title: Assessment of acute health effects from the Medfly Eradication Project in Santa Clara County, California.
abstract: Surveys were performed to assess the acute health effects of aerial application of malathion bait over a large urban area. Three indirect attempts to assess utilization of health care services were made: (1) surveillance of a major hospital emergency department was undertaken, (2) ambulance dispatches were reviewed, and (3) emergency treatments for asthma at a university hospital were reviewed. These assessments were negative but insensitive. Prevalence of self-reported symptoms was assessed with two surveys that were subject to severe time constraints. Personal interviews of the same individuals, before and after the spraying, were conducted: one was conducted by telephone and the other by residential visit. Results indicated no detectable increase in acute morbidity. Also, after the spraying, there was a decrease in anxiety-related symptoms.
authors.affiliation: California Department of Health Services, Sacramento.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kahn
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berlin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deane
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Stratton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000401:Aircraft; D000818:Animals; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D004175:Diptera; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007300:Insect Control / Q000592:standards*; D008294:Malathion / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D008294:Malathion