Pesticides Exposure and self-perceived health conditions, according to living and working conditions in horticulturists of Córdoba

Abstract

In Argentina, horticultural production requires intensive labor and continuous application of pesticides, in a labor context poorly regulated by the State. Aims: To analyze pesticide exposure and self-perceived health conditions of horticulturists, according to living and working conditions in horticultural farms in the Food Region of Córdoba (FRC).

Population-based descriptive correlational study (2013-2019), in n=209 horticulturists pesticides applicators of pesticides in the FRC (95% confidence level); the sample was completed in two stages, the first conducted by the Group of Environmental Epidemiology of Cancer and other Chronic Diseases (n=137), and the second (n=72) together with the Observatory of Peri-urban Urban Agriculture and Agroecology (INTA). A survey translated and adapted from the Agricultural Health Study (Alavanja et al., 1996; Bonner & Alavanja, 2005) was implemented, whose reliability yielded a Cronbach's α of 0.95 (Lantieri et al., 2009). Sociodemographic information, productive practices, history of pesticides exposure and self-perceived health conditions were collected. Descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing and multiple logistic regression analysis were used, using Stata-v15 software. Informed consent was implemented.

The mean age was 45 years (SD 13), 70% resided on the farm and 52% reported family work. The average seniority of pesticide application was 18.79 years (SD 11.38), only 27% of the workers used adequate protection when applying pesticides. Also, 21% of them reported having accidents with pesticides (splashing, ingestion, etc); 58% reported symptoms related to the application, neurological (40%) and irritative (38%) among others. 42% reported one or more tracer illnesses. The probability of reporting illnesses increased among workers with more than 20 years in the task (OR=3.048; p ≤ 0.05 ) and among those who expressed presenting accidents with pesticides (OR=2.85; p ≤0.05); while the report of symptoms was higher among horticulturists who manifested accidents (OR= 5.71; p ≤0.05).

A high prevalence of symptoms and tracer diseases associated with prolonged use and accidents with pesticides was reported.