The incidence of green tobacco sickness among Latino farmworkers.
We estimated the prevalence and incidence density (ID) and the risk factors of green tobacco sickness among minority farmworkers in North Carolina. Using a prospective surveillance design, 182 farmworkers were interviewed up to 5 times at biweekly intervals in 1999. The green tobacco sickness prevalence was 24.2%, whereas the ID was 1.88 days per 100 days worked. Greater work experience (5+ years, ID = 0.87; first year ID = 2.41) and tobacco use (ID of 1.18 vs 2.39) were negatively associated with green tobacco sickness. Task (e.g., priming ID, 4.04; topping ID, 1.86; barning ID, 0.62) and working in wet clothing (25% of workdays ID, 2.97; fewer than 25% of workdays ID, 1.29) had the largest effect. More effort must be directed toward preventing this occupational illness that affects workers who have little control over workplace safety.
Arcury
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Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1084, USA. tarcury@wfubmc.edu
Quandt
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Preisser
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Norton
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003020:Clothing / Q000009:adverse effects; D004244:Dizziness / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D009538:Nicotine / Q000506:poisoning*; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014839:Vomiting / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D014867:Water; D062789:Tobacco Products
D014867:Water; D009538:Nicotine