Characteristics of All-Terrain Vehicles and their Operators on Kentucky Farms

The specific aims for this descriptive cross-sectional study with a nested case-control are to: 1) describe the prevalence of ATVs and their utilization for work and leisure on Kentucky farms; 2) describe ATV-related injuries among members of Kentucky farm households; 3) determine farmers' perceived risks of operating ATVs on the farm; and 4) determine if there are associations between factors related to riding ATVs, including riding behavior, risk taking propensity, farm type, attitudes toward ATV policy, and ATV-related injury status. Using the Theory of Planned Behavior as a framework, a random sample of farm households (N = 4,500) will be recruited to participate in a mail survey. A listing of eligible farms will be obtained from the USDA Kentucky Farm Service Agency (FSA). Farms will be selected with a probability proportional to size sampling (PPS) scheme based on the total number of farms in each of the 120 counties in the state. The primary approach to the analysis of the data will be descriptive with advanced statistical modeling methods used in the analysis of the injury data. In general, we will employ prevalence-based case-control study methods for the analysis of case-control data. Findings from this study will help to inform injury prevention practitioners and the agricultural community about implications for surveillance, intervention, and policy. The survey developed for this study will be evaluated for potential use in other states in the region. An experimental intervention study that addresses strategies to prevent ATV-related injuries on farms could result from this study.