Fatal and nonfatal injuries among adolescents have been reported to be higher on farms then in other environments. Reasons for higher injury rates among adolescents residing on farms are multifaceted and often unclear. Recent research has focused on identification of parental attitudes and behaviors, which place children and adolescents on farms at high risk of injury. Parents directly influence farm work practices among children and adolescents, and studies to understand parental motivation are important in designing effective educational programs to reduce injuries among adolescents on farms. Further work is needed to address the issue of adolescent behaviors and attitudes, which influence the risk of farm injuries. Other factors contributing to increased risk of injuries on farms must also be considered in the design of a comprehensive educational program to reduce injuries. One such area is the relationship between fatigue in adolescents and the risk of injuries. It has been documented that fatigue due to sleep deprivation leads to a diminished capacity to function effectively in adults. One study focusing on sleep loss in adolescents showed that sleep deprivation in adolescents was also related to the decline in performance. Despite obvious implications such observations may have on farm related injuries in adolescents, very little work has been done to assess level of fatigue in adolescents residing on farms. The purpose of this study is to: 1) describe attitudes and behaviors among adolescents aged 13-18 years, related to work practices on Colorado farms; 2) describe sleep patterns among adolescents on Colorado farms; 3) describe the injury patterns of 600 adolescents residing on Colorado farms; and 4) describe the relationship between injuries and adolescent attitudes, behaviors, work practices, and fatigue on Colorado farms.
