Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
J Agric Saf Health. 2021 Oct 21;27(4):215-227. doi: 10.13031/jash.14554.
Despite a response rate of about 18%, there was scant evidence of nonresponse bias. Farm and ranch characteristics of operations responding to a mailed survey were similar to those not responding. Responders were significantly more likely to be married but only slightly older and more educated than nonresponders. Earlier survey responders reported more injuries and greater severity when injured compared to later responders.
Nonresponse bias in a survey can result in misleading estimates of agricultural injuries and can misdirect prevention efforts aimed at reducing the burden of injuries on farmers. Responders (n = 2,977) and nonresponders (n = 13,849) were compared based on demographics and agricultural production characteristics to identify underrepresented subgroups. Injury characteristics were compared between early (n = 1,667) and late (n = 1,309) responders. Methods accounted for correlated data, sample size inflation of p-values, and assessment of meaningful differences. Few differences were identified between responders and nonresponders. Responders differed from nonresponders by state of residence, and responders were more likely to be married. Other characteristics (age, gender, education, farm size, crops grown, animals raised) were similar across groups. Early responders reported more injuries and more often sought medical care for an injury than late responders. The differences identified between responders and nonresponders were minimal and not likely to create bias. Differential reporting of injury and injury severity between early and late responders is worthy of further investigation.
尽管回应率约为 18%，但几乎没有非回应偏差的证据。回应邮寄调查的农场和牧场的经营特征与未回应的特征相似。回应者已婚的可能性明显更高，但仅略年长且受教育程度更高。与后期回应者相比，早期回应者报告的受伤次数更多，受伤时的严重程度更高。
调查中的非回应偏差可能导致对农业伤害的误导性估计，并可能错误引导旨在减轻农民伤害负担的预防工作。根据人口统计学和农业生产特征，对回应者（n=2977）和非回应者（n=13849）进行了比较，以确定代表性不足的亚组。比较了早期（n=1667）和晚期（n=1309）回应者之间的伤害特征。该方法考虑了相关数据、p 值的样本量膨胀以及有意义差异的评估。在回应者和非回应者之间几乎没有发现差异。回应者与非回应者在居住州和婚姻状况方面存在差异，回应者更有可能已婚。其他特征（年龄、性别、教育程度、农场规模、种植作物、饲养动物）在各组之间相似。早期回应者报告的受伤次数更多，更经常因受伤而寻求医疗护理。回应者和非回应者之间确定的差异微不足道，不太可能造成偏差。早期和晚期回应者之间对伤害和伤害严重程度的不同报告值得进一步调查。
