Distribution of Hay-Hole Covers Prevents Injuries from Falls Through Hay Holes

Abstract

Hay-holes are openings on the second floor of barns used to drop feed to ground level. Hay-hole falls (HHFs) are a unique problem among Anabaptist communities, especially for children. To follow-up on our previous study that created the Anabaptist Youth Trauma Prevention Consortium with distribution of 231 hay-hole covers in South Central Pennsylvania, we compared a five-year period before cover distribution with the 5-year period after. Data were stratified by phase: Before Cover Implementation (BC): 1/2011-12/2016, After Cover Implementation (AC): 1/2017-12/2021. 49 patients met inclusion criteria. There was a 47% decrease in the number of HHF from the BC phase to the AC phase, suggesting that cover distribution has significantly impacted HHF incidence. Further investigation is needed to elucidate the long-term impact of cover distribution and to guide future interventions, such as another round of cover distribution or improvements in the design of these covers for long-term use.