Worries about modernity predict symptom complaints after environmental pesticide spraying.
OBJECTIVE
Concerns about environmental and technological changes affecting health have been shown to be associated with symptom reports in cross-sectional studies. We aimed to investigate how worries about modernity affecting health, negative affectivity, and prior symptom complaints influence health complaints after environmental spraying in a prospective study.


METHODS
Two hundred ninety-two residents of West Auckland completed questionnaires measuring recent symptoms, negative affect, and concerns about the effects of modernity on health before aerial spraying of their neighborhood with Foray 48B. After spraying, 181 residents (62%) returned a follow-up questionnaire measuring symptoms, spray-avoidance behavior, and the perceived effect of the spray program on health.


RESULTS
The number of symptoms reported after the spray was most closely related to the number of symptoms reported at baseline (beta = 0.40, p = .0001). Higher levels of modern health worries (beta = 0.23, p = .001) and baseline symptoms (beta = 0.17, p < .05) were associated with a higher number of symptoms being attributed to the spray program. Modern health worries also predicted avoidance behavior during the spraying times (beta = 0.32, p = .001) and the belief that the health of participants and the health of their children and pets was affected by the spray (all p < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
Worries about aspects of modern life affecting health can strongly influence the attribution of symptoms and beliefs about health effects after environmental incidents.
Petrie
Keith J
KJ
Department of Health Psychology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. kj.petrie@auckland.ac.nz
Broadbent
Elizabeth A
EA
Kley
Nadine
N
Moss-Morris
Rona
R
Horne
Rob
R
Rief
Winfried
W
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D001294:Attitude to Health; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D010571:Pest Control / Q000379:methods*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012922:Social Change; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D010575:Pesticides