Pesticide take-home pathway among children of agricultural workers: study design, methods, and baseline findings.
Farmworkers are exposed to pesticides and may take home pesticide residues to their families. In this paper, self-reported pesticide exposure and home practices to reduce the amount of pesticide residues taken home were examined among 571 farmworkers. Urine samples from a subsample of farmworkers and children and dust samples from households and vehicles also assessed pesticide exposure. Overall, 96% of respondents reported exposure to pesticides at work. Many employers did not provide resources for hand washing. Farmworkers' protective practices to keep pesticide residues out of the home were at a low level. In a subset of respondents, pesticide levels above the limit of quantitation were seen in the urine of children and adults and in house and vehicle dust. The results support the take-home pathway of pesticide exposure. Ways must be found to reduce this pesticide exposure among children of farmworkers.
Thompson
Beti
B
Cancer Prevention Research Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Department of Health Services, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. bthompso@fhcrc.org
Coronado
Gloria D
GD
Grossman
Julia E
JE
Puschel
Klaus
K
Solomon
Cam C
CC
Islas
Ilda
I
Curl
Cynthia L
CL
Shirai
Jeffry H
JH
Kissel
John C
JC
Fenske
Richard A
RA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture; D002648:Child; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006235:Hand Disinfection; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D010290:Parents; D010573:Pesticide Residues; D012107:Research Design; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D010573:Pesticide Residues