Ergonomic and health assessment of farmers’ multi-pesticide exposure

Lu, Jinky Leilanie

doi:10.4314/esa.v29i1.4

Cited by 4 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…The proportion of proper PPE use in our study population was 2% while the proportion of 'no PPE used' was 15%. The similar condition of low frequency of PPE use has been reported by several studies with agricultural workers in different countries [4,[19][20][21][22][23][24].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Cumulative exposure characteristics of vegetable farmers exposed to Chlorpyrifos in Central Java – Indonesia; a cross-sectional study

et al. 2021

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Background Agriculture is a major economic sector in Indonesia. Chemical pesticides are widely being used in agriculture for controlling pest. There is a growing concern that pesticide exposure, particularly chlorpyrifos (CPF) exposure, combined with other occupational characteristics that determine the level of exposure, can lead to further health impacts for farmers. Our objective was to evaluate the cumulative exposure characteristics among farmers exposed to CPF by using a validated algorithm. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of 152 vegetable farmers aged 18–65 who actively used CPF for at least 1 year in Central Java, Indonesia. Subject characteristics were obtained using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire, addressed for sociodemographic and work-related characteristics. The cumulative exposure level (CEL) was estimated as a function of the intensity level of pesticide exposure (IL), lifetime years of pesticide use and the number of days spraying per year. CEL was subsequently classified into two groups, high and low exposure groups. The difference in characteristics of the study population was measured using Chi-square, independent-t or Mann-Whitney test. Association between CEL and its characteristics variables were performed by multiple linear regression. Results Seventy-one subjects (46.7%) were classified as the high exposure group. The use of multiple pesticide mixtures was common among our study population, with 94% of them using 2 or more pesticides. 73% reported direct contact with concentrated pesticides product, and over 80% reported being splashed or spilt during preparation or spraying activity. However, we found that the proportion of proper personal protective equipment (PPE) use in our subjects was low. Higher volume of mixture applied (p < 0.001) and broader acres of land (p = 0.001) were associated with higher cumulative exposure level, while using long-sleeved clothes and long pants (p < 0.05) during pesticide spraying were associated with lower cumulative exposure after adjusted for age and gender. Conclusions These findings indicate an inadequate knowledge of using pesticides properly. Thus, we recommend comprehensive training on pesticide usage and encourage proper PPE to reduce the exposure level.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Cumulative exposure characteristics of vegetable farmers exposed to Chlorpyrifos in Central Java – Indonesia; a cross-sectional study

et al. 2021

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“…The similar condition of low frequency of PPE use has been reported by several studies with agricultural workers in different countries. (4,(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24) Generally accepted that advising the use of PPE does not always result in adequate protection (25), so work practices come into play. Regarding the hygiene practices and spill treatment, we found that nearly all of our subjects reported having proper showering and changing clothes after spraying, just in agreement with the results from other researchers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cumulative Exposure Characteristics of Vegetable Farmers Exposed to Chlorpyrifos in Central Java – Indonesia; A Cross-sectional Study

Mansyur

2021

Preprint

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BackgroundAgriculture is a major economic sector in Indonesia. Chemical pesticides are widely being used in agriculture for the control of the pest. There is a growing concern that pesticide exposure, particularly chlorpyrifos (CPF) exposure combined with other occupational characteristics that determine the level of exposure, can lead to further health impacts for farmers. Our objective was to evaluate the cumulative exposure characteristics among farmers exposed to CPF using a validated algorithm.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study of 152 vegetable farmers aged 18-65 who actively used CPF for at least one year in Central Java, Indonesia. Subject characteristics were obtained using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire addressed for sociodemographic and work-related characteristics. The cumulative exposure level (CEL) was measured as a function of the intensity level of pesticide exposure (IL), lifetime years of pesticide use and the number of days spraying per years. CEL then classified into two groups, high and low exposure group. The difference in characteristics of the study population was measured using Chi-square, independent-t or Mann-Whitney test. Association between CEL and its characteristics variables were performed by multiple linear regression.ResultsSeventy-one subjects (46.7%) were classified as the high exposure group. The use of multiple pesticide mixtures was common among our study population, with 94% of them using 2 or more pesticides. 73% reported direct contact with pesticides, and over 80% reported being splashed or spilt during preparation or spraying activity. However, we found that the proportion of proper personal protective equipment (PPE) use in our subjects was low. Higher volume of mixture applied (p < 0.001) and broader acres of land (p = 0.001) were associated with higher cumulative exposure level, while using the long sleeve and long trousers (p < 0.05) during pesticide spraying were associated with lower cumulative exposure after adjusted for age and gender.ConclusionsThese findings indicate a lack of knowledge and understanding of the proper use of pesticides. Thus, we recommend comprehensive training on pesticide use and encourage proper PPE to reduce the exposure level.

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“…This pattern in pesticide use was also commonly observed among other studies in the Philippines. 4,[15][16][17] In addition to this, it is also common practice among farmers to use one pesticide type and turn these into a cocktail mixture. 15,[17][18][19] Farmers do this due to their belief that mixing pesticides will have a synergistic effect, increasing their effectiveness among the produce.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similar symptoms were also reported in other studies as well. 16,23,24,36 Another route of entry into the body for pesticides is through ingestion, which could occur through directly consuming the chemical or consuming contaminated food. An in-silico evaluation of pesticides showed that multiple pesticides registered with high intestinal absorption.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These symptoms were also consistent with other studies whose respondents also complained of respiratory symptoms. 16,17,22,24,39 In addition to these symptoms, studies have also reported declines in lung function parameters among pesticide-exposed individuals. 22,24 A study done in Canada by Ye et al analyzed the plasma concentration of certain banned organochlorine pesticides among individuals and found that those with higher levels exhibited lower lung function parameters, such as FEV 1 and FVC.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Occupational Risk Exposures and Adverse Health Findings Among Farmers in Southern Philippines

Salas

2021

Acta Med Philipp

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Introduction. Pesticides are widely used in the agricultural sector to increase production by cutting costs and improving product quality. However, these chemicals come with serious health effects when individuals are exposed to large quantities at once or low amounts over time. Objective. This study aimed to identify the health symptoms and physical assessment findings affecting farmers from their repeated occupational exposure to pesticides in a rural region in the Philippines. Methods. This research study used a cross-sectional design, and samples were drawn based on a multistage sampling of 387 agricultural workers. The target site was in the southern Philippines, and the sample was selected randomly from the identified municipalities. Survey questionnaires were given to the respondents, and a physical assessment was made by medical doctors and trained registered nurses. The data were encoded using SPSS™ 13.0. The statistics used were both descriptive and inferential. Results. The farmers used pesticides in their farms with an average of 2.3 days per week (SD: 2.13). The mean total spraying time was 3.07 hours (SD: ± 14.76) per day. The average amount of pesticide used in an application was 1.33 L per application (SD: ± 6.53). Sixty-three percent (63%) had spills while spraying, and 47% reported having spilled pesticides while mixing. Farmers were assessed and found to have experienced symptoms and exhibited physical assessment findings surrounding the following body systems: general, EENT, neurologic, gastrointestinal, respiratory, cardiovascular, and integumentary systems. Abnormalities in laboratory parameters were also observed among the respondents. The mini-mental state examination was done to test if the respondents showed signs of cognitive impairment. The results showed that most respondents (93.95%) had normal cognitive function, while 6.05% of respondents had some level of cognitive impairment. Associations were also tested using Phi Coefficient, and certain pesticide exposure variables were associated with farmers' physical findings and symptoms experienced by farmers. Conclusion. This study translates pesticide’s health impact by identifying the common symptoms experienced by farmers and concerning physical assessment findings. The study found that farmers suffered from various symptoms concerning the general health, eye, ears, nose, and throat region, neurological system, gastrointestinal system, respiratory system, cardiovascular system, and the integumentary system. In addition, the laboratory parameters of the participants also exhibited abnormalities indicative of exposure and possible adverse effects from pesticides.

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Ergonomic and health assessment of farmers’ multi-pesticide exposure

Cited by 4 publications

References 20 publications

Cumulative exposure characteristics of vegetable farmers exposed to Chlorpyrifos in Central Java – Indonesia; a cross-sectional study

Cumulative exposure characteristics of vegetable farmers exposed to Chlorpyrifos in Central Java – Indonesia; a cross-sectional study

Cumulative Exposure Characteristics of Vegetable Farmers Exposed to Chlorpyrifos in Central Java – Indonesia; A Cross-sectional Study

Occupational Risk Exposures and Adverse Health Findings Among Farmers in Southern Philippines

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