Citation

Jung M, Chang SJ, Kim CB, Min S, Lee K, Koh SB, Choi JR. J. Occup. Environ. Med. 2019; 61(4): 314-317.

Affiliation

Department of Preventive Medicine (Ms Jung, Dr Chang, Dr Kim, Dr Koh); Department of Psychiatry (Dr Min); National Academy of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Jeonju (Dr Lee); and Institute of Genomic Cohort (Dr Koh, Dr Choi), Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Republic of Korea.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/JOM.0000000000001545

PMID

30946289

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the association between suicide and pesticide exposure in a community-based cohort study.

METHODS: We performed a longitudinal analysis of 6333 who participated in the initial survey of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. Data were collected using a questionnaire to assess the prevalence of suicide. We calculated the hazard ratios (HRs) for suicide by pesticide exposure using the Cox proportional hazard model.

RESULTS: After adjusting for variables, participants exposed to pesticides had a 1.88-fold increased risk of suicide (HR, 1.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11 to 3.16) than those who were not exposed. Study populations with greater pesticide use (HR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.27 to 4.60) and pesticide addiction had the highest suicide rates (HR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.03 to 3.56).

CONCLUSIONS: Pesticide exposure for suicide should be considered during the development and implementation of suicide prevention in rural area.

Language: en