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Kumar N, Nie V, Palaniappan K, Bohatko-Naismith J. Insecticide exposure and associated acute health effects in farmers in a rice growing district of India. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2024:1-13. [PMID: 39046520 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2024.2382305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
This study investigated insecticide usage and associated acute health hazards in rice farming in Odisha, India. A retrospective cross-sectional study design was used to collect data from 139 participants, in the post-monsoon period, 2023. The participants were overwhelmingly male, mostly aged 30 and over, with basic literacy and a range of educational attainment, three-quarters ceasing education by 10th grade and a significant number never attending school. Most farmers/farmworkers used low or moderately toxic insecticides in low doses, typically 3 times/year. However, uptake of appropriate PPE was poor when mixing and applying insecticides. Almost two-thirds (63.4%) of participants reported discomfort/illness after insecticide exposure. Over 90% reported up to 3 symptoms, most experiencing skin irritation. The reported health symptoms were significantly higher among those who ate and drank during insecticide application, compared to those who did not. The number of symptoms reported was also significantly higher in participants who had seen or heard of community insecticide poisoning cases in the previous 12 months, compared with those who had not. Further research is needed on barriers to using effective PPE and on information and training on risks and controls of insecticide exposure that are appropriate for rice farmers in Odisha, India.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nishikanta Kumar
- School of Health Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Valerie Nie
- School of Health Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Kavitha Palaniappan
- Centre of Regulatory Excellence, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
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Bionanotechnology in Agriculture: A One Health Approach. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13020509. [PMID: 36836866 PMCID: PMC9964896 DOI: 10.3390/life13020509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Healthy eating habits are one of the requirements for the health of society. In particular, in natura foods are increasingly encouraged, since they have a high concentration of nutrients. However, these foods are often grown in the presence of agrochemicals, such as fertilizers and pesticides. To increase crop productivity and achieve high vigor standards in less time, farmers make excessive use of agrochemicals that generate various economic, environmental, and clinical problems. In this way, bionanotechnology appears as an ally in developing technologies to improve planting conditions, ranging from the health of farmers and consumers to the production of new foods and functional foods. All these improvements are based on the better use of land use in synergy with the lowest generation of environmental impacts and the health of living beings, with a view to the study and production of technologies that take into account the concept of One Health in its processes and products. In this review article, we will address how caring for agriculture can directly influence the quality of the most desired foods in contemporary society, and how new alternatives based on nanotechnology can point to efficient and safe solutions for living beings on our planet.
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Wadani ZH, Azam I, Irfan M, Fatmi Z. Pesticides Use and Impaired Lung Function Among Male Agricultural Farmers in Rural Sindh, Pakistan. Asia Pac J Public Health 2021; 34:230-235. [PMID: 34911377 DOI: 10.1177/10105395211065647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Use of pesticides implicated in decrement in lung function, manifested as restrictive or obstructive dysfunction or both. Using comparative cross-sectional study design, authors conducted the study to determine an association of pesticide use with impairment in lung function (restrictive/obstructive pattern of lung function) among agricultural farmers. The data were collected using modified American Thoracic Society Division of Lung Disease (ATS-DLD-78A) questionnaire and spirometer measurements. Using multinomial logistic regression, the risk of both restrictive and obstructive lung dysfunction was found to be almost twice among pesticides users with each increasing year of exposure to pesticides (1.92 and 1.95, respectively) after adjusting for other covariates. There is a need for reliable monitoring and reporting procedures along with appropriate environmental policies and regulations for handling of pesticides. Interventional studies are needed where farmers could be trained on the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to limit the exposure to pesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahid Hyder Wadani
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Iqbal Azam
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Irfan
- Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Zafar Fatmi
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
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Lee S, Lee H, Kim HS, Koh SB. Incidence, Risk Factors, and Prediction of Myocardial Infarction and Stroke in Farmers: A Korean Nationwide Population-based Study. J Prev Med Public Health 2020; 53:313-322. [PMID: 33070503 PMCID: PMC7569019 DOI: 10.3961/jpmph.20.156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives This study was conducted to determine the incidence and risk factors of myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke in farmers compared to the general population and to establish 5-year prediction models. Methods The farmer cohort and the control cohort were generated using the customized database of the National Health Insurance Service of Korea database and the National Sample Cohort, respectively. The participants were followed from the day of the index general health examination until the events of MI, stroke, or death (up to 5 years). Results In total, 734 744 participants from the farmer cohort and 238 311 from the control cohort aged between 40 and 70 were included. The age-adjusted incidence of MI was 0.766 and 0.585 per 1000 person-years in the farmer and control cohorts, respectively. That of stroke was 0.559 and 0.321 per 1000 person-years in both cohorts, respectively. In farmers, the risk factors for MI included male sex, age, personal history of hypertension, diabetes, current smoking, creatinine, metabolic syndrome components (blood pressure, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol). Those for stroke included male sex, age, personal history of hypertension, diabetes, current smoking, high γ-glutamyl transferase, and metabolic syndrome components (blood pressure, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol). The prediction model showed an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.735 and 0.760 for MI and stroke, respectively, in the farmer cohort. Conclusions Farmers had a higher age-adjusted incidence of MI and stroke. They also showed distinct patterns in cardiovascular risk factors compared to the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solam Lee
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea
| | - Hunju Lee
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea
| | - Hye Sim Kim
- Center of Biomedical Data Science, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea
| | - Sang Baek Koh
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea
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Guytingco A, Thepaksorn P, Neitzel RL. Prevalence of Abnormal Serum Cholinesterase and Associated Symptoms from Pesticide Exposure among Agricultural Workers in the South of Thailand. J Agromedicine 2019; 23:270-278. [PMID: 30047860 DOI: 10.1080/1059924x.2018.1470049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine prevalence of abnormal serum acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and behavioral risks associated behaviors from pesticide exposure. METHODS Cross-sectional data were collected from agriculture workers in Trang Province, Thailand in 2013-2014. Agricultural workers in Trang Province filled out questionnaires provided by the Ministry of Public Health and gave blood samples. Risk scores were calculated based on questionnaire responses and a reactive-paper finger-blood test was used to evaluate AChE levels. RESULTS A total of 6,222 agricultural workers filled out questionnaires and 3,431 workers gave blood samples. The prevalence of abnormal AChE results was 12.5%. Females had a higher prevalence of abnormal serum AChE levels (15.2%) than males (10.2%). The most common self-reported symptoms were coughing (5.7%), being tired (5.4%), dizziness (5.1%), and dry skin and irritation (4.8%). However, those with abnormal serum AChE levels were most likely to report dizziness (12.4%) as their main symptom. Male agricultural workers had significantly higher risk than female farmers after adjusting for sex and risk level (OR = 1.56, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Abnormal serum AChE levels associated with pesticide exposure are associated with AChE levels and symptoms such as coughing, being tired, dizziness, and dry skin and irritation. Educating farmers about the effects of pesticide use and encouraging better personal protective equipment practices could also assist in reducing pesticide exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Guytingco
- a Department of Environmental Health Sciences , School of Public Health, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , MI , USA
| | - Phayong Thepaksorn
- b Trang Research Center for Occupational Health , Sirindhorn College of Public Health , Trang , Thailand
| | - Richard L Neitzel
- a Department of Environmental Health Sciences , School of Public Health, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , MI , USA
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González NR. Subjective production of exposure to agrochemicals. A scoping review. CIENCIA & SAUDE COLETIVA 2019; 24:781-792. [PMID: 30892500 DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232018243.01512017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2017] [Revised: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The intensification of agriculture in countries of the Southern Cone of Latin America has led to a significant rise in the use of agrochemicals. Scientific output in the field of health has concentrated on the epidemiological aspects of this issue and studies addressing the social dimensions of exposure to these substances remain scarce. The aim of this scoping review was to assess the scientific literature on the subjective production of groups exposed to agrochemicals. To this end, searches were conducted of the Scopus, PubMed, BVS, SciELO, and DOAJ databases for articles published between 1991 and 2016. A complementary search strategy drawing on references to other studies in the selected articles was also adopted. The findings show that the studies give subjective production different names and that the predominant themes covered by the literature were risk perception and health beliefs. With regard to understanding-explaining the subjective production process, a series of articles focused on individual lifestyles, while another group considered collective ways of life. The wide-ranging findings suggest that this area is a field of study in dispute, where positivist and functionalist approaches converge with historically situated studies that adopt a critical perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás Rodríguez González
- Facultad de Psicología, Polo Salud Comunitaria, CENUR Litoral Norte, Universidad de la República. Florida 1065. Paysandú Uruguay.
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Bhandari G, Atreya K, Yang X, Fan L, Geissen V. Factors affecting pesticide safety behaviour: The perceptions of Nepalese farmers and retailers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 631-632:1560-1571. [PMID: 29727980 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.03.144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Revised: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Indiscriminate use of pesticides in vegetable farming is an emerging problem resulting in increasing health and environmental risks in developing countries including Nepal. As there are limited studies focusing on farmers' and retailers' knowledge related to pesticide use and associated risks as well as safety behaviour, this study assesses their perceptions of pesticide use, associated impacts on human and environmental health and safety behaviours. This study is also intended to quantify pesticide use in vegetable farming. We used the Health Belief Model (HBM) to evaluate farmers' and retailers' safety behaviour associated with pesticides. We interviewed 183 farmers and 45 retailers. The study revealed that farmers applied pesticides at an average of 2.9kga.i./ha per crop per season; and insecticides, especially pyrethrins and pyrethroids as well as organophosphate, were the most frequently used. Retailers were more aware of the threats surrounding pesticide use and were thus more aware of the risks to their own health as well as to the health of animals, birds, fishes, and honey bees. Headache (73.8%) was the most commonly reported acute health symptom of pesticide use. Farmers often did not adopt the appropriate safety measures when handling pesticides sighting the constrained perceived barriers (direct path coefficient, DPC=-0.837) such as feeling uncomfortable and the unavailability of safety measures. Likewise, retailers lacked the incentive (direct path coefficient, DPC=0.397) to adopt the necessary safety measures while handling pesticides. Training and awareness programs addressing safe handling practices and safety measures as well as education concerning the long-term risks of pesticide exposure on health and the environment, through radio, television and posters, may improve the safety behaviour of farmers and retailers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Govinda Bhandari
- Soil Physics and Land Management Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands; Progressive Sustainable Developers Nepal (PSD-Nepal), Kathmandu, Nepal.
| | - Kishor Atreya
- Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresources (ANSAB), Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Xiaomei Yang
- Soil Physics and Land Management Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands; College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Liangxin Fan
- School of Surveying and Land Information Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, China
| | - Violette Geissen
- Soil Physics and Land Management Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Lam S, Pham G, Nguyen-Viet H. Emerging health risks from agricultural intensification in Southeast Asia: a systematic review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2017; 23:250-260. [PMID: 29560804 PMCID: PMC6060873 DOI: 10.1080/10773525.2018.1450923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Background Agricultural intensification is having profound impacts on food security and rural livelihoods; however, concerns remain about the potential implications on public health. Objectives We aim to examine and synthesize the evidence for human health risks of agricultural intensification in Southeast Asia. Methods We conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed articles published between January 2000 and December 2015 from two electronic databases (PubMed, CAB Direct). Results A total of 73 relevant studies were included and evaluated. More than half of the studies used epidemiological methods while others applied alternative methods to quantify or estimate risks. Studies mainly focused on occupational and consumer exposure to pesticides, without often specifying the actual health risk. Conclusion Overall, the current knowledge on health risks appears to be limited. More research on long-term health implications and a wider range of contaminants are needed if sustainable benefits are to be obtained from agricultural intensification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Lam
- Hanoi University of Public Health, Center for Public Health and Ecosystem Research, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Giang Pham
- Hanoi University of Public Health, Center for Public Health and Ecosystem Research, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Vietnam Public Health Association, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Hung Nguyen-Viet
- Hanoi University of Public Health, Center for Public Health and Ecosystem Research, Hanoi, Vietnam
- International Livestock Research Institute, Hanoi, Vietnam
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Loloei M, Zolala F, Razzaghi A. Farmers’ Pesticide Using Behaviors: A Case Study on Pistachio Farms in Kerman, Iran. HEALTH SCOPE 2014. [DOI: 10.17795/jhealthscope-14101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Hwang WJ, Hong OS, Rankin SH. Predictors of health-promoting behavior associated with cardiovascular diseases among Korean blue-collar workers. Asia Pac J Public Health 2013; 27:NP691-702. [PMID: 24097934 DOI: 10.1177/1010539513500338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of actual cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks, psychosocial and work-related factors as predictors of health behavior. A sample of 234 Korean blue-collar workers, who worked in small companies, was included in this cross-sectional study. Data collection included a survey; anthropometric and blood pressure measures; and blood sampling. Multiple regression analyses showed that the model explained 30% of the variance in health behavior of blue-collar workers. The significant predictors for health behavior included education level, perceived general health, greater family function, higher social support, decision latitude, and non-shift work. Future research should focus on incorporating these significant predictors into effective behavioral interventions designed to promote cardiovascular health in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Oi Saeng Hong
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sally H Rankin
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Xue Z, Li X, Su Q, Xu L, Zhang P, Kong Z, Xu J, Teng J. Effect of Synthetic Pyrethroid Pesticide Exposure During Pregnancy on the Growth and Development of Infants. Asia Pac J Public Health 2013; 25:72S-9S. [PMID: 23966607 DOI: 10.1177/1010539513496267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Antenatal urine of 497 pregnant women was collected in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics of a county hospital in Jiaozuo, Henan. The content of the main metabolites of synthetic pyrethroid pesticides in urine were determined. After 1 year, physical development indices of 1-year old infants, such as height, weight, and head and chest circumference, were measured. The neural and mental development of the infants was assessed by the Development Screen Test (DST) scale. We observed that the level of synthetic pyrethroid pesticide exposure was negatively related to the neural and mental development of infants (β = −0.1527, P < 0.05). Therefore, direct or indirect exposure to synthetic pyrethroid pesticides should be avoided during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanyou Xue
- Department of Neurology, The Ninety-first Central Hospital of PLA, Jiaozuo, Henan Province, China
| | - Xiaoqiong Li
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, The Ninety-first Central Hospital of PLA, Jiaozuo, Henan Province, China
| | - Qian Su
- Department of Neurology, The Ninety-first Central Hospital of PLA, Jiaozuo, Henan Province, China
| | - Li Xu
- Department of Neurology, The Ninety-first Central Hospital of PLA, Jiaozuo, Henan Province, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The Ninety-first Central Hospital of PLA, Jiaozuo, Henan Province, China
| | - Zhenyu Kong
- Department of Neurology, The Ninety-first Central Hospital of PLA, Jiaozuo, Henan Province, China
| | - Jianhui Xu
- Department of Neurology, The Ninety-first Central Hospital of PLA, Jiaozuo, Henan Province, China
| | - Junfang Teng
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
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