@article{ref1,
title="Work-related pesticide poisoning among farmers in two villages of Southern China: a cross-sectional survey",
journal="BMC public health",
year="2011",
author="Zhang, Xujun and Zhao, Weiyan and Jing, Ruiwei and Wheeler, Krista and Smith, Gary A. and Stallones, Lorann and Xiang, Huiyun",
volume="11",
number="1",
pages="429-429",
abstract="ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Pesticide poisoning is an important health problem among Chinese farm workers, but there is a paucity of pesticide poisoning data from China. Using the WHO standard case definition of a possible acute pesticide poisoning, we investigated the prevalence and risk factors of acute work-related pesticide poisoning among farmers in Southern China. METHODS: A stratified sample of 910 pesticide applicators from two villages in southern China participated in face-to-face interviews. Respondents who self-reported having two or more of a list of sixty-six symptoms within 24 hours after pesticide application were categorized as having suffered acute pesticide poisoning. The association between the composite behavioral risk score and pesticide poisoning were assessed in a multivariate logistic model. RESULTS: A total of 80 (8.8%) pesticide applicators reported an acute work-related pesticide poisoning. The most frequent symptoms among applicators were dermal (11.6%) and nervous system (10.7%) symptoms. Poisoning was more common among women, farmers in poor areas, and applicators without safety training (all p< 0.001). After controlling for gender, age, education, geographic area and the behavioral risk score, farmers without safety training had an adjusted odds ratio of 3.22 (95% CI: 1.86-5.60). The likelihood of acute pesticide poisoning was also significantly associated with number of exposure risk behaviors. A significant &quot;dose-response&quot; relationship between composite behavioral risk scores calculated from 9 pesticides exposure risk behaviors and the log odds of pesticide poisoning prevalence was seen among these Chinese farmers (R2 = 0.9246). CONCLUSIONS: This study found that 8.8% of Chinese pesticide applicators suffered acute pesticide poisoning and suggests that pesticide safety training, safe application methods, and precautionary behavioral measures could be effective in reducing the risk of pesticide poisoning.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1471-2458",
doi="10.1186/1471-2458-11-429",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-429"
}