title: Total pesticide exposure calculation among vegetable farmers in Benguet, Philippines.
abstract: This was a cross-sectional study that investigated pesticide exposure and its risk factors targeting vegetable farmers selected through cluster sampling. The sampling size calculated with P = .05 was 211 vegetable farmers and 37 farms. The mean usage of pesticide was 21.35 liters. Risk factors included damaged backpack sprayer (34.7%), spills on hands (31.8%), and spraying against the wind (58%). The top 3 pesticides used were pyrethroid (46.4%), organophosphates (24.2%), and carbamates (21.3%). Those who were exposed to fungicides and insecticides also had higher total pesticide exposure. Furthermore, a farmer who was a pesticide applicator, mixer, loader, and who had not been given instructions through training was at risk of having higher pesticide exposure. The most prevalent symptoms were headache (64.1%), muscle pain (61.1%), cough (45.5%), weakness (42.4%), eye pain (39.9%), chest pain (37.4%), and eye redness (33.8%). The data can be used for the formulation of an integrated program on safety and health in the vegetable industry.
authors.affiliation: National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila, Ermita, Manila 1100, Philippines. jinky lu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Jinky Leilanie
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D000383:Agriculture; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000139:chemically induced; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D010679:Philippines; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014675:Vegetables; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides