Work-related pesticide poisoning among farmers in two villages of Southern China: a cross-sectional survey
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pesticide poisoning is an important health problem among Chinese farm workers, but there is a paucity of pesticide poisoning data from China. Using the WHO standard case definition of a possible acute pesticide poisoning, we investig...
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BMC
2011-06-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/11/429 |
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| author | Smith Gary A Wheeler Krista Jing Ruiwei Zhao Weiyan Zhang Xujun Stallones Lorann Xiang Huiyun |
| author_facet | Smith Gary A Wheeler Krista Jing Ruiwei Zhao Weiyan Zhang Xujun Stallones Lorann Xiang Huiyun |
| author_sort | Smith Gary A |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pesticide poisoning is an important health problem among Chinese farm workers, but there is a paucity of pesticide poisoning data from China. Using the WHO standard case definition of a possible acute pesticide poisoning, we investigated the prevalence and risk factors of acute work-related pesticide poisoning among farmers in Southern China.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A stratified sample of 910 pesticide applicators from two villages in southern China participated in face-to-face interviews. Respondents who self-reported having two or more of a list of sixty-six symptoms within 24 hours after pesticide application were categorized as having suffered acute pesticide poisoning. The association between the composite behavioral risk score and pesticide poisoning were assessed in a multivariate logistic model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 80 (8.8%) pesticide applicators reported an acute work-related pesticide poisoning. The most frequent symptoms among applicators were dermal (11.6%) and nervous system (10.7%) symptoms. Poisoning was more common among women, farmers in poor areas, and applicators without safety training (all p < 0.001). After controlling for gender, age, education, geographic area and the behavioral risk score, farmers without safety training had an adjusted odds ratio of 3.22 (95% CI: 1.86-5.60). The likelihood of acute pesticide poisoning was also significantly associated with number of exposure risk behaviors. A significant "dose-response" relationship between composite behavioral risk scores calculated from 9 pesticides exposure risk behaviors and the log odds of pesticide poisoning prevalence was seen among these Chinese farmers (R<sup>2 </sup>= 0.9246).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study found that 8.8% of Chinese pesticide applicators suffered acute pesticide poisoning and suggests that pesticide safety training, safe application methods, and precautionary behavioral measures could be effective in reducing the risk of pesticide poisoning.</p> |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T03:50:25Z |
| publishDate | 2011-06-01 |
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| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-4744ce419193472f8a88c49dbb68d01d2022-12-22T02:14:02ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582011-06-0111142910.1186/1471-2458-11-429Work-related pesticide poisoning among farmers in two villages of Southern China: a cross-sectional surveySmith Gary AWheeler KristaJing RuiweiZhao WeiyanZhang XujunStallones LorannXiang Huiyun<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pesticide poisoning is an important health problem among Chinese farm workers, but there is a paucity of pesticide poisoning data from China. Using the WHO standard case definition of a possible acute pesticide poisoning, we investigated the prevalence and risk factors of acute work-related pesticide poisoning among farmers in Southern China.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A stratified sample of 910 pesticide applicators from two villages in southern China participated in face-to-face interviews. Respondents who self-reported having two or more of a list of sixty-six symptoms within 24 hours after pesticide application were categorized as having suffered acute pesticide poisoning. The association between the composite behavioral risk score and pesticide poisoning were assessed in a multivariate logistic model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 80 (8.8%) pesticide applicators reported an acute work-related pesticide poisoning. The most frequent symptoms among applicators were dermal (11.6%) and nervous system (10.7%) symptoms. Poisoning was more common among women, farmers in poor areas, and applicators without safety training (all p < 0.001). After controlling for gender, age, education, geographic area and the behavioral risk score, farmers without safety training had an adjusted odds ratio of 3.22 (95% CI: 1.86-5.60). The likelihood of acute pesticide poisoning was also significantly associated with number of exposure risk behaviors. A significant "dose-response" relationship between composite behavioral risk scores calculated from 9 pesticides exposure risk behaviors and the log odds of pesticide poisoning prevalence was seen among these Chinese farmers (R<sup>2 </sup>= 0.9246).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study found that 8.8% of Chinese pesticide applicators suffered acute pesticide poisoning and suggests that pesticide safety training, safe application methods, and precautionary behavioral measures could be effective in reducing the risk of pesticide poisoning.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/11/429Chinapesticide poisoningfarmersoccupational poisoning |
| spellingShingle | Smith Gary A Wheeler Krista Jing Ruiwei Zhao Weiyan Zhang Xujun Stallones Lorann Xiang Huiyun Work-related pesticide poisoning among farmers in two villages of Southern China: a cross-sectional survey BMC Public Health China pesticide poisoning farmers occupational poisoning |
| title | Work-related pesticide poisoning among farmers in two villages of Southern China: a cross-sectional survey |
| title_full | Work-related pesticide poisoning among farmers in two villages of Southern China: a cross-sectional survey |
| title_fullStr | Work-related pesticide poisoning among farmers in two villages of Southern China: a cross-sectional survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Work-related pesticide poisoning among farmers in two villages of Southern China: a cross-sectional survey |
| title_short | Work-related pesticide poisoning among farmers in two villages of Southern China: a cross-sectional survey |
| title_sort | work related pesticide poisoning among farmers in two villages of southern china a cross sectional survey |
| topic | China pesticide poisoning farmers occupational poisoning |
| url | http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/11/429 |
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