Cross-Shift Changes in Lung Function Among Palestinian Farmers During High- and Low-Exposure Periods to Pesticides: A Longitudinal Study.
The purpose of this study was to study cross-shift changes of lung function in relation to pesticide use. One hundred and ninety-five male farmers, from a total of 250 farmers, performed lung function tests both pre- and post-shift during high- and low-pesticide-exposure periods. There were no associations between lung function differences across shifts and estimated quantity of pesticides used. However, the cross-shift reduction in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1; ΔFEV1) was more pronounced during the period when pesticides were used on a larger scale, September 2006, compared with the exposure period with a lower level of pesticide use, April 2007, +50 mL (95% confidence interval [CI]: +24, +76) and +17 mL (95% CI: -13, +48), respectively. This contrast was statistically significant only among the subset of never-smoking participants below 50 years of age. This finding suggests a possible obstructive effect of pesticide exposure on lung function among this rural male population in Palestine. A follow-up of farmers' lung function in this part of the world along with high-quality measurements of exposure is needed.
a Occupational Epidemiology and Biological Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Hebron University , West Bank, Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Farid Abu
FA
Sham'a
Marit
M
Skogstad
Khaldoun
K
Nijem
Espen
E
Bjertness
Petter
P
Kristensen
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000383:Agriculture; D018912:Arabs; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010575:Pesticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012621:Seasons; D055815:Young Adult
D010575:Pesticides
Palestinian rural population; agricultural workers; longitudinal study; lung function test; pesticides