title: Gender differences in acute pesticide-related illnesses and injuries among farmworkers in the United States, 1998-2007.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Farmworkers have a high risk for acute pesticide-related illness and injury, and the rate among female farmworkers is approximately twice as high as that among males. Surveillance data were used to identify reasons for this gender difference.
  
  
  METHODS
  We identified acute pesticide-related illness and injury cases among farmworkers from the Sentinel Event Notification System for Occupational Risks (SENSOR)-Pesticides Program and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Gender-specific associations with acute pesticide-related illness and injury were assessed using chi-square tests. National Agricultural Workers Survey data were also examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The over-representation of females among farmworker illness and injury cases was confined to females who did not handle pesticides (non-handlers). Female non-handler farmworkers who were affected were more likely to be working on fruit and nut crops, to be exposed to off-target pesticide drift, and to be exposed to fungicides and fumigants compared to males.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although there is an increased risk for acute pesticide-related illness and injury among female farmworkers, the absolute number of farmworkers with acute pesticide-related illness and injury is far higher among males than females. Furthermore, farmworkers have little or no control over many of the identified contributing factors that led to illness and injury. Stringent enforcement of existing regulations and enhanced regulatory efforts to protect against off-target drift exposures may have the highest impact in reducing acute pesticide-related illness and injury among farmworkers.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA.
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Kasner
authors.forename: Jessica M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Keralis
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mehler
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beckman
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bonnar-Prado
authors.forename: Soo-Jeong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Brienne
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Diebolt-Brown
authors.forename: Prakash
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mulay
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lackovic
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Waltz
authors.forename: Abby
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Yvette
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moraga-McHaley
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roisman
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gergely
authors.forename: Geoffrey M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Calvert
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000383:Agriculture / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016272:Occupational Health; D010575:Pesticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides