American Journal of Industrial Medicine
Volume 57, Issue 7, 2014, Pages 776-787

Lifetime and current pesticide exposure among Latino farmworkers in comparison to other Latino immigrants (Article)

Arcury T.A.* , Nguyen H.T. , Summers P. , Talton J.W. , Holbrook L.C. , Walker F.O. , Chen H. , Howard T.D. , Galván L. , Quandt S.A.
  • a Department of Family and Community Medicine, Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
  • b Department of Family and Community Medicine, Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
  • c Department of Family and Community Medicine, Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
  • d Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
  • e Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
  • f Department of Neurology, Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
  • g Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Division of Public Health Sciences, Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
  • h Department of Pediatrics, Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine Research, Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
  • i North Carolina Farmworkers Project, Benson, NC, United States
  • j Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Division of Public Health Sciences, Center for Worker Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States

Abstract

Background: Pesticide exposure poses a health risk for farmworkers. This analysis documents lifetime and current pesticide exposure of North Carolina Latino migrant farmworkers, with comparison to non-farmworker Latino immigrants. Methods: During May to October 2012, 235 Latino farmworkers and 212 Latino non-farmworkers completed interviews with items to construct measures of lifetime, current residential and occupational pesticide exposure. Results: Farmworkers experience levels of lifetime and residential pesticide exposure that are consistently greater than among non-farmworkers. Farmworkers report a large number of occupational pesticide exposures. Lifetime exposure and current residential pesticide exposure are related to social determinants. Education is inversely related to lifetime pesticide exposure for farmworkers and non-farmworkers; farmworkers with H-2A visas report greater residential pesticide exposure than those without H-2A visas. Conclusions: Occupational safety policy needs to consider these patterns of lifetime exposure when setting standards. Health care providers should be aware of the lifetime and current exposure of this vulnerable population. Am. J. Ind. Med. 57:776-787, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Author Keywords

Agriculture minority health

Index Keywords

Follow-Up Studies follow up human middle aged North Carolina statistics and numerical data Agriculture comparative study Aged Hispanic Americans interview United States Humans migrant Hispanic Interviews as Topic male Emigrants and Immigrants occupational exposure pesticide Pesticides adult migration participatory research Community-Based Participatory Research Transients and Migrants
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84902820379&doi=10.1002%2fajim.22324&partnerID=40&md5=186a4df9ed9031a68c2d36c2822d1c07
DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22324
ISSN: 02713586
Cited by: 20
Original Language: English