Date of Award:

5-2013

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Applied Sciences, Technology, and Education

Department name when degree awarded

Agricultural Systems Technology and Education

Committee Chair(s)

Michael L. Pate

Committee

Michael L. Pate

Committee

Lyle G. McNeal

Committee

Brian K. Warnick

Committee

Rebecca G. Lawver

Abstract

This project was funded through the National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Safety and Health as part of the pilot study program for 2011-2012 fiscal year. The project team proposed a one-year, $19,991 project to conduct a formative needs assessment of Diné parents for the prevention of agricultural injuries to children who are helping farm or ranch. The assessment utilized a survey constructed of closed and open ended questions to gauge Diné farmers' and ranchers' perceptions of injury risks to children who live or work on an agricultural operation. Additional questions were asked to gauge Diné acceptance of an online training program as a prevention intervention to reduce livestock and horse related injuries to children. Data was collected via survey and open-ended questions, concerning the safety of youth working with livestock and equine. Several key partnerships were developed between Jeannie Benally, Shiprock Federal Tribal Extension Agent, and TahNibaa Naataanii, Diné Bé Iiná Project Director. Several parents from 4H clubs provide supportive comments and indicated they wished to see continued collaborations. A total of 96 Navajo Nation members agreed to participate in the survey and provided usable responses. All participants lived within Navajo Nation boundaries in the four-corners area of Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. The research project was reviewed and supported by the Northern Navajo Agency members. The research protocol was approved under Utah State University's Institutional Review Board under protocol number 4164 and through the Navajo Nation Human Research Review Board under protocol number NNR-11.340. All data and intellectual property developed through this research project are the sole property of the Navajo Nation.

Through this needs assessment, more can be understood about the risks faced by Diné children who are exposed to agricultural work. An increased awareness about agricultural injuries and how to prevent injuries to their children, as seen through the lens of community stakeholders, will be essential in the development of culturally and geographically relevant safety information to prevent agricultural injuries to Diné children. The majority of participants found a lot of activities performed on the farm or ranch to be dangerous and found a need for safety training courses along with the use of social media and online prevention interventions. A recommendation for practice included the development of a user-friend network for parents and leaders to access resources to assist in the education of the youth in local agricultural traditions integrated with safety training.

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