Pattern of Trauma Related to Falling from Walnut Tree as an Occupational Injury: A Cross‑Sectional Study in the West of Iran

Evidence regarding the epidemiological characteristics and the mechanisms of trauma related to falling from walnut tree are limited in Iran. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the pattern of trauma related to falling from walnut tree as an occupational injury in Tuyserkan in the west of Iran in 2017.

In this cross‑sectional study, all the patients admitted in Vali‑Asr Hospital for injuries caused by falling from walnut trees during the harvest for walnuts (from September to October 2017) were reviewed. The data were collected by a checklist including the demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients obtained from the hospital records. Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics by the STATA software version 12.

During the study, a total of 52 injured cases were registered in Vali‑Asr Hospital. All patients were male, and 71.2% of them were rural dwellers. Falls were more concentrated in Friday (27%) and peaked in mid‑days (19.2% of cases). Branch breaking was the common cause of falling in 30 (57.7%) injured cases. Nearly 70% (n = 36) of the cases were transferred to the trauma center by the emergency services. Among injured patients, 4 patients (7.7%) died. Overweight patients had a 7.75‑fold higher chance of death or handicap compared to underweight patients (P = 0.09).

Most of the cases were young men from rural areas who were economically important groups. High air temperature in mid‑day time is in related to increase in the probability of falling; thus, it should be advised not to work at this time. A considerable proportion of injured patients were carried by family members to the hospital. Therefore, the general awareness that an injured person must be transferred to the hospital by the emergency medical services for the reduction of the severity of trauma is necessary.