Factors Associated With the Prevalence of Prostate Cancer in Rural Saskatchewan: The Saskatchewan Rural Health Study.
OBJECTIVE
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Canadian males, and it is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths in men. Some studies suggest that occupational exposure may be associated with prostate cancer. However, the etiology of prostate cancer is ambiguous. The purpose of this study was to assess the rural occupational exposure, including farming, as a determinant of prostate cancer in rural men. We investigated the prevalence of prostate cancer and its putative relationship between rural exposures in the Saskatchewan province of Canada.


METHODS
In 2010, a baseline mailed survey was conducted of 11,982 households located in 4 geographic regions (southwest, southeast, northwest, and northeast) of rural Saskatchewan, Canada. The questionnaires collected information on individual and contextual determinants from a rural population of men. In total 2,938 males older than 45 years were included in the logistic regression analysis.


RESULTS
The age-standardized prevalence of prostate cancer was 3.32%. Farm residence was a significant risk factor associated with prevalence of prostate cancer while farming occupation and duration were not. Men who were exposed to insecticides and fungicides together (OR [95% CI] = 2.23 [1.15-4.33], P = .02) at work showed an increased potential risk compared to the nonexposed. The effect of farm/nonfarm residence on prevalence of prostate cancer differed depending on personal smoking history and family history of cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Workplace exposure to insecticides and fungicides together were statistically significantly associated with prevalence of prostate cancer.
Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Meenu
M
Sharma
Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Joshua A
JA
Lawson
Saskatoon Health Region, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Rani
R
Kanthan
Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Chandima
C
Karunanayake
Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Louise
L
Hagel
Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Donna
D
Rennie
Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
James A
JA
Dosman
Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.|Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Punam
P
Pahwa
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000383:Agriculture / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010575:Pesticides / Q000009:adverse effects; D015995:Prevalence; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012525:Saskatchewan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D010575:Pesticides
biostatistics; demography; epidemiology; prostate cancer; rural