Pesticides and Public Health Flashcards
Who can be exposed to pesticides?
farm workers, farmers, general public
Why are farm workers and farmers more likely to be harmed?
regular contact
high dose
accidents
cultural and language barriers, inappropriate training, migration (changing hazards), inconsistent access to or unwillingness to seek healthcare
What are realms of toxicity?
acute vs. chronic reproductive and teratogenic effects endocrine disruptors mutagens - change in gene structure/function carcinogens organ toxicity fate (bioaccumulation vs excretion)
Why is it hard to collect info on pesticide exposure?
influence of boss
undocumented workers - hesitant
language barrier
healthcare providers - not well trained to recognize symptoms
healthcare worker needs to report incident
forms must make it to the right agency
What is NAWS?
National Ag Worker Survey
administered by Department of Labor
face-to-face interviews
Characteristics of farm workers
75% of crop workers are Mexican born 53% of all crop workers do not have appropriate legal documentation to work in the United States 44% cannot speak English 53% cannot read English 61% do not have unemployment insurance 52% do not have workers’ compensation 77% do not have health insurance
What is SENSOR-pesticide?
implemented by CDC
surveillance system in 10 states
collect data on pesticide related illness
60 incidents/10,000 workers
estimate 10,000-20,000 incidents per year
What are exposure pathways for farm workers?
drift to a non-target area (majority)
early re-entry into a treated field
misuse of a product
What are the mechanisms of exposure?
oral, dermal, ocular, inhalation
not all pesticides have all modes of exposure
What are the effects of exposure to organophosphates and carbamates?
acute effects - frothing at the mouth, muscle weakness, convulsions, coma
chronic - nausea, cramps, headaches, dizziness, difficulty breathing
acetyl/cholinesterase inhibitors impact nerve signals
What are worker protection standards?
implemented by USDA in 1995
main goal is to reduce the risk of pesticide related injury or illness
calls for: re-entry periods, id of restricted zones, provision of protective equipment, access to ER, training every 5 years
What are some recommendations for reducing farm work illness?
reduce drift through regulation longer re-entry periods improve training improve access to info enforcement of current laws
What is the Ag Health Study?
began in 1993
NIH longitudinal study - farmers in NC and IA
self-adminstered
What did the Ag Health Study find?
lower overall rate of cancer incidence compared to general population, higher rate of specific cancers (thyroid, prostate, lips, ovary, gallbladder)
Why are children at greater risk to exposure in the general public than adults?
consume or food to body weight
eat less variety
developmental risks
