Journal
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE
Volume 57, Issue 12, Pages 1331-1343Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22384
Keywords
pesticides; farm women; asthma; allergy; cholinesterase
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Funding
- Women on Farms Project
- University of Cape Town
- National Research Foundation of South Africa [IFR 2011041400063]
- Medical Research Council of South Africa
- Centre for International Health of the Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany (CIHLMU)
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BackgroundFew studies have investigated asthma and pesticides among women farm workers in developing countries. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the association between pesticides and asthma among rural women (n=211). Outcome measurements included respiratory symptoms (European Community Respiratory Health Survey questionnaire), immunological status (Phadiatop, serum IgE to mite allergens) and lower airway inflammation (fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) levels). Exposure variables included self-reported pesticide exposure and whole blood cholinesterase (ChE). ResultsThe prevalence of ocular-nasal symptoms (ONS), doctor-diagnosed asthma and current asthma was 24%, 11%, and 6% respectively. ONS was positively associated with re-entering a sprayed field (OR=2.97; CI: 0.93-9.50). Asthma symptom score was associated with low ChE (OR=1.93; CI: 1.09-3.44). Participants with high FeNO (>50ppb) also had an elevated odds of having low ChE (OR=4.8; CI: 0.80-28.00). ConclusionPesticide exposure among women farm workers is associated with increased risk of ocular nasal symptoms and an elevated asthma symptom score. Am. J. Ind. Med. 57:1331-1343, 2014. (c) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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