Reed Deborah B, Westneat Susan C
University of Kentucky College of Nursing, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
South Med J. 2009 Mar;102(3):251-5. doi: 10.1097/SMJ.0b013e31818f6544.
Despite an effective tetanus vaccine, tetanus continues to claim lives worldwide. The very young and the elderly are at highest risk for the disease. Farmers are at high risk for injury, the leading factor associated with tetanus.
As part of a larger study of older members of farm households in the southern United States, 595 participants provided data on health, injuries, work, socioeconomic status, and healthcare.
69% reported receiving a tetanus booster in the past ten years, 24% had not, and 7% did not know. Females were less likely to be currently immunized. There was no association between immunization status and age, income, or race. There were associations between farm tasks, farm work-related injury, and immunization.
Older farmers are at risk for tetanus by virtue of their age and work environment. Health care providers should explore strategies to improve immunization status among this work group.
尽管有有效的破伤风疫苗，但破伤风仍在全球范围内导致死亡。非常年幼者和老年人患这种疾病的风险最高。农民受伤风险高，而受伤是与破伤风相关的主要因素。
作为对美国南部农户老年成员进行的一项更大规模研究的一部分，595名参与者提供了有关健康、受伤情况、工作、社会经济地位和医疗保健的数据。
69%的人报告在过去十年中接种过破伤风加强疫苗，24%的人没有接种，7%的人不知道。女性目前接种疫苗的可能性较小。免疫状态与年龄、收入或种族之间没有关联。农业任务、与农业工作相关的受伤情况和免疫接种之间存在关联。
老年农民因其年龄和工作环境而有感染破伤风的风险。医疗保健提供者应探索提高该工作群体免疫接种率的策略。
