title: Pesticide take-home pathway among children of agricultural workers: study design, methods, and baseline findings.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: 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
authors.forename: Beti
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Gloria D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Coronado
authors.forename: Julia E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Grossman
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Puschel
authors.forename: Cam C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.forename: Ilda
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Islas
authors.forename: Cynthia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Curl
authors.forename: Jeffry H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shirai
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Kissel
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Fenske
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D010573:Pesticide Residues