Occupational pesticide intoxications among farmers in Bolivia: a cross-sectional study (original) (raw)

Abstract

Pesticide use and its consequences are of concern in Bolivia due to an intensive and increasing use. To assess the magnitude and reasons for occupational pesticide intoxication, a cross-sectional study with interviews and blood-tests was performed among 201 volunteer farmers from 48 villages in the temperate and subtropical valleys in the eastern part of the Andes Mountains in Bolivia. Of these 171 male farmers using pesticides in their agricultural production were used in the statistical analysis, including linear- and logistic regression analysis. This study documented a frequent use of the most toxic pesticides among farmers who have had almost no instructions in how to use pesticides and protect themselves against the dangers of intoxication, reflected in the hazardous practices used when handling pesticides. Symptoms of intoxications were common in connection with spraying operations. The risk of experiencing symptoms and the serum cholinesterase activity were influenced by whe...

Loading...

Loading Preview

Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.

References (28)

  1. Henao S, Arbelaez MP: Epidemiologic situation of acute pesti- cide poisoning in Central America. 1992-2000. Epidemiol Bull 2002, 23(3):5-9.
  2. Rozas ME, Santivañez T, Osorio LG: Catastro de Conflicto Ambi- ental por Plaguicidas: Bolivia-Perú-Chile. Observatorio Lati- noamericano de Conflictos Ambientales. 1999. ISBN 956- 7958-01-7
  3. Issa MN, Rojas VC, Aguilar GC: Investigacion sobre intoxicacion de trabajadores agricolas por plaguicidas. In Ministerio de Pre- visión Social y Salud Publica Bolivia; 1990.
  4. de San Andrés, Fac- ultad de Ciencias Puras y Naturales. La Paz, Bolivia; 2000.
  5. Santivañez TC: Abriendo el Sendero de una Floricultura Social y Ambientalmente Sostenible. In Terres de Hombres -Alemania Cochabamba, Bolivia; 2003.
  6. Andersen HR, Nielsen JB: Exposure to pesticides among female greenhouse workers (Publication in Danish). Arbejdsmiljørådets Service Center 2001. ISBN 87-90879-41-4
  7. International Programme on Chemical Safety: The WHO recom- mended classification of pesticides by hazard and Guidelines to Classification 2000-2002. 2003 [http://www.who.org\]. WHO/ PCS/01.5. [cited 9 June 2004]
  8. Keifer M, McConnell R, Pacheco AF, Daniel W, Rosenstock L: Esti- mating Underreported Pesticide Poisonings in Nicaragua. Am J Ind Med 1996, 30:195-201.
  9. The Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pes- ticides in International Trade 1998 [http://www.fao.org\].
  10. FAO/ UNEP, Rome/Geneva [cited 9 June 2004]
  11. The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollut- ants 2001 [http://www.unep.org\]. UNEP, Geneva [cited 9 June 2004]
  12. International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides. In Adopted by the Hundred and Twenty-third Session of the FAO Council in November 2002 Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, Rome; 2002.
  13. FAO: Legally binding convention to control trade in hazard- ous chemicals adopted in Rotterdam. News Release, Food & Agri- culture Organisation of the United Nations 1998 [http://www.fao.org\]. 11 september 1998. [cited 9 June 2004]
  14. SENASAG: Registro Oficial de Plaguicidas, Fertilizantes y Sus- tancias Afines de Uso Agricola Registrados en Bolivia al 31. de Diciembre de 2000. In MAGDR La Paz, Bolivia.
  15. Program de Colaboración para la Eliminación de Plaguicides Caduca- dos: Estudio de Plaguicidas Obsoletos en Bolivia. In FAO La Paz, mayo; 2003.
  16. Jors E: Acute pesticide poisonings among small-scale farmers in La Paz county, Bolivia. Masterthesis, University of Copenhagen 2004.
  17. Eddleston M, Karalliedde L, Buckley N, et al.: Pesticide poisoning in the developing world -a minimum pesticide list. The Lancet 2002, 360(12):1163-67.
  18. Konradsen F, van der Hoek W, Cole DC, et al.: Reducing acute poisonings in developing countries -options for restricting the availability of pesticides. Toxicology 2003, 192:249-61.
  19. Roberts D, Karunarathna A, Buckley N, et al.: Influence of pesti- cide regulation on acute poisoning deaths in Sri Lanka. Bulle- tin of WHO 2003, 81:789-98.
  20. Hruska AJ, Corriols M: The Impact of training in Integrated Pest Management Among Nicaraguan Maize Farmers: Increased Net Returns and Reduced Health Risk. Int J Occup Environ Health 2002, 8:191-200.
  21. International Centre for Pesticide Safety: The consequences of reducing the use of pesticides have now been clarified. Pesti- cide Safety News 1999, 2(3):. 1 and 7
  22. Lakew K, Mekonnen Y: Use of pesticides and causal factors of poisoning, a study among agricultural workers in Ethiopia. Afr newsletter on Occup Health and Safety 1997, 7:68-70.
  23. Kishi M, et al.: Relationship of pesticide spraying to signs and symptoms in Indonesian farmers. Scan J Work Environ Health 1995, 43:124-33.
  24. Gomes J, et al.: The influence of personal protection, environ- mental hygiene and exposure to pesticides on the health of immigrant farm workers in a desert country. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 1999, 72:40-45.
  25. Maroni M, Colosio C, Fait A, Vinsentin S: Occupational exposure to pesticide in the developing world: health effects and strat- egies. Asian-Pacific Newsletter 2000, 6:68-71.
  26. Murray DL, Taylor PL: Challenging the International Pesticide Industry's Hazard Reduction Strategy. International Institute for Environment and Development 2001. Gatekeeper Series no. 103
  27. Nordin RB, Araki S, Sato H, et al.: Effects of safety behaviors with pesticide use on occurrence of acute symptoms in male and female tobacco-growing Malaysian farmers. Ind Health 2002, 40(2):182-90.
  28. Lidwien AMS, van-Wendel-de-Joode , Heederik D, et al.: Neurolog- ical symptoms among Sri Lankan farmers occupationally exposed to acetylcholineesterase-inhibiting insecticides. Am J Indust Med 2003, 44:254-64.