title: Occupational behaviors and farmworkers' pesticide exposure: findings from a study in Monterey County, California.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We studied the relationship between behaviors promoted through the US Environmental Protection Agency Worker Protection Standard (WPS) and other programs and agricultural pesticide exposures in 73 strawberry fieldworkers employed in Monterey County, California.
  
  
  METHODS
  Farmworkers' behaviors were assessed via self-report and organophosphorus (OP) pesticide exposure was measured using dimethyl alkylphosphate (DMAP) and malathion dicarboxylic acid (MDA) urinary metabolite levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Wearing WPS-recommended clothing, wearing clean work clothes, and the combination of handwashing with soap and wearing gloves were associated with decreases in DMAP and MDA metabolite levels. Despite these protective behaviors, however, participants had significantly higher levels of exposure as compared with a national reference sample.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interventions that facilitate compliance with these behaviors may be effective in decreasing fieldworkers' pesticide exposures. However, further efforts are needed to reduce the exposure disparities experienced by farmworkers and decrease the potential for "take home" exposures to farmworkers' families.
authors.affiliation: Center for Children's Environmental Health Research, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-7380, USA.
authors.forename: Alicia L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Salvatore
authors.forename: Asa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bradman
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Castorina
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Camacho
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Dana B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Snyder
authors.forename: Nicholas P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Jewell
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eskenazi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture; D001519:Behavior; D002140:California; D003998:Dicarboxylic Acids / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006235:Hand Disinfection; D006801:Humans; D008294:Malathion / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000652:urine*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000652:urine*; D011481:Protective Clothing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D003998:Dicarboxylic Acids; D010573:Pesticide Residues; D010575:Pesticides; D008294:Malathion