. Outcomes, in addition to baseline injury data and potential intervention strategies will include potential injury prevention information with application to the growing cottage industry within these communities.
